Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-01
New York and the Deep Waterway
Project.

1t Is difficult to explain or understand
the shortsightedness of the business mon
of New York city, who in one breath com
plain that foreign trade is steadily being
diverted to other ports and oppose the
construction OF deep waterway in place
Of the present canal system leading from
Lake Erie On the ground that such n
course will build up other ports at the oX-
ponSe Of the metropolis.
That the first allegation is correct does
admit Of doubt New York has been
RAPIDLY losing export trace during the
past few years through a variety OF influ-
encos. Not only have Other Atlantic ports
received marked impetus through their
selection as terminals for some of the
great trans continental railroad systems
but the construction of cross railroads
leading to the Cuff Of Mexico has served
to divert in that direction an enormous
tonnage of grain and other Western pro-
ducc which formerly found its way to
Europe and South American ports by way
Of New York.
An additional cause of Gotham's loss of
export trade is to he found in the success
attending the efforts Of the Canadians to
attract to their rail and water routes a
considerable portion of the grain and 9TH
/ er products Of our Western States which
sock a foreign market. It is a notorious
fact that the Canadian canal improve
mcnts have made II possible for vessels
Of large tonnage to pass down the st.
Lawrence route, as indicated by tho re-
cent passage Of steamships from the
Great Lakes to Liverpool a vast guam
titY Of grain still continues to find It's
way from the Great Lake region in ordi-
nary lake and river craft to be trans
ferred by elevators to ocean going vessels
ar Montreal and other points, while mil
lions Of bushels of grain and other pro-
ducts arc SHIPPED over tn" Canadian rail-
roads, for reshipment on ocean craft.
In spite Of the fact that New York's eX-
port trade is being rapidly drawn away
from 1t through these and other inhu-
cnces It's produce exchange opposes the
one hope that remains to it, that of maxi
ing the metropolis the oc am terminal of
a deep waterway leading to the Great
Lakes. The canal committee represent
ing the New York produce exchange give
as their reasons for opposing the substi-
tuition Of a shiI canal for the Erie barge
canal that such a change would develop
the iron and other industries of the lake
region and practically make Atlantic
ports of the lake cities; and they also
hold that it would be necessary to aban-
don the present canal system of the
State which is of great advantage to the
metropolis.
, The d1ption Of the St Lawrence Lake
, lChamplain-IIudson river route for d doeI
waterway of an international character
between the Great Lakes and the sea
would meet the latter objection, if not al
; the others given by the committee repre-
= senting the New York produce exchange
This plan would simply interfere with thu
: present Champlain canal, leaving the res
of the Empire state canal system intact
On the other hand the construction Of {
r ship canal from the St. Lawrence to LAX
Champlain and the Hudson, which is mor
@ practicable than any other plan that cal
1 be devised, would inevitably attract /
( large amount of Canadian freight trat
n destined for South American ports whicl
n would thus be able to take the shortes
= route to New York instead of going aroun
Il Labrador, thus saving many hundreds o
n miles.
/, This route offers the most feasible on
o portunity for 4 deep waterway between
S the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. ]
would not only be more economical +