New-York tribune., 1900-05-13
IRON AND STEEL ON THE CANAL.
VAST POSSIBILITIES IN THE TRAFFIC.
MORE IMPORTANT THAN GRAIN
AND LUMBER.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your timely editorial expressing surprise
and regret the lack Of interest in the proposed
canal Improvement plan is my excuse Tor lntruo-
ing upon your columns. Since the Erie Canai
was first completed there has never been time
SO fraught with possibilities for the benefit Of
the people Of this State as the present NO
question in fifty years means so much to every
material interest in the State as the canal ques-
ton does to-day. 1t is of vital interest TO the
manufacturer the merchant. the laboring man
and last, but by means least 1t is OF vital
interest to the farmer Yet in the face Of all
this which must be patent to any one who Will
give the question even cursory examination,
the people Of this State almost dumb on this
subject.
The apathy stupidity and ignorance as to
what the improvement Of the canal Will surely
bring to this State is much in evidence from
one end of the State to the other that 1t Is
simply appalling and is a condition or plblic
sentiment that may we'll fill the friends of the
canal and the commercial interests OF the State
with dismay 1t is tendency which, unless at
once and with the utmost vgor attacked, will
almost surely bring commercial injury or the
most dangerous extent and character
The canals have been shamefully neglected
for forty years by the lack Of commercial fore
sight on the part of the people, and unless some
thing is done and without waiting for day to
pass almost, the future commercial prosperity
of this State will receive such setback as VIII
take a generation to overcome The time to
work is now. 1t will require money and plenty
of it to carry a successful canal campaign
through. There is as much need, and 1t is a
sad commentary the State to say it. of a
red schoolhouse campaign the canal ques-
ton as there on the free silver question.
Ignorance, apathy and opposition to the canal
improvement are not confined to the rural popu-
lation of the State. They found in all the
cities and they are in almost equal proportion
found among the press of the State to whom it
ought to be safe at least to look for some slight
grasp of the commercial future of this State.
Ninety persons of each hundred in the State
who have business grasp enough to know that
the canal is still in existence think 1t is being
sought to improve 1t for the grain and lumber
traffic which. since its first building has been
the bulk of the traffic! Such an idea is utterly
wrong and for the purpose of setting the propo-
stion of canal Improvement in what appears
TO me its proper light, desire to say: If from
this date there should never be moved the
canals of this State single bushel of grain
single foot of lumber, and if to-day the entire
traffic the Erie Canal We're wiped out the
State of NewYork would be justified in build
ing a canal from Albany to Buffalo at a
cost of 500 900 solely for the iron and steel
traffic which. by a proper Improvement of the
canal, and by it alone, will be brought within
the borders of this State.
This is a rather broad statement but it re-
quires mental reservations, and must be
plain to one giving the matter a moments
thought. The proposition is too large for a
short newspaper letter. but climax of CONNER
cial revolution has almost just been reached
the State of New-York than any other combina-
tion of circumstances since the State
ganized. The State of New York will with the
canal improved proper lines receive such a
growth in wealth and population in the next
twenty-five years from the iron and steel indus
tries and interests allied thereto which will
come to her from that cause she has
experienced in any twenty-five years of her
history.
Without going into details it is a settled
opinion throughout the world that the bulk of
the iron and steel of the world will from this
time on be made from the immense beds of
the Northern lakes Those ores must come east
ward for their fuel and manufacturing and
port traffic, which latter, while it was one hun
dred millions last year, is but in its infancy.
That section then, which furnish the best
and cheapest facilities for iron and steel max
ing will surely gather the golden harvest of
prosperity which is now coming to maturity in
the iron and steel traffic With an improved
canal there is no power earth that can stop
the State of New-York from having within her
borders string of iron and steel smelters, roll
ing mills, and the hundreds of allied industries,
from Buffalo to NewYork, and the doubling of
her population in twenty-five years or less.
Look at the course of the trade to-day. Ore
is moved by lake to Conneaut for Carnegie's
works. 1t is then moved to Pttsburg by rail
at 0S cents a ton, and taking, say, two tons of
ore for a ton Of steel makes a first charge of
81 96 getting TO Pittsburg from the lake. Smet-
ed, rolled. etc, at Pittsburg. it is placed the
rails again and. at cost of $3.50 ton is
moved to Philadelphia for export shipbuidng,
etc. This gives 81 Sc a ton. freight charge after
the ore leaves the lake before reaching tide
water.
Improve the Erie Canal so a rate of 30 cents
n ton will be possible from Buffalo to New
York. Proportional rates will be possible from
all points between. Syracuse, for instance,
could take the to that city, and after
loading ore, put in iron and steel. and make the
total freight 50 cents ton. So, for any point
il may be taken as 30 cents ton after the ore
leaves the lake vessel.
We then land the ore in New York State at
Buffalo for the same cost as at Conneaut. We
smelt it, roll It, etc. in the State and then, at
a cost of 30 cents ton land It at tidewater.
At present Plttsburg has cheaper coke and coal
than NewYork State, but this amounts TO less
than 81 ton on the manufactured iron steel.
Adding, then. this drawback of 81. we have iron
or steel made In the State of New-YOrk and
laid down at tidewater after allowing for in
creased fuel cost. at a for freight of 81 30
a ton, against S4 SO ton via Conneaut and
Pittsburg.
With such condition can any sane man
doubt that the State of New-York will be the
Queen State in iron and steel within twenty
five years, much less? Can any fail to
see what that means TO this State in its every
material interest? Great increase Of popula-
tion, increased demands for labor and better
home markets for the farmer. The suggestion
Is made for New Workers that twenty-five wears
viii the canal improved. the navies of the
world built around the shores of New-Y Bay
with iron and steel made within the borders of
the State. G. H RAYMOND.
Buffalo May 0, 1900
REVERENCE FOR THE FLAG.