The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-23
THE ONTARIO SNIP RAILWAY
A Project OF Overland Transportation for
Ships freua Lake Huron TO Toronto.

ships frera Lake Heron TO Toronto.
WASHINGTON. June 22-Canada Ia contem-
plating . railroad schehe which to Americans
is hardly OF less interest and con sequence than
to her own people. The Ontario ship railway.
which has been more or less talked OF for sew
ernl years, has now been revived under cir
cumstances that point to its being pushed With
all the vigor that could be desired.
1t is a coincidence that at the same time
project Of exactly the same novel character.
undertaken also by our northern neighbors. the
Chignecto ship railway. has also been res,sci-
tated. This lattcr. too. which Is placed ut tho
boundary between New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia. and spans the narrow isthmus between
Chignecto Bay.at the head OF the Bay OF Fundy.
and Northumberland Straits. Ia far beyond
being mere enterprise on paper. Great
sums have been laid out upon 1t. and even the
machinery for lifting the ships has been
built Operations were suspended some years
ago by the want OF funds. but within a few
weeks money for going on with the work is
said to have been raised in London.
Accordingly. we may soon see the Dominion
simultaneously undertaking two distinct prof.
ects in class OF engineering which has not
been essayed at all In the United States or.
indeed. anywhere else.
The Ontario ship railway will be about
sixty-six miles long. and will run from Colling-
wood. on Georgian Bay. to the mouth OF a
small river west OF Toronto. Georgian Bay il
IN arm OF Lake Huron. and this ship railway
would make now route between Lake Huron
and Lake Ontario. by cutting Off tho round
about course through st. Clair River. Lake
St Clair. Detroit River. and Lake Erie. or any
part Of the latter route
There has long been proposition to cut q
canal from Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario. so
as to secure shorter path for the Northwest
ern grain traffic. and the contemplated sub
stitution OF a ship railway Is put on the
ground that 1t would cost less for construction
and maintenance. MIR. Z L. Corthell Of Chi
cago. who has made speciality Of this form
Of carving vessels OF 5000 tons can be built
3o3 Ana this. too. means an elevated road.
bed g, fifty feet wide. carving several tracks.
embitioqs than the chisnecto Scheme &c e The
latter is less than one-third as long. traycrses
nr route t, WI which has only very small differ
poses to lift vessels Of but 1000 tons. which
would REQUIRE less powerful machinery and
suggested that II difficulty has been found o in
raising the comparatively small sum for, this
and ea1pping the Ontario railway. But ane
great difference in the two projects is that tho
Chlgnecto ship railway, can rely, apparently
whereas the Ontario project, will compete fora
share Of the prodigious grain carrying traffic
OF the Northwest The difference between the
annual tolls that could be OK ected in tho two
cases would apparently far surpass the differ
ton. The longer route OF the Georgian Bay
scheme and the heavier grade would be OF
minor mo 6, Ss3nseauence. provided ship railway
This last. OF course. is the first and funta-
mental question. Is 1t practicable to lift u |
vessel and cargo Of 1000 or 5000 tons out OF
the water by machinery. deposit her on a era
dle and truck; transport her for twenty or
sixty miles by locomotive engines. and lower
her into the, water. leaving her as good as
betore2 II this cannot be done with surety. |
ordinary vessels will not be riskei by their |
owners In this kind Of journey. But II 1t can |
pc done. then the remaining question Is as t. |
the comparative cost OF building railroad |
and cutting q canal. OF course there would |
have to he many expensive filings along the |
route. since 1t would require very stout |
causeway to carry such train.
but 1t certainly shows good deal OF enter |
prise on Canada's part to 10 undertaking en-
cheering projects of this advanced character. |
The Georgian Bay affair interests Americans, |
nrst- because the cereals OF the Northwestern !
States might. In part. use such n route and |
the conn ectton with the St lawrence. as we'll |
as the already existing routes: secondly. be- |
impetus to thn construction OF ship railways |
elsewhere. Perhaps 1t would not he too m UGH |
to say that tho financial success OF the Geor- |
Rfan Bay railway would mean the revival Mt |
once OF the Tehuantcneo ship railway of Mr.
Eads. enormously greater as are the obstacles
IN the way OF the latter; At all events. 1t would
be likely to lead to tho construction OF ship
railways instead OF canals IN some regions |
where the difficult les are not greater than be-
tween Collingwood and Toronto.