The Portland daily press., 1892-08-29

In GnlS cOnnoctlOn an 1fnpOTUanf WOrR,
projected and begun half century ago.
but now nearly forgotten, is of interest.
This was no less than the 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
Fl. Adams, it was abandoned. Although
not completed, the work accomplished
remains as memorial to the farseeing
public spirit of the man who gave so
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
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 small
stream. From there on a 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 general
northwesterly direction. This creek
enters the head Of Great Sodus bay, but
to avoid 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 a means of drainage for large
section of country which would other
wise be difficult to improve.
A. sluggish stream Of water still forces
it's 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-
cdC0u dilu Dire Ny AO iuCdiAS AIupAOUdpiOs
With such enlargement vessels of suffi'
Gent tonnage for all needed protection
could quickly and easily be transferred
from the seaboard to the lake frontier.
Such a work should of course be under
taken by the federal government. The
expense, compared with the practical
advantages, both in time of peace and in
the event of war, would not be great.
Communication is now had in linn
tied way with the lake at Oswego,
through theSyracrse and Oswego canal,
but the harbor at the latter place is not
to be compared with the one at Great
Sodus bay, upon which the federal gov
eminent has already spent and is an
nually spending large sums. Immense
piers and breakwaters have been con-
structed and substantial lighthouses con-
tain the mostinproved apparatus known
to modern science. Within the bay it.
self vast fleet could safely anchor, the
deep, landlocked waters affording Sc
cure harbor from the most violent
storms. The peculiar CONFORMATION OF
the surrounding land offers unsurpassed
opportunity for ratification and de-
tense. Sodus point, at the confluence