New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-13

,.rNr,r BY THE GENERAL. GOVERNMENT
.,,,,,r.NpED-REPoRT By MAJOR sYMoNs
MS EXAMINATION OF THE PROBLEM.
o. ,,o appendix TO his annual report on the I'm
i III , Of rivers and harbors Of the United
pr.s,ss General Wilson. the CHIEF OF Engineers
s'A..,,d last July the results Of an examination
sum NV Major Thomas w Symons. Corps OF
nsO '..s-s for a ship canal from the Great Lakes
L". 80 uudson River Major Symons's findings
". summed up as follows;
81 shin canal which would permit lake vessels to
reaea vs5uid he valuable in reducing and regulatn;
Es freighs, transfer charges. etc. on such freight
as misns construction the BENEFITS to be de-
~ from such canal should be clearly SHOWN
rVeo suitably commensurate with Its cost and the
70 NC ~ maintenance and necessary improvements
Tse present and prospestivc conditions OF lake
snn,abe depth of ship canal to that required for
vessels s o. canal built should be entirely within
Aysrritory Of The United States, and should ter
innate at iirst-class American seaport ana CON,
inos,crn products FOR domestic consumption. as
well as those designed for eNportStohh may ne
light OF The greatest possible magnitude may ne
.ssrrcl and the canal benefit alike the people OF
the shin canal built should not only subserve the
Any ss 81 foreign-b bound commerce. but as well
ineIesc commerce between the centres OF pop.
NATION in the East and the producing regions OF
the me" domestic commerce is OF more Importance
D.. 'consider than the commerce destined TO or from
f'i'' Sup canal by the ST. Lawrence route to Mon,
- or by the 81. Lawrence Champlain route 70
be- does nSt sS by the Gned
shSS0 ro g Considered best Cor shin canal is by
,hS e. N 65a Te MohawE SS and Hudson rivers
For the highest economy IN transpoTtauon spec!s'
HP,be Lakes and on the canals and neither can
replace the other IN its proper waters w tn1G T no
s general rule engage IN the business OF passing
through ship canal and the lakes e upper sa upon
Se ocean. and II they made use OF canal they
would have t, transfer their SnTg9fs al b rne
canal from the Great Lakes 70 the sea special YES
scs differing from and far less costly than ocean
"rmpor,ant and serviceab!e canals already exist
Tre cana connecting Lake Erie with the Iiu l.
son and the Oswego- Erie Canal connecting Lake
Ontario with the Hudson. BY these canals low
ra,es OF freigh; attained. &C., .
These canals are being improved by the state o,
cspsciy OF the boats navigating them will be in;
creased about 10 per cent. the time or TRANSIT WI,
be 10 move freight between Lake Erie and
Sew-York FOR about 60 per cent of the present cost
canais require ana viii when improved require, the
transtcrence Of freight from AXE vessels to canal
Is RFSssbf and and s.P snsS
srce or material reduction Is very desirable
Transference al lower lake ports is necessary for
economical distribution Of very large part OF the
Ire case regardless Of any canal.
The present cost OF transference at lower lake
ports can be materially reduced and business still!
ANY canal which will enable this transference to
b. avoided VIII cause It's reduction TO minimum.
The amount OF tonnage which 1t is esima ed may
be possibly tributary 10 ship canal is 2iooOo0 tons
annually 10000 tons transported eastward and
ecy co tons transported westward.
The cost OF q ship canal suitable for use by the
largest vessels OF the lakes from Lake Erie to New
YORK AID necessary work In connection herewith.
would be- approximately, S20ocooOo and tho cost Of
operation and maintenance would be, approximate
w. s. 10000 per year. The cost would depend large
IS upon the arrangement which could be made
with New-York State for the possession OF its
canals feeders reservoirs. etc, which would neces
sariy b absorbed In the greater caral
The Erie Canal, as It is being enlarged by the
State Of NewYork. will, II all restrictions upon Its
use be removed, give commercial advantages prac-
ucaliy equal TO the commercial advantages which
would be given by ship canal
If the Erie Canal be further improved by enlargN
ing II TO size sufficient for fifteen hundred ton
harSes. making necessary alterations in its align
Ipent as 20 give continuously descending canal
al the way from Lake Erie the Hudson, and
canaliziag the Mohawk River, such improved canal,
naygated by barges will enable freight TO be
transported between the East and West at a lower
rate than could ship canal navigated by the