Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-09
SECRETARY BREWER TALKS

About the Prospects of the Proposed Ship
Canal-He is Enthusiastic Over the In
terest Manifested by the Governor
Report of Business Possibilities.
Secretary Eben Brewer, of the Ship Canal
Commission, Is Tery enthusiastic over the
interest manifested by the Governor in the
preliminary report of the Ship Canal Com
mission. He was eager to learn everything
possible In regard to the big project, and
subjected Mr.. Brewer to long and compre-
hensive questioning IN regard to it. He was
quite outspoken in favor of the canal, from
what he had learned about it, and Mr.
Brewer left him highly gratifed with the re-
suit of the conference.
While Governor Beaver has made no
statement as to just what he will recon-
mend, it is generally believed he will advo-
cate the idea of the Legislature bringing the
matter before Congress this winter with a
view OF getting an appropriation from the
Government When Mr.. Brewer was ques-
toned on this point he replied that the Gov
ernor made no iutimations to him whatever
as to what he would recommend, but he ad-
mitted that he had heard this statement
from outside sources.
One thing that the final report will sh ow
will be sope figures as to the possibilities of
the business that can be secured for the
canal. At present about 5000, 900 tons Of
iron are shipped from the upper lake mines.
Of this amount about $500, 900 tons find a
market in Pittsburg, Johnstown, the She
mango aud Mahoning valleys and
other manufacturing centers in this
section. At the present time
about l, 900, 900 tons of coal are shipped from
this valley yearly to the lake ports, by rail,
while like amount goes down the rivers
for Western and Northwestern points. The
projectors OF the canal calculate that these
shipments can easily doubled with increased
facilities. Added to this the shipments of
pig iron and Bessemer, heavy machinery,
etc., from inland points, and the trade
that would certainly result from the agri-
cultural regions along the lakes, the total
tonnage is fixed at about 100000 tons.
This exceeds the amount handled yearly by
the Suez Canal. An estimate has been
made that 80 cents ton on an average can
be saved on these shipments, which would
amount to Sc, SOC, 900 wear, or about 25 per
cent of the cost of the big waterway.
Secretary Brewer stated that the figures
as given on shipments were about correct.
He said that the final report would have
these estimates down to very fine point,
and rather intimated that the showing
asked what the sentiment among members
OF the Legislature was. He replied that he
had met great many of them during the
past few months, and they we're all favor
able to the project as rule. He could not
see what reasons any of them should have
to oppose it for that matter. So far as the
opposition from the railroads was concerned.
Secretary Brewer did not believe they would
exert themselves much against the building
of the canal. President Roberts. of the
Pennsylvania Company, had declared over
year ago in a speech in this city that the
company had more freight business then
than could be accommodated. Since that
time the increase had been very great. Sec
retary Brewer was convinced that the rail-
roads did not care so much about low grade
freights, such as coal and iron, as in former
years. The amount of better class freight
was so large that it kept most roads busy to
handle it, while the rates were much more
satisfactory. Everything, he said, was most
favorable to his proposed enterprise, and he
trusted that the broader views of the people
would prevail when tine matter came up for
thorough consideration.