Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-26

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 the construction
|Of a 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
.1S4l, and work was begun and prose
|cuted with more or less interruption for
several years. Finally, owing princi-
i pally to the death of the protector and
most earnest advocate, General William
II. 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
it, 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
4 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 tho cities of Rochester and
i Syracuse. For some three miles it fol-
4 lowed the Strengthened course of a 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 a general
northwesterly direction. This creek
enters the head of Great Sodus bay, but
to avoid a considerable fall lower down
4 the stream, and also to enter the bay at
deeper water, the route left the creek
. and turned still more to the westward,
4 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 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
q 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 ha,
been considerably enlarged since the in
ception of the ship canal scheme, anG
further engagements have been advo
Gated and are by no means improbable
With such enlargement vessels Of sufh
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. TIT
expense, compared with the practica
advantages, both in time of peace and il
the event of war, would not be great.
Communication is now had in linn
led way with the lake at Oswego
through the Syracuse and Oswego canal
but the harbor at the latter place is no
to be compared with the one at Grea
Sodus bay, upon which the federal gov
eminent has already spent and is an
nually spending large sums. lmmens
piers and breakwaters have been con
structed and substantial lighthouses con
tain the most improved apparatus know
to molern science. Within the bay il
self vast feet could safely anchor, tn
deep, landlOcked waters affording sc
cure harbor from the most violen
storms. The peculiar confguration c
the surrounding land offers unsurpasse
opportunity for fertilization and dc
Tense Sodus point, at the confiuenc
OF the bay with the lake, is an importan
strategic point. In TIE war Of ISL
many were the attacks made upon 1t b
81 the British. It was defended largely b
the sturdy yeoman soldiery, who altei
mated the peaceful occupation OF maj
ing homes in the wilderness with tn
more exciting one Of repelling the hate
foreign foe.