Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-02
THE CANAL CRITICS
Furnished Facts and figures That
Should Stay Their Pens.
THE GREAT LAKE ERIE PROJECT
Will Make Pittsburg the Nations Manu-
featuring Center and
WILL NoTHURTTHE RAILROADS AT ALL

In recent issue of The DISPATCH an
article contributed to the Sharpsville
Advertiser on the proposed Lake Erie Ship
Canal was reproduced. The writer, who
signed himself &C.," was 80 familiar with
his subject that it has attracted attention in
other directions. The Iron Trade RevieD,
OF Cleveland, quotes from the article re-
ferred to certain calculations showing that
with the Lake Erie and Ohio River Ship
Canal in existence freight charges on ore to
Pittsburg and Sharpsville, respectively, will
be less than they now are to the extent OF
reducing the cost of producing ton of
metal by as much as 81 20 at Pittsburg and
85 $40 cents at Sharpsville.
After noting the fact that the present
stoppage Of iron-making in the Mahoning
and Shenango valleys-largely referable to
maintenance by the railways Of freight
rates that are higher than 'tne tariff can
bear''-opportunity affords argument in
favor of the ship canal, and after having
commended the calculations in question to
the attention of iron manufacturers the Re-
view remarks: "Whatever be said of the
feasibility of the canal project (and that the
Pennsylvania Legislature deems it feas-
ible is evident from the fact that 1t has con-
tinued the Canal Commission in serviee),
the argument of cheaper rates is seductive
one, and stranger things have happened
than the naturalization of this scheme
which now seems SO visionary"
The same correspondent in replying to
the criticisms Of the Reuie,o, says: "We
trust that the ReuieU will not adjudge us
hypercritical if we call attention to the fact
that its use of the term visionary is in
consistent with its admission that the
scheme in question involves nothing actually
impracticable. Our esteemed fellow-worker
for the public good intends, we believe, to
convey the idea that he is not yet entirely
convinced of the fact that the measure Of
constructing this canal Is e1pedient"
No Engineering Difficulties at All.
That there are no engineering difficult
les" in the way of constructing ship canal,
to afford navigation for vessels drawing IA
feet of water, between Lake Erie and Pitts
burg harbor. the report Of the Pennsylvania
Ship Canal Commission sufficiently demon
strates. There is no ground for question
that the route recommended by the Commits
sion is positively better than any other
available for the purposes in view, The
to the Ohio river at Rochester, is something
less than 103 miles; and is not more than
ten miles greater than that of an air line
between the two points named.
Considered with relation to the utility of
the canal as q highway for commerce the
cost of the work as indicated by the detailed
estimate made by the commission, is 80 far
within the prohibitory limit as to be prac-
tically insignificant. The estimated cost of
the entire canal (inclnding three locks, e1-
ira to the canal proper for connecting the
main canal with Ohio River Pool No. 8, at
Rochester) is, including allowance of
81, ,953. TIT for contingencies, S26, ,375, 1873.
The output of pig iron in the Mahoning
and Shenango valleys in 1890 was ], ,093, ,622
gross tons. With this output the saving in
the item of freights on ore that the canal
would effect as shown in the calculations
quoted as aforesaid by the Iron Trade Re-
vieac. at 80 $40 cents per ton of metal pro-
duced, would amount to 1888, ,327 81.
The product of pig iron in Allegheny
county in 1890 was 1 1881, ,309 gross tons
With this output the saving of 81 80 per
ton of metal. that the canal would effect
amounts to $1,725, 1913 81. So in a year Of
output like that of 1890, the canal would
effect for the two valleys aud Allegheny
county, together reductions from present
cost of production amounting TO 81, 663, ,456;
and this in the single item OF transporta-
tion, and associated charges, on ore. Re-
ductions on freights on coke to the two
valleys, and on pig iron from the valleys
and Allegheny county, respectively, would
make further important saving.
Will Benefit the Railroads.
''But." somebody objects, ''these figures
are based ON the proposition that the canal
is to carry all the ore; which proposition is
absurd" There would be no absurdity in
the proposition if the capacity of the canal
to handle all the ore were the only requisite
to its getting all of it. The railroads, how
ever. will retain large share of the traffic;
but 'lake and rail" rates will have to be
equated with flake and canaT' rates; where
fore, the canal effects the savings. afore-
said, all the same. The canal will largely
the furnaces; so that with aggregate deliv-
cries, by canal and rail, very much larger
than those of any former time. the "fric-
tion" of delivery will be materially less
than at any time since the traffic assumed
its present great proportions. The better
ment of conditions ar the furnaces will
largely benefit the railroads.
The canal, as it will supply the means for
maintaining the current rate of growth of
the iron-makine industry of Eastern Ohio
and Western Pennsylvania, will save to the
railways a great traffic which except the
canal be built they Will lose; and will make
for them a great traffic which except the
canal be built they will never have.
The canal will make these valleys and
the Pittsburg and Monongahela Valley dis
trict the great industrial center Of this con-
tinent. The railways will within few
years after the opening Of the canal be glad
to let the canal carry all the ore and coal,
while they handle the passengers, the food
and household supplies, and the manufact-
ured products of closely congregated
population of z, 600, 900 people.
But the immediate motive for building
the canal is not SO much a desire to benefit
the railways as to save and maintain the
iron making industry of the associated dis
tricts above named. The 81, 663, 456 saved
on ore freights, as aforesaid, represents per
cent on S44, 500. 933.
The Estimated Cost Is Correct.
: We have good reasons for believing that
the canal may be built for the sum named
in the estimate of Commissioners; and that
fully responsible parties are ready to UNDER
take the entire work of construction for q
round sum corresponding with the ag,re-
gate of the items. for such work, speciied
in the estimate. But even were the work to
cost twice the extreme sum named in the
estimate, or So, ,750, ,k76, the savings for the
two valleys and Allegheny county, as above
given, represent considerably more than
per cent on that great sum.
production of pig iron in the United states
in the year 1900 will be fully double that OF
1889, provided always the cost Of production
he dulv reEtricted Tn these valleva and Mt