Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-06
FIRST SHIP RAILWAY IN AMERICA.
The One Across ChiGneeto Isthmus Nearly
Completed-Canada's Subsidy System.


COMPLIMENTARY Subsidy System.
What will be the only ship railway IN
North America is rapidly approaching
completion. 1t is destined to convey
vessels over the isthmus OF Chignecto, a
narrow strip Of land which joins the
province of Nova Scotia and New Bruins
wick, a distance of seventeen miles.
The first project was the Baic Verte
canal scheme, by which it was proposed
to make a cut between the gulf Of St.
Lawrence and the bay of Fundy through
this isthumus and so avoid the long de-
tour round Cape Breton and Nova Scotia,
which all American fishing schooners
and vessels trading between Prince Ed
ward Island and the gulf ports on the
one side and st. John, Portland, Boston
and New York on the other were obliged
| to make.
The immense expense Of this under
taking rendered it impracticable, and
other means of transport across the neck
of land between the gulf of st. Lawrence
and the bay of Fundy had to be sought.
The Chignccto Marine Transport railway
aims at solution of the problem and it
has reached stage of progress which
insures its completion. The roadbed is
ballasted and ready for track laying, and
the docks at either end are in progress
of construction. The steel for the track
is the heaviest ever made and weighs 11O
pounds to the yard. There will be a
double track, upon which the cradle con-
tanning the vessel under transport will
be placed. The locomotives, two of
which will be used in drawing the vessel
across the isthmus, are built on the same
principle as ordinary engines, but of
much greater weight and power.
The vessels to be transported will be
hoisted by hydr aulic power from the
basin to the track, and it is estimated
that with this power and the roadbed in
good condition ship of ordinary capac-
ity will be taken from the bay of Fundy
and placed in the gulf of st. Lawrence
in two and half hours, though speed
of ten miles an hour is obtainable.
During the coming year the Chignecto
Marine Transport railway should be in
active operation, and a saving on each
trip will be effected of 500 miles. 1t
would, however, be more prudent to say
that the company will be ready to handle
whatever business offers, because it is a
matter of pure speculation as to the earn
ings of the enterprise.
The tariff for lifting and hauling YES
sells over the railway will be fifty cents
per ton for cargo and twenty-five cents
per ton for hull, so that vessel of 1000
tons would pay $3.50 for transportation.
The permanent success of the scheme is
looked upon as highly problematic, for
the class of schooners engaged in this
trade at present are totally unable to
bear any such charges, and the prospects
of traffic in ships between Lake On
tario, St. John and Boston, which some
people have alleged would accrue, are
altogether too visionary to warrant such
an expenditure.
The promoters, however, will not be
the losers. In Canada the advocates OF
such schemes form an important part OF
the industrial community, and it has
come to be one of the most important
industries-the erection of public works
with British capital, secured by the
promise of Dominion subsidies. The
country is full of such enterprises. In
the province of New Brunswick alone
there are three railways which have
been thrown aside when the promoters
had sucked the profits dry. This marine
railway company obtained incorporation
from parliament in 1882, and the same
year was granted subsidy of $3.50, ,OOO
for twenty years in aid of the work,
and the proposal of so liberal subven.
ton was scarcely challenged in parlia.
ment, being voted under the impression
that it would never be demanded.
Nothing was done until 1885, when an
order in council was passed authorizing
entry into agreement with the company,
subject to the approval of parliament,
and such approval was obtained in
March, 1885.
/ Under its terms the subsidy was to be
$17O,0 900 year for twenty years, or such
portion of it as would bring the net
earnings up to z per cent. on the
authorized share and bond capital of the
company. Should the earnings exceed
2 per cent, one-half of such surplus
is to be paid the government until repay.
ment of the subsidy is made. Surely
this was tempting enough to any capi.
talist y per cent. guaranteed upon
an ostensible capital of S5,50O,OO0,
though up to this date no one has been
able to learn the exact or even probable
cost of the undertaking.-Halifax Cor.
New York Times.
Electric Lights in Rome.