Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-29
THE CANAL SCHEME.
Gov. Beaver Will Soon Ap-
point the Commission.
A NEW TONNAGE BUREAU.
The Beaver River Route Has 6een
FaVOrably CanVaSSed.
ACANAL WOULD BOOM THE CITY.
Capt. Lysle Says the Railroads Can't Move
the Local Freight.
A NEW TONNAGE BUREAU.
CANAL WOULD BOOM THE CITY.
OUR TRADE COULD EXCEL NEW YORK

Captain Addison Lysle, the veteran ship
owner and riyermap, was seen last night at
his home in Allegheny in regard to the ap-
preaching convention of the National Board
of Steam Navigation, which will meet in
Pittsburg on next Tuesday. In the course
of lengthy interview upon Pittsburg's re-
Istion to navigation Captain Lysle said:
81 am pleased to see that this administra-
tion is taking an active interest in matt ers
pertaining to waterways within our
boundaries. For years there has been no ac-
curste compendium of vessels plying upon
the national waterways.
Within the last few days have received,
in common with other Pittsburg shipown-
ers, circulars from a new department of the
Treasury, which might be called bureau
of tonnage, asking for exact information as
TO vessels owned by our firm. Blanks were
enclosed for the tabulation of our ships and
sent the filled-out blank to Washington yes
terday. / do not remember of ever receiv-
ing similar request, and it leads me to be-
lieve that the Government intends to obtain
exact statistics in regard to our inland ma
rine 1t was slight surprise to me, as 1
watch such things pretty closely, and had
heard nothing in regard 10 the establishment
of such a bureau until the circulars and
blanks came to hand.
81 hear that within a few days Governor
Beaver will appoint the commission to ex-
anime into the feasibility of ship canal
from Pittsburg to Lake Erie. The Pittsburg
names recommended to Governor Beaver
by the local coal men were Captain John A.
Wood and Engineer Wainwright, who is in
charge of the Ohio connecting bridge.
WAITING ON REAvER
can appropriation of $4,000 was made
available by the Legislature, and have no
doubt that the Governor would have ap-
pointed the commission long ago if he had
not been so engrossed by Johnstown food
matters. There will probably be a third
man appointed from the Lake Erie district
in addition to the Pittsburgers. There has
never been agitated a movement Of more
vital interest to Pittsburg. Such a canal
would give to this city an annual tonnage
record larger than New York City.
There are no serious or insuperable
geographical conditions to be overcome. 1t
seems to be generally admitted that the
Beaver river route is the most available the
matter having been recently earnestly dis
cussed among rivermen. The Beaver route
would require perhaps 100 miles of con-
struction, and there are portions of the old
Erie Canal not occupied by railroads which
cGuld be used in the present project. The
canal was abandoned in 1859, and it is not
to be doubted that it embraced the best
features of direct route to Lake Erie.
1t was, however, even in its palmiest
days nothing but a barge waterway
The proposed ship canal should be
large enough to accommodate vessels of
1000 tons burthen. To accomplish this the
depth of water would have to be from 16 10
20 feet. The heaviest sailing vessels of the
lakes could then make trips from Duluth
right to Pittsburg's wharfs. This plan, of
course, must include slackwater to Beaver
A dam would have TO be built at Beaver
with possibly two others between that point
and the Davis Island dam. The wisdom of
Davis Island dam is now clearly apparent
for 1t proves further slackwater plans FEAST
BILE. 1 have no idea of the probable cost of
the canals. The three dams necessary to
make slackwater between Pittsburg and
Beaver would cost not far from a million
apiece.
TIME AND MONEY SAVED.
Goal could then be shipped in unbroken
packages from Pittsburg to Duluth and the
vessels could return with grain, lumber and
ore to this market efecting saving of not
less than half in rates and great reduction
In present time Of transit. Both the Mo-
nongahela and Allegheny Valleys could Sc
cure an outlet for vast quantities of coal and
manufactured products. The ship canal
would move more tonnage both ways than
our present system of railroads, complete
and far-reachlng as it is.
"As matter of fact, the railroads are in
adequate to move Pittsburgh business.
Beside these advantages the leverage of
competition would reduce the cost of
raw materials to our manufacturers marvel
ously. The reduction in time should not be
lost sight of in connection with this plan. 1t
is only 48 hours by boat from here to Gin
cinnati when We have water. But by rail-
road 1t is at least week, and sometimes a
month before We can hope to get freight
through. Railroads are crowded, freight is
sidetracked and manufacturers cannot help
themselves.
ITO give you an illustration of differen-
tials by rail and by water, can send freight
Is miles up the river in a few hours by boat.
By rail l have known freight to be three
days on the road. Six miles day is pretty
slow. So it would be in regard to ore, lum-
Der or grain, which are now months upon
the road.
HIGH RAILROAD RATES.
"As to the rates, the railroads charge 81
ION Ior coal from mere 10 cincinnati. BY
boat 25 cents a ton is TIE usual rate Sup
pose such difference could be made from
Pittsburg to the great Northwest it would
be grand thing for this locality. Pitts
burg needs that ship canal and she needs
slackwaser from Pittsburg to Cincinnati.
When she gets these two items she will be
next to New York, the most important port
ID America. Her immense manufacturing
would then have an adequate out
=. Not only so, but Pittsburg ship build
5, now almost extinct, would receive an
thpetus which would be productive of graft
ing results in every way.
|'While the Board of Steam Navigation
fOes not concern itself with direct connec-
zion with enterprises relating to extensions
/ofshipping interests, being more in the na-
ture of a protective organization for ships
and ship owners, it is deeply interested in
the Ohio and Erie Ship Canal and will do
all in its power to encourage the fruition of
the nlan ,"