New-York tribune., 1874-03-18
STEAM ON THE CANALS.
ARGUMENT OF HENRY HILL BEFORE THE PRoDUc
EXCHANGE

ARGUMENT OF HENRY HILL BEFORE THE PRODUCE
EXCHANGE.
A special meeting of the Produce Exchange
was held at l:45 D. m yesterday in to the
quest OF the members 70 Henry Hill of Newark
the subject the Of steam the canals Franklin
Edison In the chair Mr. Hill was Introduced ana
SAID. among other things:
aR PRKsIDfyF, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE NEw-YoRK
PRODUCE EXCHANGE: Although am no longer one OF
your members. resident of your city, have not
lost the interest which connection OF many years with
particular branch OF business must necessarily inspire
| am still the sunny side OF 45, yet remember well
the time when this association did not exist, and buyer
and seller in Zach others stores, under Parkers
awning the Of Broad and south-sts Many OF
YOU were there, distinctly recoect, looking about
as young you do for II was not many years ago
It useless and puerile 20 complain OF the CROWN OF
other places. 1t the legal and moral right OF Phii
delphia and Baltimore ana Boston, and even Montreal
grow, and 10 take away your business oy an1 les
mate means in their power There is but one counter
move and that TO extend superior facilities and oner
superior Inducements Your trade can Do retained IN
other way And this brings me 10 the remedy tnat
would suggest, namely, that you at once individually
and collectively turn your attention 10 tne great quc
ton OF transportation facilities between your city aud
the Great West, informing yourselves fully aud accu
rately 10 the relative economy OF the various
methods, and studying the problem as thor
oughly and deeply as 40 the merchinos !
OF other cities and other nations; In the
hope contributing something To this end here to
day. While do not ior moment suppose mat every
many are not aware OF the actual result Of the exper
meuts which have been made during the past three
years, respecting the prdcucaDlIY Oh oi
steam for animal power nat great public thorough
fare-Jnat water course Wnlcn not ohly
mOrtalized ts protector Dut h0fe tnan aud ira uo ~
fuence built up the Empire state and the empire
faeuated bv the roar speed the railroad traln
there are thousands OF men, not lacking IN neIgehcr
who sincerely believe tnat the day OF canals Is past ana
that tins OF the country must be done by ran
TO desire 10 say that by the solution OF the
and duly recognized by the Commissioners appointed by
the Legislature, canals are proven 10 ne as
lakes or the In other words thif
froedom from the tides and storms, head"in IN n
NJ -
dIsad vantages OF cramped ana shallow channel Under
the application OF correct engineering principles IL Is
found that the old fear OF washing the BANKS was
entirely faliaciOus, and in short that WIN proper
machinery the speed Of every boat upon the cana can an
he more than doubled and tue expense or each Trip pe
reduced at per cent, with the canal IL lts pres
ent wretched condition; ana when the rev relalnlns
dOnbe locks snail completed the cannl cleaned OUT
10 the depth required oY law, and the bench-walLs
where they exist removed the SAVING IN e1pehse M as
com pared win animal power Will be increased 10 fulY
30 per cent. These are not nv ngures IAey are the
Official record and one OF the Commissioners was your
ou xpereuced saZaclOus CONSERVATIVE eX XPfeslueht'
David bows, whose Judgment IN business matters
it always safe % accept ana follow WIN nun as4 @
acted sucn men as exCanai Commissioner wright ana
the Hon George Ged1es men whose names are Known
throughout the state. and whose lyes nayihg DEL
ossed in eonnection with the canal, familiar win
sits details AS you with the business oI TINS moor.
little rejection should show any one mat Wlat
canal boat wants depth and width or water 10 MAKE
sned in after passing obstruction OF tho
lock ana thai the locks should be us small as possible
aud be able to admit the boat IN ORDER not 70 waste
water aud draw down the levels. the canal should at
future be widened to 100 feet venture tne
prophesy that the present locks VIII not De en-
iarged nor the size OF the boats be Increased
The few remaining single locks should OF
course, be doubled without delay, TOR Dear ia
mind that the locks now in use all been enlarged
but there few, say hall dozen places, wnere Ohy
one has been completed while It's fellow Is al course Oh
construction the work being strangely delayed year
after year even In face OF tho fact at so long s one
remains unfinished IL IL more a dou bie-ocA CANA,
than q railroad N doube-track road, with u single
length OF single track The contractors should u TO
CURED TO complete the work without delay or IL shoud
De taken out OF their hands and given ~ other parties
AS an engineering fact, railroads never cOmpcte
with canals IN the carrying Of heavy freight There IS
the highest authority Tor stating Lhs Engineer dfeeuc
IN MS report 70 the Legislature 1874 page 14J, aeI
gong into details 70 the most exhaustive extent, say
tnat the Of frei ght from Buffalo 90 NewYOrk Dy
canal and river with animal power the canal IN
GLIDING tolls on the canal CO 64l0J per cent
or cost by rail, and with the canal IL Is
"A 82OO per cent, but exclusive OF tolls these proper
tOus reduced ~ 81 76l0J per cent with AniihAi