Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-29
COL. ROBERTS VIEWS.
Opinions of an Engineer Concerning
the Canal to Lake Erie.
NO DOUBT OF THE WATER SUPPLY
Traffic Awaiting the Opening Of the New
Thoroughfare.
THE IMMENSE INTERESTS INVOLVED

THE lMMENSE lNIEhEpIo 1NIVAi0O
The feasibility of the proposed ship canal
from the lakes to Pittsburg having been so
confidently asserted at the very first meet
ing of the commission held in this city
few days ago, call was made upon Com.
missioner Roberts by a representative OF
THE DISPATCH for his views upon the sub
ject There is no question that II 1t De
reasonably practicable to provide water
enough in canal for the navigation OF lake
vessels to Pittsburg, the sooner the fact Is
demonstrated the better. A project
looking to this end is of vast Importance,
not only to Western Pennsyl-
yauia. Western Virginia and Eastern Ohio,
but as we'll to the entire lake region be- |
tween Buffalo, Chicago and Duluth. Ii is
by no means a new project, but owing TO
the manipulations of the State In times past |
in legislation, favoring railroads to the det-
riment of its own once-boasted water routes,
it has been suffered to lapse into a state OF
slumber. Its awakening at this time. when
even the railroad magnates are not violently
opposing schemes looking to relieving
themselves of the incubus OF low-classed
freight, crowded terminals and car famines,
BODIES well for the consummation OF the pro-
ject.
ABUNDANT WATER.
In regard to the adequacy of the water
| supply for the proposed canal, Mr.. ROBERTS
stated that be never had entertained the
slightest doubt. 81 have discovered" he
continued, "that many of our business men
appear to have forgotten that we once had
| canal connecting the Ohio river at Beaver
| with Lake Erie. 1t was 1876 miles long, and
was designed for boats Of only 65 tons bur-
den. but, nevertheless, it was doing prof
table business up to the last year of its
operation, which was about 1870. A year or
two prior to that time an attempt was made
to have the State assist in its enlargement to
a capacity admitting Of 3O0-ton boats. Mr..
w. Milnor Roberts, who in the early forties
had been the chief engineer of the canal,
was called upon to report on the practical
bility of the project. His report was thor.
ough and convincing upon the subject OF
the water supply, which, for 300-ton boats,
he found to be ample and cheaply controlled.
The only mistake then made was in pro-
posing that the State should assist private
\ corporation in doing the work. Neverthe-
less. there was throughout Western Penn
svlvania, and particularly in this city, much
enthusiasm created in favor Of the project
even on that basis. Every feature OF the
project was discussed in tie newspapers at
that time, and before the Board OF Trade,
the feeble predecessor of our now vigorous
Chamber of Commerce. Nothing but
apathy among the Legislators from the east.
ern end of the State prevented the work OF
enlargement from becoming an accomplished
fact The old canal proper never having
actually come to Pittsburg, many persons,
forgetful of this fact, confuse it in their
memories with the old canal which came
down the Conemaugh and crossed from ALLIE
gheny into Pittsburg at Eleventh street
That was the Western division Of the Penn
sylvania canal"
THE CANALS CAPACITY.
els 300 tons capacity to be the limit rec
commended on the canal, as now pro-
posed?"
20! by no means. In the general talk
over the situation at the first meeting, when
Governor Beaver was present, the question
OF the adequacy of the water supply Tor the
summit level was informally discussed at
considerable length. The Governor comes
{ from Bellefonte, an old canal boat
town, and displayed the liveliest in
terest in this most vital consideration.
Mr.. j. M. Goodwin, of the commission, is a
thoroughly competent hydraulic expert and
: civil engineer, well known among the tel
l lows of the American Society of Civil En-
: eineers by his writings, particularly on
= canal improvements. 1 have known him
for several years personally, and can attest
I. to his familiarity with the region, particu-
larly about the summit level of the pro-
posed canal, which he has covered with
G | surveys connected with railroad, furnace
c and mining enterprises.
b "When he came to talk about the water
!. supply, he assigned no limit for the capacity
S of the canal, except to remark that 1t was
l or could be made, indefinitely large. The
d capacity can be fixed to suit any conditions
e which may best subserve the interests of the
g coal and ore trade"
MI. Roberts showed, in 1870 how ever
e the natural low water discharge Of French
!, creek would provide ample water for 300
j. ton boat navigation and leave considerable
). surplus. and agreed fully with Mr.. Godwir
/, that without going outside of French creel
: valley the natural flow, augmented by |
If supply from storage basins. can be made h
accommodate boats of 800 or more ton
capacity, and of any desired draught.
GREAT RESERVOIR.
aRut this is not ALL" Colonel Robert
If said.-"as Mr.. Moody, the civil engineer O
Erie. who appeared before US, demonstrate
N from chart based upon the State geological
- surveys,-that we have within reasonabl
- distance for feeder canal, more than 100
SQUARE miles of the upper Allegheny rive
= valley sufficiently elevated to discharge il
:, - waters into the summit Level of the canal a
Couneaut lake. This would be enough fo
I'd De Lesseps' inter-oceanic ship canal.
le at was a great satisfaction to have tn
of question Of water supply so well assumed 8
e; the start for the commission will now
ID able to address itself to the task of clue
dating the project more confident of goo
- final result, than it could have been wit
: this important factor resting in doubt. Th
- ~ proiect is to be looked upon as purel
= 7; national undertaking, and as to its pro
- poets for business, the traffic statistics an
he freight rates which the commission will co
he Iect bearing on the subject, will, thinl
he prove that it is worthy OF construction
ul the Government. The entire lake regiol
Ge 1g including the Canadian borders and tt
is towns and cities contributary to the grei
;u- ports of the Northwest, PARTICULAR
se- Chicago. Milwaukee and Duluth, are {
much interested as we are in the propose
ty canal. By the reports of Colonel 0. n
ILL Poe, U. S. A, in charge Of the Saint Cla
ed fats canal, connecting lakes Erie an
re Huron, there is a traffic at that poll
in amounting to about 20,000,oOO tols p
he annum. an amount of business nearly,
ng 80 ,,r;ra aouaI IN the entire loreirn cor