Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-14
THAT OHIO SHIP CANAL.
Good Reasons Why 1t Should be Built
From Toledo to Cincinnati.
[ [cineInnstl conn.rci.l e...t,s.l

The recent revival Of Judge Caldwell's ship
canal project by the energetic and faithful
Bellamy Storer, Congressional Representa-
tive of the First district, has awakened un-
usual interest, particularly in this section of
the state, which would be 80 benehcially af-
fected were the plan ever TO ripen into ex-
ecutiou.
The question that is now agitated in Con-
gress is the enlargement and further i'm
provement OF the Miami and Erie canal, and
II is proposed by the bill reintroduced BY
Congressman Storer, upon which a report
is desired from the committee on Rivers and
Harbors. TO deepen and widen il until 1t shall
convey vessels Of heavy tonnage from Lake
Erie to the Ohio.
The commercial benefits to be derived
wound be incalculable. But there is another
necessity-a military necessity. England
has for many years enlarged her canals in
Canada, until she has constructed way
through the Welland canal that gives her a
depth of fourteen feet, and sufficient width
to accommodate traffic thereon. There is
nothing to prevent her IL the occasion should
ever demand 1t, from collecting and having
on hand in her waters feet OF vessels that
lake cities from 'Oswego 10 Duluth. The
United States would be unable to concentrate
feet at the points threatened, the fact hav-
ing been overlooked that the United States
has northern water front as we'll as on the
East and South. The enlargement of the
canal would secure transportation for small
war vessels and torpedo boats, as we'll as as
sure the concentration of troops when neces-
sary.
The adequacy of the water supply for the
summit level is no longer questioned, the
subject having been carefully considered in
Col. Wilson's report, referred to in the fore
going. Four different sources of enlarRing
the water supply are available. First to i'm
pound water in the upper Mad River Valley;
second to cut down the summit level SO as to
lower the flow line ten or fifteen feet; third,
to put pump station at each end of the sum-
nit level, 30 as to pump back enough water
fciency, as is now done on the French canals;
fourth if the locks we're made in pairs, and
so arranged that one could discharge into
the other, only one, half the lock wastage on
the summit level would be required. II as
cending and descending boats were in the |
locks at the same time, the descending look |
would discharge into the other, until the wat |
or in the two locks would be on the same lev |
Ell. The gates between the two locks could
then be closed, and the remaining water let
out of the descending lock. If only one boat
we're in the descending lock, half the water
could be discharged into other, which would
then be filled from above. By this contri-
vance the capacity Of the summit level would
be doubled. It looks like stupendous un-
dertaking, but, in the language Of Col. o. M.
Poe, one Of the engineers, who has watched
this expensation of commerce for more than
thirty years, "the widest expectations of
one year seem absolutely tame the next"
The magnitude of the proposition seems
at this time, but it is outweighed
by its importance and the necessities ac-
to exis.
The survey of the differentroutes suggested
has again been authorized by Congress, and
The work will be done by two army and one
navy engineer. The people between Cleve-
and and Portsmouth, who hope to be direct
y connected. are on the alert, and are max
ng preparations to use the most convincing
when the proper time arrives. 1t
>ehooves Cincinnatians and those directly
Interested in the Miami and Erie to get to-
yether and organize for the fray. The towns
llong the line that would do we'll to CO. ope-
ate in such a movement are Cincinnati,
Lockland, Hamilton, Middletown, Dayton,
Troy, Piqua, New Bremen, st. Mary's, De-
lance, Napoleon and Toledo.
There is another proposition concerning
he Miami and Erie ship canal which comes
rom Col. Latham Anderson, distingui. he'd
cincinnati engineer, whose ideas were elab-
'rated upon in paper to the Engineers ,
Jlub, in Cincinnati, in 1892. He proposed !
hat the ship canal shall be over the Miami .
md Erie to Hamilton, thence along the Mi
mi river. proceeding at an elevation less al
itudinous than the present summit level s
long the Aualaze and Maumee rivers to
lake Erie. Col. Anderson proposes to uti-
iZe the French system of canaling by
yer. and has many arguments that would {
how the feasibility of his plan. To this Sec
ion the one would be as acceptable as the ,
'ther, and sincere hopes are entertained that
me or the other may be agreed upon. II
Drunkenness has no comparison in evil