Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-13
The Struggle Between Railroads and
Canals

Ever since famous railroad manager
threatened to dry up the Eric ditch" the
contest between tho railroads and the
canals for the control of the Western
freight traffic has gone on aplcc. At times
the advantage has rested temporarily with
the canals, but only for the moment, az
II were. The wonderful progress made in
railway development has rendered possible
the successful competition of the railroads
with water routes to q degree never 81
manifest as at the present time. The
strengthening of roadbcds, the building
of heavy bridges, tho increasing Of the ca
pacity of freight cars, and the construc-
ton of a type of engine capable Of haul
ing twice the quantity for a long distance
which the smaller engines were able to
draw a short distance, have enabled the
roads to more than meet tho water routes,
so that tho former are now carrying
greate' proportion of Western grain 10 the
seaboard than ever before.
The great Empire State owns the Eric
Canal and with unlimited resources at its
command it has been in position 10
adopt every possible means TO promote the
carrying trade over that Coute, save at
times when the canal system of the State
has been Handicapped by the exlgoncios of
politics If any ordinary artificial water
way could be made a success the Eric
Canal ought to be successful. 1t has been
improved in all concovabls ways; 1t has
been partially deepened and enlarged 1t
has been given the benefit of boats of
new pattert built especially for its SER
vice, A system of electric propulsion for
boats on this waterway, has been serious
ly attempted, and in short nothing has
been left undone that would enable the
canal to compete successfully with the
railroads. Yet tho railways have been
able to transport grain and other freight
at prices which have driven many boat
men from the canals. and have Gained for
thems selves the bulk of this carrying trade
A point has evidently been reached in
this severe competition between the canals
and the railroads, where nothing but Il
radical departure in the direction of i'm
proved waterways will serve to
enable the former to keep in
the race and not be wholly distanccd.
The cca OF developments in railway trans
portation is far from ended. 1t is predict
ed that the great freight train of the near
future will do the work of three of the or
binary freight trains to which the public
has been accustomed.
In order to meet these new conditions Of
railroad transportation. the water routes
must bd revolutionzed. The deep water
canal is mlnifesty the only artificial
waterway that can hope to hold its own
with the transcontnental roads in the
struggle for Western freight. With q
channel of this character connecting the
Great Lakes with thu Atlantic, it will be
POSSIBLE to load ships with wheat at Chi
cago and carry it direct TO Liverpool. for
example, without the necessity of using
elevators and reloading on larger craft.
which will mean AN enormous saving in
expense and spending decrease in
rates of transportation.
But even in that event The railroads will
make a strong bid for most of the traf-
tic unless natural route is chosen Cor tho
deep waterway. like the St. Lawrence
Champlei river route, which en-
be constructed, maintained and operated
at TIE least possible expense. 1t must be
equipped with the least possible number
OF locks, and the necessity of great ceser-
voirs from which TO supply the canals