Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-16
MAP SHOWING THE CANAL.

In this connection an important work,
projected and begun half century ago.
but now nearly forgotten, is of interest.
This was no less than tho construction
of ship canal connecting with the Erie
canal at Clyde, and extending north
ward to Great sodus bay, the finest nat
ural harbor on the south shore of Lake
Ontario. This canal was chartered in
1S41, and work was begun and prose-
cuted with more or less interruption for
several years. Finally, owing princi-
pally to the death of the protector and
most earnest advocate, General William
III. Adams, it was abandoned. Although
not completed. the work accomplished
remains as q memorial TO the farseeing
public spirit of the man who gave 50
much Of time, money and energy toward
its prosecution.
The route chosen was an admirable
one, the distance being but little more
than ten miles, through an almost level
country. This is the same route said to
have been followed by the Cayuga In
dams In going to and fro between their
country and Great Sodus bay, which
was their port on the lake. Around this
bay was the gathering place of the
different tribes of Indians in the early
history Of the country. In their jour
neyings to the interior natural water
ways afforded them passage for their
canoes excepting for one carrying place
of two or three miles.
The projected canal left the Erie a
little west of the village of Clyde, mid
way between the cities of Rochester and
Syracuse. For some three miles it fol-
lowed the Strengthened course of a small
stream. From there on new channel
was constructed, until about five miles
almost due north of the place of begin
ming, in the township of Rose, another
natural waterway, known as Thomas
creek, was encountered. This was fol-
lowed for about two miles in a general
northwesterly direction. This creek
enters the head of Great Sodus bay, but
to avoid a considerable fall lower down
the stream, and also to enter the bay at
deeper water, the route left the creek
and turned still more to the westward,
terminating in the bay at some distance
from its head. The greater part Of the
labor expended upon the undertaking
was ON the middle portion Of the canal
where an entirely new channel was nee
essary, and adams ditch" still fur
nishes means of drainage for a large
section of country which would other
wise be difficult to improve.
A sluggish stream Of water still forces
its way through the choking rushes and
wild grasses growing in the channel.
The southern portion flows south into
the Clyde river and the northern into
Great Sodus bay. The exact point at
which the waters divide is difficult to
determine. A few years since some of
the fumes built in the prosecution of
the work were still to be seen, but little
Of them except the ruins now remains.
Whether this route will ever be util-
lied in the manner intended by General
Adams is an open question. Its FEAST
bility Is assured. The Erie canal has
been considerably enlarged since the In
ception Of the ship canal scheme, and
further engagements have been advo-
Gated and are by no means improbable.
With such enlargement vessels Of sufh-
cient tonnage for all needed protection
could quickly and easily be transferred
from the seaboard to the lake frontier.
Such work should Of course be under
taken by the federal government. The
compared with the practical
advantages, both in time Of peace and in
the event of war, would not be great.
Communicated is now had in linn
tied way with the lake at Oswego,
through the Syracuse and Oswego canal,
but the hafbor at the latter place is net
to be compared with the one at Great
5odus bay, upon which the federal gov
has already spent and is an
nually spending large sums. Immense
piers and breakwaters have been con-
structed and substantial lighthouses con-
tain the most improved apparatus known
to modern science. Within the bay it
self vast feet could safely anchor, the
deep, landlocked waters affording Sc
cure harbor from the most violent
storms. The peculiar configuration of
the surrounding land offers unsurpassed
for fertilization and de-
tense. Sodus point, at the confluence
1 am told that Mr.. Brice's "living ex-
penses" exceed 81, 200 week the year
through. Besides his villa at Newport
he has q house in New York, another in
Lima, O., and he soon will have fourth
In Washington, where one of the finest
and most famous houses of the city Is
being fitted up for him at enormous
cost. It is the residence Of the late w.
W. Corcoran, and before that was the
Swami house. The central part of it
was for q short time owned and occu-
pied by Daniel Webster, having been
presented to him by his New England
admirers.
Judge Holman, who saves so much of
the peoples money, has none of his own
10 save. The clerk at the hotel where
the judge and his wife board tells me
be is often asked for loan Of dollar
or two to tide the great economist over
till pay day. The judge could at any
time draw his salary in advance If he
cared to do so, but he has scruples
against that. When the sergeant-at-
arms cashier ran away with congress
mems salaries two years ago and money
was voted out Of the treasury to make
up the losses, nearly all the members
took the sums due them. Judge Hol-
man had about $500 in the safe when 1t
was rifled, and there is $400 now to his