The sun., 1883-12-16
TIE regular circulation of THE Sun for The
The Water supply of the Erie Canal

East of Rome, the Erie Canal is largely sup
piled with water brought from the Adiron-
dack Wilderness by the way of the Black
River and the Black River Canal. The nat
ural flow Of the river was long ago supple
mented ut different points by the construc-
tion of artificial storage basins, by which
supcrfluous water is held back in the spring
and then delivered to the stream in summer.
Even with such artificial assistance the sup
ply Of water in the canal has been at times
SO lows as to cause very serious alarm, and
tic e1nal Beard has constantly been obliged
to consider the possibility OF procuring a
larger and more permanent supply.
In view of the danger to the canal from an
insufficient water supply, the following facts
are interesting:
There is gang of sixty men now engaged
In cutting pine upon Moose River, an impor-
tant tributary of Black River. There is an
other large lumber camp upon the head
waters Of Moose River cutting spruce
Between Forestville and Woodruff Lake
men are cutting out the best spar
timber. During the last three years
the Moose River Tannery has taken 20,O 600
cords Of hemlock bark from the forest: that
is. it has stripped the bark from thou
sands OF acres leaving the trunks, branches,
and tops Of thousands of trees scattered
through the forest to invite conllagrations.
The preparations are complete for taking
out SOO0O,00O fcct OF lumber from indie
pendcncr River. another important tributary
OF Black River and' the Erie Canal. 1t is
proposed to cut not small part Of this great
amount of lumber during the present winter.
White River, another important feeder of
Black River, was once, and not many years
ago, n considerable stream; three or four
feet of water covered its bed during the sea-
sons of greatest drought; now six or eight
inches OF water at most flow down its course
in the summer and autumn months.
A great change has been Noticed during
the last ten Years in nil of the small strca ms
flowing into the Black River from the west.
Not many years ago these were active, cold.
and constant in their flow, furnishing a
large amount OF water to tho canal at
period OF the year when it was most
needed. They We're filed with trout
certain Indication of deep. cold water
Now these streams are dry or nearly
dry every summer. The trout have disap-
peucd, and Nil efforts of the Fish Commits
siuAcro have failed to restore them To tn,
streams. The Erie Canal thus loses the ben
cit ut the water of these small streams
They are unimportaut in comparison viii
the larger streams II ,wing from the Adiron
dnck Mountains into Black River from thu
east. Their condition is, nevertheless, in
structivc and highly Suggestive. They shup
tho effect which clearing has uNon streams
and they show, moreover, what effect the re
moval of the Adirondack forests will hav,
upon more important streams.
An abundant water supply for the Fri,
Canal is essential to the prosperity OF New
York, This is such an evident fact, and il il
40 clear that there can be no Erie Canal vii h
out the protecting influence of the Adiron
dack forests, tina, it is not astonishing tina
tho merchants and business men Throughout
the State have nj last Interested thcmsc!ve
in this matter. Ii Is rather astonishing tha
they did not do SO years ago, when tn" Stat
might have got possession of the WILDERNESS
for a merely nominal price. 1t Is better don
now than never, however, and Mr.. NORRIS II
JEsupand his associates deserve entire sue
cess and the thanks OF the whole communii
fort. rrfforts To save the Adirondack forest,