Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-17
rrRox OUR SPECIAL COMMISSIONER. ]

ERIE, feDruary 10.-1ne MUTATIONS o.
fatel who can foretell them? Not even
''the Wise Men of the East" could say what
q day might bring forth. So it happens that
while plans were well laid to continue, with
but slight interruption, the series of letters
on the proposed Erie and Ohio Ship Canal,
they went awry because of obstacles not
within mortal ken. La grippe explains
IL all.
But as to facts: In one of the letters of
the first series on this canal mention was
made of many new surveys of the summit
which had been made during the past few
years. One gentleman said that difference
of 100 feet in the summit level would make
corresponding difference of at least dozen
locks on each side of the summit This was
said in such a way that a person who
heard it would naturally conclude
that there had actually been found a sum-
NIT level 100 feet lower than that by which
the old canal crossed. Furthermore, 1
thought it possible to get a sight of some of
the maps which indicated the route of this
lower level or the lower levels, although all
the surveys mentioned were made in the in
terests of railroads seeking easy grades, and
not with the slightest idea that they might
be made svailable in establishing a ship
canal which might become a formidable
rival of any and all railroads from the
lakes.
DREADFULLY DELUSIYE-
It was delusive idea. These maps of
railroad surveys, if they exist-and there is
strong reason for believing that they do
are not for the public nor the Ship Canal
Commission. The best evidence on the lat
ter statement is the fact that the commission
some months ago employed a young civil
engineer to make surveys of the summit and
report upon the different practicable
levels. Mr.. Brewer, a member of
the commission, says that he under
stands no work has been done in
that line yet. He doesn't know why the
engineer has not done any work, but he
does know that the commission is as wise
to-day as it was on the day it was appointed
concerning the summit levels.
If it has been said before it does little
harm to here repeat it, that the summit is
the only obstacle in the way of ship canal,
as far as water is concerned. The old canal
crossed the summit at height of 500 feet
above Lake Erie, and only about 16 miles
from it. 1t took "A locks to let the old 20
ton boats down to the harbor. So many
locks in the same distance would prove in
convenient, if not impracticable, for a ship
canal with vessels of even only II feet
draught. But the commission has not yet
decided that the summit is insurmount-
able; indeed, it is now providing for very
early surveys to ascertain that very thing.
THERE ARE BARRIERS.
It is almost shame to record it, but it
really seems necessary to mention the pecul-
lar idea that SO many unthinking persons
entertain regarding water supply for ship
canal. If one person has made the remark
to me, hundred have:
''Oh, Lake Erie will afford plenty of water
for the canal You can't get canal big
enough to drain the lakes
These persons think that if a trench were
dug from Lake Erie to the Ohio river the |
lake could be drained into the Cult of
Mexico. 1t is not an altogether unnatural |
idea to persons who forget about topograph- |
ical eccentricities and the laws of gravita- |
tion- They look at a map and see that |
the north is at the top, and conceive |
the idea that all water should nat |
urally flow south, as do most of the |
great streams south of the fftieth par |
Allel of latitude. Forgetting that Isaac |
Newton saw an apple drop; neglecting to |
remember that the sea level is the base of all |
land heights, that Mother Earth is scanned |
and SCARED apd wrinkled, they think that,
by merely punching a hole into Lake Erie |
les waters would abandon the st. Lawrence /
and seek the Ohio as an outlet.
The fact being admitted that whatever |
difficulties may arise elsewhere in regard to
sufficient water supply for a ship canal, /
the greatest will be encountered at the sum- |
NIT, it is next pertinent to inquire what |
depth of water will be necessary to carry a
loaded vessel from the Lake Superior ore |
mines to the furnaces of the Shenango and |
Beaver valleys and to Pittsburg with un-
broken cargo.
THE MINIMUM DEPTH.
If the ordinary lake vessels, fully and |
proftably loaded, are brought into the
canal with ore from Marquette, there will |
have to be Is feet of water throughout the
entire length of the canal. Ore-laden ves-
sells from Marquette are subject to reguIa-
tions of drsught depending upon st. Clair
river and the Sault Ste Marie, or the $500"
as it is iamiliarly called. The condition of
the 800" more particularly regulates the
lading. During some seasons vessels draw.
ing IA feet inches can pass through it; but
in other seasons as notably during part of
the navigation season last year, vessels were
limited to 13 feet 10 inches. To keep
depth of not less than Is feet of
NhScL III iii pdIbS OF LQe new canal !
will require large and unfailing supply,
Where is it to come from? In the ola canal
the average depth Of water in the pools did
not exceed six :eet; no dam was greater than
seven feet in height. There must be more
water and deeper dredging for ship canal.
How then can it be accomplished?
It is certain that it will not be accom-
plished in the manner that some persons
seem 20 fear. think il was Mr. Kennedy.
of M. 7. & j. Kennedy, keg manuiactur-
ers, Of New Brighton, who made the re-
mark that If dams were built high enough
to float lake schooners, the backwater would
drown out whole communities. Wampum
was one place which he had an idea would
be submerged.
ON THE WRONG TACK.
A gentleman named E. M. Mcconnell.
who is given by the New Castle Courant
the title Of ''the best posted man in Western
Pennsylvania" says: f@To erect dams high
enough to float vessels drawing II feet of
water would submerge all of our city south
OF Washington street, unless embankments
were constructed on both sides of our
streams as far up Pearson's mill.''
Mr. Brewer says that it is nonsense to
think that dams will be built high enough
20 drown out any community. If the canal
y constructed at all it will be by digging