New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-27
4 NEW DAY FOR ERIE CANAL.
BOATS PROPELLED By ELECTRICITY.
SUCCESSFUL TEST AT ToNAwANDA IN TIE PRES
ENCE OF MANY MEN OF NoTE-GoVEh-
NOR MoRToNs TELEGRAM.
[ny TELEGRAPH TO THE -RIBUNr.l

ENcE OF MANY MEN OF NoTE-GoVER-
NOR MoRToN's TELEGRAM.
[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE RIBUNr.1
Tonawanda. Oct 26-Just before o'clock this
afternoon the official test Of electricity as ap-
piled to the propulsion Of canal boats on the
Erie Canal made. and found perfectly sat
isfactory Crowds lined the banks OF the canal
for an hour before the test was begun ard when
the start was finally made a shout went up from
a thousand throats. 1t was great day Tor the
States waterway II means that once more
there will be a practically continuous string OF
boats from the Niagara to the Hudson The
harbors now crowded with rotting hulks Will
again be filled with incoming and outgoing craft
loaded with the Nations commerce. \ new era
Of prosperity has dawned for the Erie canal.
Seven canal boats were used in to-days test.
They are the Ben Odell, Chauncey NJ Depew'
Reuben Fox. Samuel Sloan. john kEg, H. r.
Wilbur and J. T.. Laying. They carried large
party Of invited guests, including cltlzens Oh
Niagara Falls Tonawanda. Buffalo. Roches-
ter and the eastern part of the state EX-'o'-
ernor Flower was here eX-Leutenant-UoNernoi
Sheehan, George w Aldridge State Supenh-
tendent Of Public Works Charles H. Barnes
State Electrician: Campbell w. Adams. STATE
Engineer and Surveyor z. ID. Lay, Deputy ou-
per:ntendent of Public Works; Lleutenant-'oV-
ernor S2xton. Controller Roberts. Tracy G. Beck
er w Caryl Ely, ex-senator Vedder. Representa-
tive D. f. Wilbur. +. G. Spilsbury. managing
director of the Trenton Iron Works. and many
other men of note kilograms O. regret were
this morning received from the Cataract Con-
struction Company. Governor Morton. eX-Sena-
tor Miller. ex-senator Platt and eX-Mayor Apram
s Hewitt
The twclve-year-old sen Of superintendent Al
bridge rode behind the motor car ana turned the
lever when the car started up Everything went
we'll The boats hes.tated moment ana theh
forged through the water at rate OF between
three and four miles an hour. The average speed
on the up-trp. against the current. was three
and three-iifths miles an hour. ana Ie'urn"s'
with the current. four and onc-tenth miles .
The system which was so successfully tes.eu
to-day and which 1t is proposed TO extehd 10 tne
entire length of the canal. is remarkably slmpie
The motors are merely electric mules, ana take
the animals places In towing the boats Great
motor cars are suspended In mid-air from I'M
mense cables on which the current Is carried \
man seated behind the motor directs Its move
mcnts much as does the mOtorman OF an ordlildr!
trolley car The possible speed OF these motors
running free is fifteen miles an hour ana notnIle
but the canal itself can limit their reasonable
speed In the present wretched condition or the
canal it is feared a speed OF over SIX miies al,
hour would tend 10 wash away the DanKs. frailh
w.
experiment a success, expressed himself as wei
satisfied to-day and gracefully received the con-
gratulations that were heaped upon nim he
said that work would now be vigorously prose
cuted to extend the system over the entire length
OF the canal.
Just before the return trip was begun speeches
were made by many Of the prominent guests
who were vigorously applauded wnen they re-
ferred To the great future now opening before
the canal. In his telegram of regret to Mr.. Haw-
ley Governor Morton said:
The achievement OF success In SO important
scheme as the application OF electricity as motor
for canal traffic Is event fraught with such deep
interest to the commercial community, ana there-
fore to the whole people, that cannot let pass TINS
opportunity os saying how deeply am concerned
In your enterprise and its ultimate success. IL
promises in larger measure than any other factor
a present solution OF the great problem OF canal
transportation for the Empire state, which Is the
KEY TO the geogra phlcal position OF water route
from the Great Lakes system 10 the Atlantic ocean
Various projects foot. In more or less adj
yanced conditions Of scientific and physical de-
velopment for the enlargement OF the traffic ca
pacity of the canals Of this state but the simplest
and least costly of them must invove the expendi-
ture of millions Of money and occupy many years
O time for their acCOmpI. Shmcnt.