Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-02-12

W '"'ti tbdi W III 'iit DucSukt VI
vessels of sufficient cargo to compete in
carriage with modern railroad con
structiou ana that in the building OF
canals due consideration must be given
to auxiliary benefits which may bc de-
rived from the use of the water for
power, steam, cooling and condensing,
manufacturing, irrigation and other
kindred purposes.
The fact has been demonstrated in
the operation of our present carals
during the past few years that their
capacity in the carrying trade in COM
petition with railroads, is limited to
about one ton in cargo to one mile in
distance for their longest haul; that is,
our present canals are only capable of
passing boats Of from 60 to 50 tons
load. Their utility Is thus confined, in
the carrying of freight as against rail-
road traffic, to limited haul of from
&C 20 So miles in distance.
ThE RARGE CANAL.
The distances across the state from
Lake Erie to the Ohio river as surveyed
by the Government Engineers, are
about 250 miles for the Miami and Erie
and the Cleveland & Marietta routes,and
about $50 miles for the Sandusky and
Portsmouth route, which, figuring on
the above assumption, would require
a canal of capacity sufficient TO admit
the passage of boats of from $50 to 900
tons in order 70 meet tho requirements
of trade, and to those capacities should
be added larger factor to meet fur
ther demands.
In their gurvcy of 1896 for n barge
canal across ohio, as authorized by
Congress, the Government Engineers
recommended larger capacity for a
new improved canal than that given
above, holding in fact, that such ca
nal should have uniform width of
So feet and a depth of from . to 10 feet,
which would admit of the passage of
vessels that might be considered Of
about the least practicable size for
lake uses and the maximum possibility
for the navigation of the proposed i'm
proved rivers.
The above Dimensions for the Ohio
canals were determined upon after
careful surveys and enquiries by the
commission, and after 1t was found
that sufiiciency of water was obtain
able on the summit water sheds TO feed
abundantly such IL canal, that being as
far as their enquiries extended.
THEIR PRACTICALLY.
This special and most important fca-
ture in the consideration Of the practl-
cabillty of the'-proposed canals across
Ohio, has bctn given careful attention
in the determinations of the Govern
mcnt Engineers who substantially find
sufficient water, by storage process, 70
warrant the construction of canal
whose bonts would be of such Il size as
to enable them to ply their trade safely
on the lakes, and which would reach
the maximum size for river navigation,
making such n waterway Interstate
and national fn its Importance.
| have no hesitation in saying that
a canal Of larger capacity permit
ting the passage OF boats approximate
ing 1000 net tons, will be warfantable
over ut least one of the lines surveyed.
either the line of the Miami g. Erie,
or that from Snndusky to Portsmouth,
should further investigation show the
ACCESSIBILITY of adopting n size suit
able for bargcs of that extent.
10 Illustrate the great benefits of
cheapened transportation that would
result from proper enlargement of
our present canals, feel warranted In
saying that ii is fact that it requires
less power To tow a boat loaded to
25O tons on the o foot depth of Erie
canal of New York, than would be re-
qulred to tow n boat loaded to % tons
on the 4 foot depth of Ohio canals. Be
sid, j, the size adopted for the Erie Gu
nal possesses other great advantages
over our small canals in the economy
of it's operation that are comparatively
manifold.
CANAL SYSTEM PAYING.
| believe that the present system OF
canals in Ohio is paying the state full
value for the appropriation for Its
maintenance made by the General AS
sembly in indirect benefits from its us'
in transportation of freights, and IL
fostering private industries almost en
tirely dependant on its waters FOL
manufacturing purposes which mus
otherwise seek locations out oc TIN
state in order TO continue its bushes.
but also believe that the use and ben
tits of our canals must result In thu
near future in their larger capacity II