Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-25

agreed that the primary inquiry must be as
to the water supply. The main objection
urged against the canal is that water enough
could not be obtained. Mr.. Moody had
thrown some light on this point Both
Colonel Roberts and Mr.. Goodwin ex-
pressed the opinion that there was sufficient
water in the Conneaut or French creek
basin alone. Their explanations on that
subject indicated that the water supply
would not be a serious hindrsnce to the
canal project, and the opinions of the en-
gineers caused much satisfaction to the
other commissioners.
NO DEEPER THAN THE OHIO.
Another point brought out in the dis
cussion related to the size of the canal. This
was considered in connection with the ques-
ton of requisite water supply. 1t was agreed
that the canal should be no deeper than the
channel of the Ohio river, as the object of
its construction would be to enable shippers
to send coal and coke from Pittsburg to the
lake and iron ore from the lake to the Ohio
river points without breaking bulk.
Colonel Roberts and Mr.. Goodwin were
requested bv the other commissioners to get
together all the information they have on
the subject, to lay it before the commission
at its next meeting. Mr.. Goodwin has in
his possession detailed photographic SURVEYS
of the Shenango river and large part of the
old canal route. Colonel Roberts has all of
the data accumulated by his father, the late
Nilnor Roberts, who was for many years
Chief Engineer of the Erie and Beaver
canal. Several of the members of the COM
mission expressed the opinion that when
their work had so far advanced as to show
the reasonable feasibility of the project,
plenty of money would be subscribed by the
public-spirited citizens of interested locali-
ties to enable the completion of any surveys
required.
Only two routes have so far suggested
themselves to the commission-one by the
general line of the old canal to the Beaver
river, and the other from Lake Erie to the
upper Allegheny. This latter route would
require the construction of dams and locks
in the Allegheny, which finds some warm
advocates in this city.
BEAVER WILL GO WITH THEM.
1t was agreed that the commission should,
at an early date, make leisurely trip over
the proposed routes, and Governor Beaver
expressed his desSre to accompany the men,
bers on this tour. The commission ad-
journed to meet in this city at the call of
held probably within three weeks.
After the meeting Governor Beaver said:
81 was agreeably surprised to find that the
engineers on the commission seem to be
satisfied in regard to the water supply. That
has been the great problem in my mind.
The project is immensely valuable. There
is no end to the value of it. Whether it
would be considered by Congress without
any reference to other links in great chain
of water communication, 1 do not know.
NV own thought was it might be possible to
connect New York and New Orleans by an
immense ship canal. That would be valu-
able from military as we'll as a commercial
standpoint. Both New York and New Or
leans might be shut up by foreign power,
and the whole coast.
WE COULD DEFY THE EARTH.
eff we had an interstate canal it would
enable us simply to laugh at the whole
earth. This is the only needed link, except
that II would be necessary to widen the Erie
canal. When you consider that there are
500, ,000, 600 invested in the Shenango val
ley alone, you get an idea OF the commercial
interests involved. Although this canal
would end at Beaver, yet Pittsburg would
be practically the terminus. Of course
such canal would not, for the great bulk
of freight, ever be real competitor with the
railroads. L am told that 21S miles an hour
is about all that could be made in a canal
with locks. The great advantage for the
coal, coke and iron ore shipping would be
that it would save breaking bulk from
mines to mills. The rates of freight are
already cheap. Such a project as this is
really national, and must be carried out by
the Federal Government The canal NAV
be confined with the limits of Pennsylvania,
but the vessels passing through it would go
from port to port Of dozen States" -