The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-08
The Cape Cod Canal Project.


The act OF tho Massachusetts, Legislature
Incorporating q new Cape Cod Ship Canal
Company with large capital, has called out
q variety Of opinions. The population Of
Sandwich, on hearing that the bill had be-
come law. paraded the streets with brass
bands and expressed their satisfaction by
speeches and fireworks. On tho other hand,
Barnstable newspaper secs In the scheme
o snare for the prosperity Of the Cape. and
future isolation from the rest Of mankind.
Anxiety as to what will become Of Cape
Cod when 1t gets its canal Ii perhaps prema-
ture. The project Of cutting the isthmus is
two centuries old. and has undergone many
phases Of promise and disappointment. Old
SAMUEL SEwELL's diary mentions 1t In 1870,
while In 1897 the Massachusetts House Of
Representatives appointed q committee to
investigate and report upon 1t. During the
Revolution tho scheme was revived In tho
General Court, partly as o military measure,
and another committee was appointed, who
found the plan practicable, but suggested
that Congress ought to help cut the canal.
Their report was the fruit OF q careful sur
vey OF the proposed route; and fifteen years
later, In 1871, another survey was made and a
plan OF construction proposed. To follow
the story through the present century would
be a long task, as tho question came up In
1903, again In 1918, then In 1924. and 30 on at
intervals to the present time. One Of the
most important steps In this series OF pro-
posals to sever tho isthmus was thorough
survey by Major PERAuLT OF the Topo.
graphical Engineers in 1926.
During all these generations private cap
ital pplv un,nhk To toL ohur ~ tko
enterprise as o business venture. In 1898
petition was presented to the Legislature
for the creation of a company to construct q
canal, but 1t does not clearly appear what
was done with this prayer, and 1t certainly
was not removed. The radical difference,
therefore, between the present undertaking
and those Of earlier epochs is In It's favor.
On the other hand, 1t is within very recent
memory that private company, organized
under the act Of 1870, after tho power
conferred by that act had lain dormant for
ten years and was about to expire, began to
actually dig in order to save It's charter. and
then quickly went to pieces. barely escaping
riot from It's italian laborers who clam
ored for their delayed wages.
The one thing evident is that the construc-
ton OF this waterway between Barnstable
and Buzzard's Bays Is perfectly feasible. 1t
Is a straight piece OF work, presenting no
new engineering problems. Tho only prac-
tical question involved Is whether such O
commercial highway will pay. In its
favor Is tho modern eagerness OF
trade to seek short cuts for navi.
CATION. by which savings are made
in the wages and living expenses Of crews,
while perishable produce reaches its destina-
ton in better order In addition, the avoid
ancc of dangers by sheltered passage must
be taken into account. In tho old colonial
canal projects, the pcrilous shoals to be en-
countored In doubling Cape Cod figured
largely In tho arguments; and the long list
OF wrecks caused by the outside passage
with great losses OF life and property, will
show that this consideration Is not exag-
gerated. It follows that another item OF
saving for vessels that use the canal would
be insurance. Taking all these things to-
gether, 1t only remains to determine how
large tolls the coastwise travel and traffic
would be willing to pay as an Offset; and
then, whether such tolls would pay reason
ablo interest on the original cost Of tho canal
after meeting its running expenses
The new company evidently thinks 1t can
figure out profit, under the terms granted
In its act Of incorporation. In addition to
the regular coast trade Of Boston and other
neighboring ports as far north rs Portland,
with points south and west of Buzzard's Bay,
the canal would receive some summer oxcur-
sion travel to Vineyard Haven and New Bed
ford, and would offer the advantages OF fine
and safe all-water route to Now York. At all
events, there is q general feeling that this
time the enterprise will be completed.