The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-12-26
NELSON.
The Shin Canal.


There is a good deal of talk, a strong desire
and commercial and business demand, or
necessity, for direct water communication
between the Lake and the Ohio River. With
Painesville and Pittsburg the contingents,
via Warren and Youngstown, nature has
surely done the greater part of the work
necessary for the accomplishment of the
object, with the Grand and Mahoning rivers
as contributors. The Grand River is very
sluggish stream, and at some time in the
worlds history, at the divide, ito overflow
would defect to the head waters of the Ma
honing, and now ditch six feet deep and
ten rods in length, and dam four feet high
would turn its head waters where the natural
course is for the location of the needed pro-
iect, to the south, or towards the Ohio river.
The Cascade House at Nelson Ledges, being
on the low divide, or water shed, SO nearly
so that whichever way the conduits, or cave
troughs trend, the water falling on its roof
will flow, towards Lake Erie or the Ohio
River:
And then, again, the soil is of a soft form
alton and easy of excavation. No rocky
formation. By following the bed of the Ma
honing from its confluence with the Beaver,
via Youngstown and Warren, up to the
Phalanx Mills, thence up the valley of its
north tributary, which is very low, fiat To-
cation, to the divide, (Which will scarcely be
observed when reached) thence down the
Grand river. the distance between the two
rivers being very short, and the right of way
easily and inexpensiVely obtained possibly
no locks needed, and natural locations for
reservoirs or feeders, there could be no
greater advantages offered by any other
route.
While Chicago and the State of Illinois are
building the greatest artificial waterway of
the age, at an enormous expense, ostensibly
as drainage, or sewerage canal, but ulti-
mately to be the great ship canal, whereby
an ocean vessel may be laden at London or
New York, unloaded at Chicago, reloaded
and then pass on down to New Orleans and
Havana, or elsewhere, and via New York to
London. With but small fraction of the
expense and a mOlety of time, can a water
course be constructed between PainesvilIe
and Pittsburg, whereby the boats laden with
the ores of the upper lakes can be unloaded
where needed to be worked, at Warren, |,
Youngstown, Pittsburg, New Orleans or
and there are natural basins can be construct
ed, easy of accessibility and without great
detrlment to the surroundings.
With natures bountiful contributions, and
the universal demand and desire, let the
project move on. Cleveland and Pittsburg
have been connected by a canal that largely
contributed to their great growth and pros
perity. This was long since abandoned and
superseded by railroads. Now let there be
short cut constructed, build another city
on the lake, and thereby contribute to the
inland towns. Let Congress and the Repre-
sentatiVes be appealed to in the matter, and
the farmers and all interested agitate. Give
the matter the needed push. The Mahoning
Valley, one of the richest in agricultural,
mineral and mechanical productions, needs,
and justly claims, its share of Government
assistance, with the Chicago & Lake Michi-
gan waterway to the Gulf The Niagara
Falls power generator, the Lake Erie and
Ohio River Canal, and the Nicaragua Ship
Canal, would be heralds of the millennium.
Let the needed survey be pushed forward
with all speed possible, and the work COM
menced and crowded to its completion.