The Portland daily press., 1892-08-25

purpose of avoiding the rapids at South
Hadley and the Montague falls ON the
Connecticut river. They are no longer
in use, but they will always be remem-
bered as the beginning of the now mag
nificent system of artificial waterways
for which the United States have be-
come famous.
About the time that these short canals
were completed the agitation began
which was to end quarter of a century
later with the Inauguration of plan for
connecting the ocean with the great
lakes by means of what scoffers of that
day called "De Witt Clinton's ditch"
Begun in 1917 and opened in 1926, the
Erie canal has ever since been an impor.
tant factor in the politics and prosperity
of New York state. Its original cost
was nearly $s,000,O 900, and many times
that sum have been expended in its inn
provement and maintenance. It spans
the state of New York with ribbon of
water 1858 miles long, and is practically
the first on the list of similar great en-
terprises projected and carried out by
other commonwealths Of the republic.
For this reason, and also because just
century ago bill was introduced IN
the New York legislature providing
plans for canal system, the grain deal
ers, warehousemen and shippers of the
Empire State are arranging to COM
memorate the anniversary by a celebra-
ton suitable to the occasion. 1t is in
deed centennial that ought to be ac-
centuated by imposing ceremonies, for
in the hundred years of progress canals
have played an important part and have
swollen from the five miles of 1893 to
the 1900 miles of 1899.
And yet, If the schemes now under
consideration are carried out, the second
century of canal building in the United
States will overshadow the first century
as giant does pygmy. The most inn
mediate progress is to be made under
the provisions of this years river and
harbor bill, regarding which q writer in
The Review of Reviews says that it pro-
vides sufficient sum to begin the work
of deepening the connecting channels Of
the great lakes so that there will no
where be less than twenty feet of water
between Chicago, Duluth and Buffalo.
The official estimates call for nearly
$500, 900, which sum is exclusive of the
work on the st. Mary's Falls canal,
which was provided for in the river and
harbcr bill of 1890.
Eleven hundred less vessels passed
through the Suez canal in 1890 than
passed through the canal into Duluth
during the subsequent year, and there
went through the $500" canal at the
outlet of Lake Superior more than three
times as many vessels and nearly $780,
900 tons more freight during 1890 than
through the Suez canal for the same
period. Speaking of the future, the
writer already referred to says:
Interest in waterway Improvements
has had wonderful growth in the
United States within the last year or
two, as is evidsnced by the strong sup
port of the daring project of ship
canal twenty-one feet deep through
American territory from the great lakes
to the sea. Congress has been asked to
provide for surveys, examinations and
estimates of cost of all the practicable
routes for such canal, with view tat
determining the one that is most advan-
tageous. The advocates of this project
point out that in addition to the i'm
mense commercial value which it would
have, it will become a military necessity,
a few years hence when the enlargement
Of the st. Lawrence canals to uniform
depth Of fourteen feet is completed
For then way will be open into the
great lakes for the war vessels of the
British navy, while there will be none