The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-20
CANAL COMPETITION.
Not Profitable to spend Money on Ca
nal Building.

New York Financier.
The State of New York Is seriously dis
cussing the question of expending S26 Co.,
600 on canal improvements. the idea being
TO enlarge the present waterway between
the lakes and Hudson river for the passage
of heavier boats. The measure is not over
popular. and as a matter of fact there
seems TO be hope that money will be
appropriated for the purpose at an early
date. The canal an aid to commerce
has lost ground within the past few years.
1t affords cheap transportation. perhaps.
for merchandise in bulk. but only in COM
modities where speed is not essential In
the infancy Of railroading. when operation
was expensive facilities crude and results
uncertain, the canal was an essential fac
tor. At one time, in fact. canals were re-
garded as much more important than rail-
way lines and 1t is not to be forgotten that
States engaged in expensive construction OF
water routes while independent railway
lines were struggling feebly for foothold,
and were looked upon mere experiments
But the railway has won wherever brought
into competition with the water route. The
modern freight train travelling on heavy
rails and hauled by immense engines draw
ing cars of eighty tons capacity and over,
was undreamed of when pioneer canals
were dug. But for some reason the old idea
that canal transportation means almost
free freight still survives. There is no
denying that water carriers innuence
freight rates, but for all that the railways
which compete with waterways have pros
pered amazingly and the stocks of many or
them are among the highest priced in the
country to-day. When ii is remembered
that freight rates in the United States are
now the lowest in the world the advocates
of canal system are put to the necessity
of proving that water transportation can be
furnished at a cost lower than human in
genuity has yet devised. Counting interest
on construction. etc, this becomes diff
cult problem. The State of New York only
year or two ago repaired its canals at a
cost of nine millions, which would have
constructed nearly two hundred miles or
railway lines, and the results, so far as
practical benefits go, were as nothing. An
drew Carnegie, who above all men in the
ton problems and who in years past was
an ardent advocate of a ship canal between
Lake Erie and Pittsburg. is said to have
declared, after he had put into operation
his Pittsburg. Bessemer x Lake Erie ROAD
over the same route, that II the canal
actually existed as a free waterway ne
could not use ii. as he was moving frelgnt
at a less cost than canal tranSport ation
figured up. The reason for this was simply
that Mr.. Carnegie was employing the
heaviest engines and largest cars in the
country and was moving freight at a rate
far below that which he paid when light
engines and cars of limited capacity were
the rule. The same rule will hold good in
any section where canals are possible. or
course long waterways admitting ships OF
large tonnage are not considered in this
connection, but the State which sanctions
the construction OF an artificial water cham
mel with the view of lowering local rates
and benefiting commerce is apt 10 md that
IL has made a serious error, especially If
navigation is closed by climate for several
months In the year