The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-04

lies upon ally kluO Oh f1llFOa0, O1n8u1,
with British capital, will perform the ser
vics cheaper by water through the st Law
renee and Montreal, and to compete with
this route, and keep the trade in
the United States, we will, after
all, as have said, be compelled to resort
to the cheap water transportation. There
is no shadow of doubt Of it in my mind.
Looking to the absolute necessity of the
Niagara Ship Canal, l have studied how
to cheaper the cost Of the structure. and
shorten the time, and have arrived at a
perfect system by which q ship Of 200
tons can pass from navigable waters above
the falls to navigsble waters at Lewiston,
below the falls, within one hour, allowing
vessel would pass each way in the same
time and by one operation.
BY the aid of compressed air the entire
work of excavation Of the rocky bed OF
the canal on the line of the Government
survey, and by the shortest route, can be
accomplished with great saving, Us the FALL
ing water of Niagar itself will furnish all
the power to do the work, and if the United
States is willing to donate a. 900, 900 to a
private company, | can furnish satisfactO-
ry assurance that a canal and elevator, ca
pable of passing not less than fifty vessels
OF 200 tons carrying capacity, each way,
every twenty -four hours, can be completed
IN two years, and delivered to the Govern
ment by the owners at any time, within
ten years, at less than $S,OOO,OOO The
elevator capacity can be increased at will
to any desirable extent, even to passing
200, 900 tons of merchandise day, if so
much should be required
To those who have read the foregoing
We need offer no explanation for quoting
the whole of it. 1t is clearly to be seen
that Mr. Day is an advocate of the utiliza-
ton of the great national water courses Of
the continent, as the readiest, surest, cheap
est means of linking the East and West in
the bonds Of profitable commerce that he
does not believe that railway facilities can
meet the demand, or that the great trade
can be kept for the United States in any
other way than by such plan a. he urges,
and we infer that he does not think the
Erie Canal route available or adequate for
the purpose We have long been Of q sim
liar opinion, and believe that in this plan
will ultimately he found the true solution
Of the great problem of rans-continental
transportation. Mr.. Day also explained to
the committee in detail his canal-lock and
elevator scheme, by the aid of which he
claims that all he promises in the matter
of passing large vessels rapidly, safely and
cheaply, past Niagara Falls, or any other
obstructive point, can be accomplished.
He has caused surveys to be made some
time since at his own expense, of canal
routes from point below Ogdensburg, on
the st. Lawrence, to lake Champlain, and
with this result that while canal across
northern New York would have an eleva-
ton of l, 100 feet to surmount, and would
cost twelve million dollars, another route
further north, and for a short distance
only in Canadian territory would have an
elevation Of less than 40 feet, and a canal
could be constructed for four millions.
These are most important claims and data,
and they will not be overlooked by the
committee, or by any intelligent invCsti-
gator Of the subject. 1t is noticeable that
Mr.. Walker, the statistician Of the New
York Produce Exchange, who was before
the committee on the day following Mr.
Days presentation of his views, fully en-
dorsed the statements and the opinions of
Mr.. Day in all the most important points
Mr.. Walker gave the most decided pref
erence to the st. Lawrence canal route
over that of the Erie Canal, and stated
that it is impossible now, and will be i'm
possible in the future for the railway to
meet the demands of the great grain trans
portation of the West We shall at an
other time, quote Mr.. Walkers statements
in full, for they are reliable, and of great
interest and value But in the main, and
in all that bears upon the great question
at issue as between transportation by
water and by rail, and in reference to
available routes, Mr.. Walkers views fully
corroboratsd those of Mr. Day, which we
have here noticed. The study of this great
question is one worthy the attention Of all
business men, and of all who have due re-
gard for the future prosperity Of the coun-
try. The particular matters of which this
article takes notice are Of especial interest
to this great commercial metropolis Of the
nation, the city of New York, Of which, to
all intents and purposes commercially,
Jersey City is an integral part.