Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-25
| NECESSITY,
Erie and Ohio River
Will Protect the
land Seas.
3SARE LESSENED.
War Vessels Could Be
lcted at Pittsburg.
TRAFFIC PROVISIONS.
itary Situation Would Be
le Simply Perfect.
ABILITIES FOR COMMERCE.

ABILITIES FOR COMMERCE.
z letter, dealing with the ad-
derived from the construc-
ae Erie and Ohio River Ship
{ been forwarded by Commits
in TO the Assistant United
,er at Oswego, \. Y. 1t will
instruct all, and will repay
[:
RPsvILLE, MERCER Co., PA,
July, %, 1891
Judson. c. E., United States As
IT, OswegO, y. y:
our letter of July Is reached
ling of the 18th. The pamphlet
a Ship Canal" came one day
interval L had prepared for
the report of the Lake Erie
er' Ship Canal Commission
te Legislature of Pennsylvania
( this year,, together with a
memoranda" subsequently,
Information of parties making
We to probable cost of stone
prials on the line Of rhe canal,
Ivice such as proposing con-
naturally desire. l forward
p-dav. with some other "litera-
ltu existence by what seemed
ssity for correcting misstate-
opponents of the canal prof.
T not contradicted. might
public mind against the enter
the Engineering NelCS of July
u refer as containing informa-
= to You in connection with
an extract from a letter lin
misstatements of the Marine
'velaud) which appeared in
DlSTArCH. June 20.
copy Of said letter. 1 regret
yHceyiHQ NeIUS should have
aid extract. as it did: with a
z the idea that my intent was
ith Census Bulletin No. 29''
expose the errors of the Ma
commodation Needed Soon.
tin No. &c serves sufficiently
shortcomings of No. ~, and L
le Census Bureau will modify
hitting in the final census re
that our Lake Erie and Ohio
cheme may not hang fire as
ne Niagara" affair. And, in
V reasonably believe that in
lmense traffic calling for the
Chic River Canal, as the only
ls for an adequate accommo-
prospective increase of that
.he best possible, and indeed
means for effecting those re-
It of transportation which the
fecting that traffic demands,
II take the work in hand at an
projectors of the Niagara"
ahead of their times; and,
I'd to carry the people with
rOpOSed a canal l50 feet wide
surface. with locks 250N50. to
aNing 10 feet of water; or
proposition in 1886. Perhaps
st scheme WAS not quite as
lat of 1S36. In a pamphlet,
tied Niagara Ship Canal; Its
ommercial Necessity" / read: |
uerprise has claimed the at
General Government for !
I'D numerous committees of !
9 recommended it as a work
in its character. and de-
ie highest considerations of
l." The claim advanced (by
Of 1863 that the Niagara Canal
necessity" resolves itself,
G proposition that the pro
the only link wanting to give
cation between the great
It. Lawrence river for vessels
ize navigating the lakes
nal would have a value in
q means OF passing (in an
avail vessels from Lake Erie
ariO; or vice versa. In view
[ situation, in which the ma
lerce of the upper lakes so far
ortSnce the plant and traffic
10, one quite naturally, at first
es that of any naval force,
United States for lake de-
e egreater part would be placed
lakes: and, at the outset, in
4 accordingly, one assumes
vessels would. in the first in
isfer, pass from Lake Erie to
Means should BE Provided.
as readily create a war vessel
rio as on Lake Erie; or, if We
ms for shipbuilding OF Lake
BOD as those on Lake Erie we
provide the lacking means.
Ghich we should contest the
tish gunboats into Lake Erie
ut below, the Nelland canal.
of war between the United
at Britain the naval conflicts
] have their scene on Lake
:, indeed, we shall have been
empowered az the outset. On
OF hOsrilItieS We should, Of
q at once TO t;tke possession
Id Oi the Ne,land Canal. The
estTuctiUn of the canal, OF of
VIII be Il question to be de-
ng 10 circumstances. But in
failure to take and hold the
rot he widely disastrous the
mould have ct hand the means
the Lake Erie port CT the
laVe 1t hand Il naval force for
entrance of hostile vessels
ie. That provision OF such
a duty is, to my mind, very
Erie and Ohio River" Ship
tEsIons proposed by this com
I pass Il ''gunDoat" iworthy
lGme of 4 "warship"l 80 feet
beam, and draft of fully four
. Such snip may have dis
bout Q 300 tons. 4 steamship
just AalIeG, built OF steel,
!!y $50 IONS ION 4-fOot Graft)
lcHlnGTy and stores.
states gunbOatJ Concord and
ArmOreJ sIcel vessels. $50 feet
Jeaul, IS tcnr; mean draft, IL
SIX slE-lnch Greech-ioading
machine guns, complement of
.oEcoIG, January i3, 1891, made
Oi Ia kEots per hour Tor four
oUrs; highest speed, l6.S knots.
ny eHccjiFe vessels. but are
red wiCh the 35Ox4 vessels
9d.
Gould BE Built at Pittsburg.
nip would be of model vary
from that OF the Concord, but
We fully As good speed. They
, ut Plttsburg, or thereabout,
at q navy yard at Brunot's
'or service in the lake lat any
4 vessel may navigate Lake
st. Lawrence river) within 80
icIDt Of orders to move. We are
Il the Lake Erie and Ohio River
necessity" for protection
Z afOrding, as indicated. the
inptly placing in Lake Erie
/ larg" uS the navigation in
FOnld need to do service will
ship that could not go out of
4 cnannets OF the lakes would
ted efficiency. With both the
D" and the Niagara" canals in
military situation" would be
satisfaction, your remarks ION
ur pamphletD relative to the |
q charging, TO the dimensions
! canal, the Erie canal from
nny; the projectors having in |
the carrying OF grain and
! through from lake ports to
TO Europe without tIansship- \