New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-06
the lose incident to using an unfit and ill.adapted

70 the movement of such vessel at the rate OF less
than three miles per hour would be so inconvenient
Co the traffic that 10 would be easier and cheaper to
construct an independent work. That would prob
ably cost principal sum, the annual interest ON
waich would be greater than the entire amount now
received by the carrier for his services and by the
State for its tolls on all the existing business A
shorter route would be likely to be preferred The
Hudson River, from Troy to deep water would neeu
similar reconstruction.
ENLARGED LOCKS AND UNENLARGED WATERWAY
project often urged within the last ten years IS
the enlargement of the locks and other structures
of the Erie Canal without proportionate enlarge
ment of the waterway. That plan exhibits
singular union of injurious costlness and fatai
parsimony II is founded on the fallacy tna'
the use of large boat without reference 10 Tvs
adaptation to the waterway in when IL s
to move would he economical IL is supporter py
An estimate of the state Engineer IN 1914 that the
cost of transportation would be Ixuuceu ono mai
His opinion has been repeated on ali oCcasiohs unIi
W" Bnt that estimate twhen analysed is found TO omit
all the wages and support of the crew during the re-
tnrn trim and during the time occupied IN loading
and unloading and TO allow for the use OF the boat
ebout half IFS real cost. In other respects it was
utterly unworthy OF trust
ECONOMY FROM THB BEST GROUP OF ADAPTATIONS.
The truth is the boat is but part of the whole
machine of transportation economy in the service
depends upon getting the best adaptation OF all the
various parts-the boat. the motive power. the
canal with its structures and its waterway; the
best group of adaptations which adjustments and
compromises OF each can WORK OUT and coinphtH iL
and the resultant of the greatest economies Whlcn
can be obtained in conjunction.
A larger boat, In waterway which now needs 10
be Itself enlarged and improved TO give GOO e,n
to the economy OF the service attained at ilpenSo
cost.
PERFECTING THE CANAL THE WISE WAY.
The Erie Canal was planned IN view of the best
science and experience then possessed. 1t has ex-
celleut adaptations 1t is superior instrument OF
TRANSPORTATION. 1t should not be fundamentally
changed in its character and conditions without
great consideration 1t should be perfected; and so
made available TO every practicable extent, Tor
facilitating and cheapening the exchanges OF COM
modites between the East and the West.
ITS CAPACITY-ITs ECONOMY
The two questions concerning it are: first ats
capacity to do aggregate business during given
period; secondly, the economy per ton per mile OF
the transportation it affords. These questions are
generally confused IN all discussions They are COM
pletely distinct They depend upon wholly dinereht
IT'S CAPACITY AMPLE
Capacity to accommodate an aggregate tonnage
during q day, month, or season of navigation
depends on the number of boats of the normal size
which the locks are able to pass during the period
Boats can be multiplied indefinitely The limit to
their use is the number to which the locks can give
transit The time occupied in lOckage is the test
But it is unnecessary to apply that for the actual
results of experience set at rest every doubt.
OF the 70 locks which intervene between the
waters of Lake Erie and the waters of the Hudson.
oil but o few have been doubled for many years. In
1857 when the subject was discussed in the Con-
stitut,onal Convention 10 remained single. For the
first time on the opening of navigation next Spring
double locks will be brought into use throughout
the entire canal That will nearly double the
capacity of the canal TO make lockages. The
largest delivery of the Erie Canal at tide
water was in 1862 1t amounted to
29l7,O94 tons, IN carg0es averaging 16f
tons. The lOckages both ways, and including
RATS which pass only one way-at Alexanders.
which is in the throat of the canal, three miles west
of Schenectady-was "a on In 1873, the deliveries
were 2.5Sj355 TONS in cargoes averaging 2l3 tons;
and the lockages were % $780,
The theoretical capacity of the canal will be three
four times the largest tonnage 1t has ever reached
There is doubt il can conveniently and easily do
double The business which has ever existed, even
the highest efficiency The subject of capacity may
therefore be dismissed from this discussion.
ECONOMY PER TON PER MILE,
The question really worthy of our attention is
how we can perfect the canal so as to reduce the
cost per ton per mile of the transportation it affords
Quickenng the movement of the boat increases
the service it renders in given period. 1t lessons
every element in the cost of that service. 1t en-
larges the number of tons carried in the given time,
ana by enargng the dlvlsor OF the same expenses IL
reduces the rate of cost per ton per mile
TO DE INCREASED BY PERFECTING WATERWAY
The economy in the transit of the boat must be
made, not on the locks, but in the waterway. The
70 locks in the 345 miles between Buffalo and West
Troy if each takes five minutes, would occupy ex-
actly six hours.
In October, 1873, 70 boats were timed, and their
average passage down, with average cargoes of 2T
TONS was 10 days, 2 hours. and 40 minutes, or
nearly 94S hours. If we double the time taken in
the locks the time occupied on the levels between
them would still be over 95 per cent of the whole
time of the voyage. 1t is clear therefore, that the
saving of time must be made IN the % per cent and
not in the per cenc. Economy per ton per mile In
the transportation, far as it depends on the struc
ture of the canal, is to be found in the relation
whioh the waterway bears to the boat
The movement of the boat through water confined
IN an artificial chanDel-narrow and shallow-ls at
best very slow. The engineers, in 1895, planned the
Erie Canal and the boat with such relations to each
other as to give the greatest economy OF power and
facility of transit The boat has inclined to grow
rather large aud too square The waterway was
practically never excavated in every part to its
proper dimensions Time. the action OF the elements
and neglect of administration all tend TO NIL II by
denoaits / may be excused for repeating here what
said in the Constitutional Convention eight years
ago.: :. .uo ,.o.ou :;
the prism-mOre water in the waterway. A great
deal of il is not much more than six feet and boats
drag along over little skim OF water, whereas 1t
ought to have body of water larger and deeper
even than was intended IN the original project
Bring it up to seven feethOnest seven feet-and on
all the levels, wherever you can, bottom II out;
throw the excavation upon the banks; increase
that seven feet toward eight feet as you can do So
progress vely and economically. You may also take
out the benCh-WallS."