The Portland daily press., 1882-05-02
The Welland Canal.

Inc new Wellduu CduaI HAS Junt pcOh
opened for traffic, and the initial movement
Of loaded vessel from Lake Erie to Lake
Ontario has been successfully performed
an event that has been looked forward to
with great interest in the expectation that
1t is to exert great influence on the trans
portation business of the lakes. The early
history of the Canal is one of Indifference
on the part of capital and financial embar-
rassment for its projectors. Its construc-
ton was agitated in 1921, but it was three
nine years after breaking ground before the
two lakes were permanently connected by it.
Originally the locks were ITO feet in length
by ~ in breadth. In 1871 the canal became
the property of the Government,
and its capacity was enlarged, and
its construction made more substantial
In character. In 1870 the necessity for
further enlargement became imperative, and
after careful investigation, it was decided to
abandon part of the old work, build new
and there join the original channel, which
was to be deepened and enlarged to meet the
requirements Of the new navigation. The
plan is not quite completed, and the contem-
plated scale of navigation cannot yet be car
ried out; but it is open for much larger
business than before. The propeller, John
C. Gault, of the Wabash line, which is the
largest vessel which has yet gone through,
Is 1888 feet in length, with breadth OF beam
33 feet. Its capacity is $4,000 bushels of
corn on draft of 13a feet. She was
sixteen hours in passage from lake to lake,
and the voyage is reported as being very sue
cessful. The lockages are made in about
twenty minutes. The completion of this
work, which has occupied so long time, is
matter of great Importance to Portland as
adding to her facilities for rapid and effec-
tive communication with the West.
THE Apaches in New Mexico, and the
COW boys in Arizona, are keeping things
lively on our Southwestern frontier. The
Apaches differ from most of the other Indi-
an tribes. They fight, not to avenge some
real or supposed grievance, bat as means
OF livelihood, striking when and where they
can do SO with impunity. The proximity OF
the Mexican border affords them a ready re-
treat, though the boundary line is not al
ways respected by their pursuers. The little
Indian war now going on there differs in no
respect from half hundred others. 1t be-
gan with surprise and slaughter of the
whites, and will probably end with three
fold slaughter of the Indians, unless they
manage to make their escape far into Nexi-
co. Armed bands of desperadoes, known as
COW boys, are proving more dangerous to
-law-abiding citizens in Arizona than the In
dams. These companies have usually moth
ing to do with cattle, but are simply organ
lied gangs of robbers who plumber and MUIR
der with more boldness and with as little
conscience as the Apaches. They have been
carrying on their operations of late so ex-
tensively and boldly that the President has
been moved to ask the assent of Congress
TO his using the military power of the United
States to suppress them, or in lieu of that
the employment of volunteer military force
TO aid the civil authorities. The use of this
regular army would require repeal OF
the posse con,itdtus law of 1878, passed when
the Democrats in Congress were red in the
face over the imaginary wrongs chargeable
to ''troops at the polls" Our little army
is our only protection against lawlessness
on the frontier, and it should not be tied
down and rendered helpless by restrictions
aid down with view only to the supposed
necessities of the older portion of the coun-
try.