Grand Rapids herald., 1892-06-26


structed for the
pnrpose Of avoiding the rapids at South
Hadley and the Montague falls en- the
Connecticut river. They are no longer
in us>. bur they viii always DO remem-
c~red ~ rhe beginning OF the now mag
n-6cant system Of artificial waterways
Tor which the GATED States have be-
come famous.
About the time that these short canals
were completed the agitation began
uhish wzs 10 end a quarter Of century
later with the Inauguration Of a plan ,g
connecting tne ocean with the great
lnkes or means OF what scofers Of that
day called Do Witt Clinton's ditch. I"
Begun IN 1917 and opened in 1925, the
Erie canal has ever since been an iInpor-
txnt factor m the politics and prosperity
Of New York state Its original cost
was nearly q. 1000. coo, and many times
thai sam have been expended in its inn
provement and maintenance. II spans
The state Of New York with ribbon Of
vAesr 3d3 miles long. and Is practically
The first on the list Of similar great en-
toFprises projected and carried out by
other commonwealth Of the republic.
For this reason, and also because just
acenrlry ago q bill was introduced in
the New York Legislature providing
plans for . canal system, the grain deal
srs. wzrehcusemen and shippers Of tho
Empire State are arranging to COM
memorafe tho anniversary by celebra-
tion suitable 10 the occasion. II is in
deed centeunial that ought to be ac-
centnatsd By imposing ceremonies. for
IN the hundred years OF progress canals
have played n important part and have
swollen from the five miles Of 1892 to
the 1000 miles Of fso2.
And yet, II the schemes now under
consideration are carried out, the second
century Of canal building in the United
States win overshadow the first century
- = giant does a pygmy. The most inn
mediate progress 10 TO Be made under
ths provisions Of this years river and
hnrbor bill. regarding which . writer in
The Review Of Reviews says that 1t pro-
vides sufficient sum to begin tho work
of deepening the connecting channels Of
The great lakes 50 that there will no
where DO less than twenty feet Of water
between Chicago. Duluth and Buffalo.
The official estimates call for nearly
8. SOC. 900, which sum 10 exclusive Of the
work on the ST. Mary's Falls canal,
which was provided for IN the river and
harbor ball Of 1870.
Eleven hundred less vessels passed
through shs Suex canal in 1890 than
passed through tho canal into Duluth
during the subsequent year. and there
went through the 800" canal at the
outlet Of Lake Superior moro than three
times a. many vessels and nearly I, $780,
900 tons more frsight during 1890 than
through the Suez canal for the same
period. Speaking Of the future, the
writer already referred to says:
sIntersss in waterway improvements
has had q wonderful growth in the
United Ssatss within the last year or
two. "a IL evidenced by the strong sup
port OF the daring project Of . ship
canal twenty ty-one bet deep through
American territory from she great lakes
90 the SEA- Congress has been asked TO
provide fcr surveys. examinations and
estimates Of cost Of all the practicable
routes for such canal. with . view to
determining the one that " most sdvan-
tageoaa The advocates Of this project
point out that in addition 10 the i'm
mense commercial value which it would
hsvv. il VIII beoome . military necessity
. fsw years hence when the enlargement
cf tn st. Lswrence canals to . uniform
depth Of fourteen feet Is completed.
Tor then way viii be open into the
great lakes for the war vessels OF the
British navy. while there win b none