Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-18
NO FEAR OF FAILURE.
Ship Canal Commission Ready to
Report to the Governor.
ALL THE MEMBERS FULL OF HOPE.
They Think the Facts They Have Unearthed
Will Prove Convincing.
SOME VERY INTERESTING STATEMENTS

After months of effort expended in col
lecting figures and statistics on the proposed
ship canal, the Commission has its arduous
duties about completed. Colonel Roberts
will make final tour of the Beaver valley
route this week, another meeting will be
held at which the estimated cost will be
agreed upon and other details attended to-
and then the report will be sent to Governor
Beaver, who will treat upon it in his final
message to the Legislature.
Colonel Roberts, in speaking OF the pro-
Ject, yesterday, said: GAS our work draws to
close, we are more and more convinced that
the project is one of the grandest in the his
tory of the State. II absolutely practicable,
In fact so far as the engineering is con-
cerned there is not single obstacle in the
way. 1t is straight sailing from start to
finish, and the water supply is unlimited.
The cost as compared to other great works
OF the kind is small. Mr.. Brewer, one men,
Der of our commission, estimates it at S25,-
100000 1 am not prepared to say these
hgures are right in round numbers, but 1
guess they are not far out of the way.
THE EXACT COST TO BE KNOWN.
"At all events, the canal will not cost
dollar more than our report will show. Now
in Manchester, England, for instance, they are
spending s1OO, 900 in an enterprise OF this
very nature to overcome the same disadvan-
tage. viz, the transfer of freight
THE great trouble is, people in general, do
no not take in the magnitude and immense ad-
vantages of this waterway The older inhab
ltants measure it up by the old State canal
with its hundred odd locks, and boats that had
the remarkable capacity of So tons. Others
say that canals are old fogy and too slow, while
others have no IDEAS at all-about them. We
systems eclipse the canal idea in speed and
capacity; ISaty =,
some facts that will open the eyes of the peo
pie, and particularly business men, who should
give this matter more attention. 1t will show
that vesseIs of ], 500 tons burden can be sent
from Lake Erie through the entire length of
about this is there? With the canal it will be
straight away work and no side tracking. There
VIII be 4s locks, but no locks
old methods. Now what is the history Of the
railroads The average time of freight ship
ments including transfers is about four days,
and it more often exceeds this time than falls
below 1t. Coal and iron come under the head
OF low grade freights. and they must always
give preference to the higher classes. They
will neither melt under boiling summer sun
nor waste away beneath the chilling blasts of
winter, and it is the easiest thing in the world
to drop the cars in on a sidetrack. In cases of
rush of business, and they are becoming moro
and more frequent, these instances always oc-
cur.
THE SLoWNESS OF FREIGHT TRAINS.
Let me give you an example. A short time
ago ordered some stones shipped to this city
from point 40 miles from here, and between
this point and Cleveland. Now how long do
you suppose had to wait for themf Just six |
days and yet people will tell us ship canals are |
slow and old foggy? The trouble is, the rail- |
roads are overrun with freight traffic during the
greater part of the year, and shippers will tell |
YOU of thousands of instances like the one 1 |
just rected on their through business
The commission has devoted any amount of |
time gathering statistics. We saw from the |
start or rather after the completion of the sur.
vey that SO far as the engineering was con- |
cerned it would be easy, and we beg time |
to look at other features Our report will show |
another big point, and that is the railroads can
not compete with the canal in the matter of cost
of transportation. We know what every pound |
OF ore costs mill men at present from the time it
leaves the mines until it reaches this CITY, and |
landed by the canal. We have mass of most
valuable and reliable facts and they will as
tonlsh business men, but they cannot be given
out just at present. i will add that a most
searching study of the project proves it to be
one of the most magnificent things for business
generally that has ever been developed in Penn
sylvania."
The advantages and disadvantages of the
other routes surveyed will also be included In
the report, and they wIll'be given fair and
impartial chance.