Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-09-14
CAPE COD CANAL.

For many years ths.subjees Of cutting
q canal across the head oi Cape Cod has
been under consideration by New York
and Boston merchants and ship owners.
Surveys aud estimates have been made.
bu, nothing practical. however. has been
done until within the last few months.
A company has at last been formed and
operations actually eommsnced. The
importance OF the work has always been
very apparent. Cape Cod is merely 9
narrow tongue Of land extending some
forty miles out Into the ocean. and forms
the southsrly side OF Massachusetts, Bay.
II Is claimed that by thus cutting through
it q saving OF ninety miles will DO made
for ships between Boston and New York.
and not only this, the perils OF the trip
around the Cape will be avoided. To
anyone acquainted with the locality and
situation 4, is simply q source Of won
dsrmsnt that this long talked OF canal
was not cut through atty years ago. It
nigh. have paid for itself q dozen times
over by this time.
The distance is not quite eight miles.
and q natural valley or depression only
twenty-five feet above sea level at the
highest point gives every natural facility
required. sven the ground being OF q
eravelly nature, with no rocks to con-
tend with. II 10 satisfactory to know
that tho work Is at last snergstically
commenced. and that 1t will not DO long
before Cape Cod will be cut Cd from the
main continent Of America, to which 10
has been hitched since the creation.
The New York Tribune Of September Sd
gives the following particulars:
A Joint committee Of the Massachusetts,
Legislature was appointed early In the
spring Of 1850 to consider the project OF
cutting through the isthmus Of Cape Cod.
and for the purposes OF navigation con-
Meeting BuzxArd's Bay with Barnstable
Bay by q ship canal. The committee found
that the subject which il was ordered TO
investigate had for . long time sgitated
the public mind. aud that during the last
$50 years IL had been repeatedly presented
to the Legislature 80 an improvement de-
msndsd in the interest Of general economy.
The committee reported that the construs-
tion Of Q ship canal. with the requisite
harbor improvements, Of ample capacity
for the entire eoasting trade Of the United
States. was Q practicable enterprise. and
that when constructed 10 would become
the thoroughfare Of the coasting trade.
shorten distance. save life and property.
and materially reduce the cost Of trans
portation. aud that the cost Of construction
would not be excessive. but would fall far
below its value to navigation when COM
pleted.
Despite the report, however. and the In
tersst taken In the matter by many prom
linen, New York and Boston capitalists.
nothing WAS done in the matter until with
in the last few months. when 4. q. Fisher.
q commission merchant and ship-broker
OF this city. became interested In the
scheme and found little difficulty In en-
listing New York capital. A company was
formed. and So 1000. 900 Of capital sub
scribed, OF which sum 1880. 900 has al.
ready been paid In. The contract for
building the canal has been given TO Adam
Drissbach and John Cameron, OF New Jer-
sey, aud these men. accompanied BY Geo.
a. Titcomb, started Wednesday evening
for the scene OF operations. The proposed
route Of the canal has already been sur
veyed and nIed by the engineer-in.ehief.
George II. Titeomb. and under . charter
granted by the Legislature. which has not
yet expired. the new company has secured
"trip OF land 1000 feet In width along the
whole distance through which the canal 10
TO run. The starting point OF the canal
will DO near the little village OF Sandwich.
and in the coming week 500 men will be
forwarded TO that point, and the work OF
excavating will DO begun. Before the end
OF the month IL Is expected that 20oO men
In addition will be put to work. The canal
will be seven and three-quarter miles long.
The general direction OF its course Is from
northeast to southwest. II 10 bounded by
two ranges OF wooded hills. varying from
sixty to one hundred aud eighty feet in
height; at its n%arrowest point. four miles
below Black River Harbor. 10 will be over
200 yards wide. and 10 gradually expands
from this point In both directions. The
bottom Of the valley rises with regularity
to = height Of twenty-five feet. and the
greatest elevation 10 At . point i've miles
from Buzzard's Bay. From this point IL
descends to Cape Cod Bay. there being .
difference Of about two feet In height DO.
tween the two extremities. The soil Of the
valley consists mostly Of gravel. and Is
therefore easy Of excavation. The average
value Of the land 10 ct present about 81 an
acre. At the southwest end Of the valley
stands the village Of Monumet: near the
middle OF the valley 10 North Sandwich.
and at the northeast end 10 Scusset. Al
most the entire length Of the valley is
vatered by the Monumet and seusset
rivers.
Great advantages. Il 10 claimed, will DO
derived from the building Of the canal.
There will be . saving Of ninety miles in
the distance. and eight hours in time be-
tween this port and Boston. and the great
dangers Of navigation in rounding Cape
God will DO averted. II Is estimated that
there 10 an average annual loss OF 5000
tons Of vessel property. and Of from thirty
to forty lives. Caused by the shipwrecks
occurring around Cape Cod. The canal
will be l4t feet wide at the top and 60
feet wide at the bottom. II will have An
average depth Of IS feet.