The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-28
IRON TRAFFIC Ell THE CANAL.
II the Eric waterway Did not Exist tho
State Could Afford to Bald It now.


| state Could Afford to Build 1t now.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sh: Your col
umns have OF late been open to letters In oppo-
| sition to the Erie Canal hence this intrusion
| on my part Those gentlemen who oppose It's
| improvement. while entitled to their opinion
| and doubtless better able to discuss the ques-
tion than the writer. do not approach the
matter from the proper view point.
The most casual examination OF conditions
now existing and prospects clearly In sight
make the following statements easily main
tained. II there was to-day no canal between
Buffalo and Albany. the outlook for the State 10
such that It would be justified in building a
new canal capable OF accommodating boats
1875 feet long by rs feet beam and having
feet draft OF water. II the present canal 10 i'm
proved by widening the locks and deepening
so that boats OF above capacity can be used.
twenty years from to day will show the follow
ing state OF things-it will doubtless come in
fifteen years:
The City OF Buffalo will then be the largest
manufacturing city In the world in iron and
steel. New York Bay will build more steel
vessels along it's shores than any place in the
world The seat OF manufacturing every class
OF iron and steel articles will be found through
out the entire length OF the Erie Canal and the
Hudson River. Tho State OF New York will
have such a growth In manufacturing and pop
ulation and the wealth that flows therefrom as
1t has never had in any twenty years OF its his
tory. The farmers Of this State will have
better market for their products right at home
than they have enjoyed in generation.
These are bold statements but will bear the
closest scrutiny. The reason for this growth is
very evident This is an age OF iron and steel
and the future promises to be still more so.
That section then which can control the iron
and steel traffic must necessarily control the
greatest share OF the business OF this country
and the world In manufactures and ship
building. The State OF New York is to-day
Just seeing the dawn OF growth In the iron
and steel business that those who do not ex-
anime the question can hardly dream OF or con-
slider possible.
The marvellous richness OF the Northern
ores along the great lakes has practically
driven all other ores out OF the market except
TO a limited degree for mixing purposes. This
is shown by the fact that old Pennsylvania
furnaces are now running on ores from the
Superior region. Those furnaces are running
aim ply because the plant is there and they feel
that they cannot throw 1t away and start anew.
New furnaces and steel mills will never be
built to any extent south Of the shore Of Lake
Erie. and the best place in the world to-day is
Look at the present course OF the traffic.
The northern ore l. loaded into vessels and
Drought 10 Lake ETC pOTIb LOT AhTnekle y
works to Conneaut. It is there loaded onto a
railroad built by Mr.. Carnegie simply TO save
the profit formerly charged him by other reads;
1t takes practically two tons OF ore for ton OF
steel Freight from Conneaut to PittsDurg is
9s cents per ton, or 81 "G on ore for ton o Of
and for exnort trade is moved over the noun
tains to New York at SEQ PER ton We then
New York, via Pittsburg for 94sj,
Now follow this same steel via Buffalo The
IN
smelt il and roll it and then with a lock;
wdened and deepened canal itcan be freiEhted
as against 81 SO via Pittsbure We must. how
ever, bear one thing in mind To-day coke for
at Bural o than at pittsburg. This is soon to
be wiped out. as new cokng GOALS are being
than at Pittsburg 10 be very safe. Gull the
added coke and coal dlrerentinl 81 per ton OF
$4.s6 via PittsburR.
future Naw York Sates TRsse sres Is cane sne
not be gainsaid pitisburg is TO. day the great
Sat State we the good sense that they have
such hold on the iron and steel business as
can zap meyer ss. be wrested from them.
State now has. she would spend a hundred
million dollars to IMPROVE tn, Erie Canal. She
can never nave tne opportunity. IL is ours Tor
trife. and astounding as IL must appear to
any thin ing person we can find people in the
state who are opposing the canals However.
the mum Der is very small and will steadily grow
less The canal problem must not be taken up
as your correspondents have done. living over
the past Of the canal or tho past or present
canal operations IN any other country. We arc
now face to face with q square business prop
ostion and new situation.
IL the best interests of the State demand the
improving the canal to enable US to CLEAN the
golden harvest Just now coming into the light
of day. let us do 1t like men and stop whining
or making excuses. IL the great state OF New
York has not sufficient business ability among
It's business men to SEQ the great future
that must come from the canals, why close
them up and sop talking about il longer
All previous talk OF improving the canals has
been for the grain traffic which our farmers
wrongly however. think Injuries them to the
benefit Of the Western farmer. This improve
ment bringing as 1t will within the borders OF
the state an enormous amount OF manufac-
lures. will furnish to our farmers a home mar
ket for those products that the Western farmer
cannot ship here as cheaply as our own
farmers.
Burial iS alive to the possibilities and already
has sufficient faith that the canals will be i'm
proved TO lnaugurate company with twenty
million dollars capital to build a steel plant
which will he practically the largest in the
world when finished.
Ny intense interest in the future OF the State
10 my excuse for this extended intrusion upon
your columns. u. II. RAYMOND.
BUFFALO. Aug %