Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-02
Talks Forcibly to the Railroad Com
mittee of the House.
s1OO,0OO,OOO FOR LAKE TO OCEAN.
The Erie and Chic Scheme an Important
Link in the Chain.
AYEAR'S SAVINGS WILL FOOT THE BILL
ryRoH A STAFF CORRESPONDENT,

is usually made up in the interests OF the
railroads, and there are passages In the
history of Congressional legislation which
suggest that this is sometimes the fact. The
Committee this morning listened with deep
attention, however, to the speech of Mr.. S.
A. Thompson, Secretary OF the Duluth
Chamber of Commerce, and to Captain
Kingman, the Army Engineer in charge of
the Oswego (N.Y district, who gave some
explanation of the surveys and cost of the
ship canal suggested to connect Lake Erie
with the Hudson river. Both addresses
were very brief, as the Committee was late
getting together, but after its adjournment
had a conversation with Mr.. Thompson, in
which that gentleman spoke with great hope
and enthusiasm for the project.
Mr. Thompson has probably made more
exhaustive study of this subject than any
other man in the country. At least he is
not exceeded by any one in information,
eloquenee and enthusiasm when talking of
it He is in favor of
The Developments of Ship Canals
wherever they will be of advantage, and as
rapidly as possible. He is hearty advo-
cate of the ship canal from Lake Erie to tie
Ohio by way of Erie and Beaver, and is
thoroughly acquainted with the enthusiastic
work of The DISPATCH in support of it,
and of every movement in its favor All of
these canals must come, according to MIR.
Thompson, and the two of most pressing
necessity are one connecting Lake Erie with
the Atlantic tidewater, for the benefit of
Eastern and foreign commerce, and Lake
Erie with the Ohio for the Middle and
Southern States, supplementing the Henne-
pin Canal, which reaches the West and ex-
treme South by way of the Mississippi.
~ Thornrcnn'c
ever, is first in the deepening of the chan
nels connecting the Western lakes to 81
feet, and then in the great project connect
ing the lakes with the Atlantic so that the
best vessels of the inland seas may reach
and cross the ocean without trans-shipmento of
freight. He has made q careful study of all
the routes proposed, from surveys and all
o:her information available, and is con-
WINGED that the route by way of Lake On
tario and Oneida lake, over the summit at
Rome, and then bv way of the Mohawk to
the Hudson at Albany is the cheapest and
most feasible.
I 90 Expensive to Deepen the Erie.
The great objection to the deepening of
the Erie canal lies in the difficulty of cross
ing the many streams which intervene.
There are upward Of 100 on the route, max
ing an aqueduct necessary nearly every
quarter Of a mile. These streams were a
serious and expensive obstacle in the build
ing of the existing canal, which is not more
than seven feet deep in its present condi-
tion, and would seem to be an insurmount-
able obstacle in the way of the construction
OF a canal 20 or p feet deep
The route proposed involves, in the
first place, a canal around Niagara Falls,
which would have to be about % miles in
length, with eleven locks, the total cost
being estimated at about $50, 000, 900. The
Wellapd canal, wholly on Canadian soil
aud owned bv the Dominion of Canada
places an embargo of 20 cents per ton on all
freight passing through it which is to be I'M
loaded at any place above Montreal Freight
going TO Montreal or farther is given a
drawback OF Is cents per ton, which is a tire
mendous discrimination against shipments
TO the series of great towns and cities lying
on and adjacent to Lake Ontario. The
canal around Niagara Falls would enable
steamers to reach the competing points
east of Buffalo on Lakes Ontario and
Oneida, and thus reduce the cost of trans
pOrIation which is now regulated bv the
monopoly between Buffalo and New York.
A Lake and River Combination.
From the Niagara Canal there would be
110 miles of deep water sailing on Lake On
tario, then a short canal easily made by
deepening the channel between Ontario and
cutting would be from the eastern point of
Oneida Lake to Rome Summit, in the Adj
rondackS. TO the headwaters of the Mohawk
Thence there would be only river deepening
bv wav of the Mohawk to Albany and of
the Hudson from Albany to Troy, which is
now the head of navigation for boats of any
Importance.
Surveys over portions of this route have
been made and other parts of it are so we'll
known that the expense can be estimated,
and the total cost has been fixed in round
numbers at 500, 900, O0O Five years has
been estimated as a fully sufficient period
for the completion of the work. Captain
Kingman asserts, however, that with ample
appropriations force could be put upon
construction which would complete the
whole route, the great Niagara Falls Canal
included, within four years. One hundred
millions sounds like large sum, but Mr.
Thompson shows by absolutely reliable |
figures that the saving which would be eff |
fected on freight transported in single |
year would much more than paw the entire
cost of construction. The difference be-
tween the cost of moving the freight of the
last year and what the cost would be were
there a ship canal was $50, 600, 600.
Canada Beats Us in Canals.
The Government of the Dominion of
Canada, according to Mr.. Thompson, is far
outstripping the United States in enterprise
in the building of ship canals. They are |
deepening their canal at Sault Ste. Marie !
70 compete with advantage against the |
United States canal now being improved at !
that point. The series OF six or seven |
canals through the rapids and shadows of /
the st. Lawrence, IA feet in depth, is rapidly |
approaching completion, all except two be- |
ing practically finished. But the Dominion
Government Is not content with IA feet, but |
is already preparing, while using that |
depth, to increase TO any depth contemplated |
by the United States. With these canals |
IN the 81. Lawrence and the Welland Canal |
increased 10 greater capacity, as is CON- |
templated, lake vessels would pass out by |
that route ana on to Europe without so |
mneh as casting an anchor in republican |
soil: ALREADY one lake steamer, "whaIe- |
back, the Wetmore, has passed out bv way |
OF the St; lawrence, carrying nearly 10000 |
The whaleback appears to be the coming |
vessel, not only ior freight, but for passen- |
gers One steamship line has contracted |
Ior WhaiSS2ch steamer upward of 400 |
feet in length and capable of carryinG a po0 |
passengers. They are light Of draft and h1 |
lar the most comfortable and safe in rongb |
weather. The ''whaleback" is the boat of |
boats for lakes and canals, and the moment |
a canal is constructed with 20 or q feet of |
water, vessels for their navigation will be |
built with a capacity of from 6. 900 70 3 O00 |
tons which Will pass through them without |
difficulty.
Could BE Paid for in a Year.
Mr.. Thompson's clinching argument in
Tactt ra Obi inns