The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-01-13
Ship Canal Around the Falls of
Niagara.

NIaRHTd.
There have been numerous plans sug-
gestcd for passing vessels around the Falls
Of Niagara some practical, others entirely
wanting in that most essential particular.
The oldest and simplest idea with refer
cncc to this matter Ia the construction OF
an ordinary canal which ascends and de-
ccnds nights by the wcll-known system OF
locks. The next plan most prominently
suggested is ship railway around the
Fails The last-namcd method Is % build a
railway, and draw over il immense cars
filed with sufficient water to float vessels.
A third plan Is now being discussed, which
Is a sort of blending of some of the main
features of both the others. The salient
characteristics of this plan appear in the
following, taken from report of COM
mittec, made January 3, to the Detroit
Board of Trade
"The invention contcmplates such 4 sys-
tenn ofcanAl structure that no locks are re-
quired, and commerce Is conducted without
passing water from one level to another, M
ordinarily used In canal navigation, thus
lessenng the first cost of construction, and
adapting them 10 any desirable depth of wa
ter aud profitable navigation. In passing
ships around Niagara Falls, where the sys-
TEN seems applicable, canal Is built 100
feet wide, aud of such depth as 10 pass
vessels drawing IA feet beginning at
Schlosser, about three miles above the eat
aract, extending a distance of six miles to
the brow of the hill at Lewiston, where
ships are raised out of the canal into iron
tanks filled with water, In which, while
| floating, they are passed on inclined planes
| so constructed that one vessel ascends as the
other descends from the level of the water
above the falls to that of Lake Ontario in 4
| few minutes, and with entire safety TO shiE
and cargo. The operation Is very simple
and in the Judgment ofyour committee en-
| tirely feasible
Some of the practical details Of this
novel plan were presented to the Board by
the inventor, as follows:
Al propose to bring the canal from Lake
Erie beginning about three miles above
| the falls, by almost q straight line to tht
brow of the hill at Lewiston, and ther,
build an inclined plane, descending about
1870 feet to the mile. The locks are made o
iron and wood and are passed up the In.
clined plane upon rollers fixed upon tn,
plane. Upon the bottom OF the locks rail-
are fastened, so that 10 friction or derange
ment shall occur on the bearings. Their
are two inclined planes side by side and a
the upper end Is large drum, aroun,
which wire cable passes, being attached
TO the two movable locks. As one start
down the plane the other starts up, ant
they meet half way in passing. In practi
cal use the descending lock will require
only little more water than the ascending
one In order TO overcome the friction ant
draw 1t up. Two ships can thus be passed
one up and the other down, overcoming al
elevation of $50 feet In half an hour.
| The Chamber OF Commerce at Detroi
has taken the matter in charge and full
investigation win be made of the last
mentioned plan. A canal around thes'
falls would doubtless be great advantage
to the West. Heretofore its construction
has been hindered by the manner In whicl
it WAS proposed. If allowed to rest sOlel,
upon business basis, we have no doubt o
its accomplishment.