New-York tribune., 1902-01-02
THE CANALS.


of an improved system. One is impressed by the
fact that the canals as at present conducted
sufficient for all local business but If they
to be, as they have been In the past a re-
straining power upon the freight rates of the
railroads. then policy to make them more
serviceable to the community should be adopted
do not believe the people OF this State would
ssrction the expenditure of money for the sole
purpose of making of our canal system funnel
for the traffic OF the Far West. and. however
desirable ii may be to give the Port of New
York greater statistical results not even this
would warrant such expenditure
What desire by the building up of our
internal commerce is to attract capital by Of
fer1ng inducements to manufacturers. thereby
giving employment to our people The most
serious obstacle to the COnSummatiOn of this
purpose is that the canals are absolutely closed
for at least five months of the year. Therefore
for nearly One-half of the year. manufactures
are dependent upon the railroads. So long as
the railroads are content TO make rates which
vary with the extent OF trade. the shipper and
the merchant are inclined to fOrsake the canal
In favor of the road, which gives the surest and
most constant service.
In treating OF the question of exports from the
port of New-York and the discrimination by the
railroads against that port. we must in all fair
ness consider the subject not entirely as the act
OF a railroad corporation which is desirous of
returning dividends upon its stock but we must
look at our own shortcomings and seek a remedy
for the condition of affairs at present existing
The railroads and the canals at a parity at
the beginning Of the trip. Grain shipped from
Duluth via the lakes to Buffalo is there elevated
and loaded into cars and transported to New
York or other ports. there again elevated or put
alongside foreign vessels for shipment All of
this work is done by machinery. the property of
the railroads, without any mddemen's profits
1t is also possible when the shipment is made
by railroad to issue a through bill of lading,
which Is negotiable
Not so. however. with the canal traffic At
Buffalo the canal boat owner must have his
boat put in It's berth; he must pay elevator
charges and insurance and he must also pay
the broker a price for obtaining his cargo; he
must be put upon the canal with his loaded boat
and then DrODulSiDH
he reaches New York City, where the docking
facilities inadequate and the same exactions
made at Buffalo So that the result Is that
the cost TO the canal boat owner is much greater
than ii should be- leaving him scarcely any
more, Newport News and other ports and run
their cars alongside of the wharves, obtain free
storage and other facilities discharge into the
vessel without all of this Intermediary work.
which becomes very expensive New-York it
self must 1t must make it possible for the
railroads to have terminal facilities equal TO
those Of other ports. 1t must make IL possible
for the canal boat owner to have equal consid-
Grafton in the matter Of dockage and other es-
sentials. Were It not for the fact that imports
follow to a great extent the line OF exports,
canal improvement would deserve but very little
consideration. 1t IS this phase OF the problem
which makes 1t important that New-Eork city
should take action for the protection Of its
foreign commerce.
The substitution of steam FOR the old methods
of propulsion is already assured fact. Daily
there may be seen upon the canal boats in con-
voys of six, and there is no reasonable doubt
that the fleets could be increased 10 sun
greater extent So that the first step for mod
ernizing the canal has already been taken.
Upon railroad the weakest points when the
question of increased tonnage or traffic is under
consideration are the bridges. So, too, upon
the canal the first points to he strengthened
should he the locks. both in the elimination Of
those that unnecessary and lengthening
those remaining for larger boats. In other
words in the considera ton of this question due
regard should be given % the possibilities Of the
future. From our present knowledge the ulti-
mate and maximum enlargement could not eX-
ceed a twelve foot canal, so that if all locks
were rebuilt upon this line there would be no
necessity for the consideration of that part OF
the problem, should the expectation OF those
who favor a larger canal be fully met by the
commerce of the future.
If the locks OF the present canal were en-
larged II would expedite traffic and shorten the
time between Buffalo and New-York This lock
enlargement, while aiming 70 provide for the
future, would be Of vast benefit at the present
time
/ am Informed by the State Engineer that the
cost of eliminating the locks at Cohoes and
Locsport and one or two other points, and the
lengthenlng of others. with the substitution or
a modern system. including a new channel be-
tween the Hudson River and ReXford Flats,
would he S13 69i $40 The project of completing
the canal to nine foot level might be pursued
gradually. and boats built for a larger canal,
IL lightly loaded. would prove serviceable.
and would necessitate no great expenditure to
take advantage Of the increased load which
might be carried result of the deeper canal
This would encourage canalboat owners 10 i'm.
mediately begin the construction or DoatS or
greater capacity. and make possible more
complete system than at present The cost OF
increasing the depth 10 nine feet would be
S15 076 936 In addition to the amount necessary
for the improvement of locks.
BY the enlargement Of the locks and the
elimination Of unnecessary ones the total num-
Der on the main line of the canal would be re-
duced from seventy-two to forty-four Under
present conditions steamer propel!ing hVe
consorts would transport to Newly ork ana re-
turn from Buffalo about .43O tons in $50 hours,
being at the rate of about three and One-thlrd
tons an hour. With the canal completed in ac-
aordo aHr-itn ha inc Ar
steamer propelling five consorts would trans
port $40 tons in 430 hours. being about four
and one-eighth tons an hour' ana WIN u coS
steamer propeing five consorts. carrying 5000
tons, with the locks enlarged, the time would
be reduced to 400 hours for the round trip, or
about nine tons an hour. So that II the plan
to deepen the canals alone were adopted the
feet capacity would be increased 80 tons and
by the additional improvement of enlarged locks
the increase would be 800 tons for the same
feet. making the total Increased load by the
entire improvement 2.170 tons.
This practically would give enlarged canal
at about one-third the cost Of the. proposed T.
foot canal. and would In my opinion, answer all
of the requirements Of commerce for the pres
ent and immediate future.
1t is we'll to understand however in the con
sideration # tfis question that indirect taxa
ton. except through constitutional amend
ment. could not be applied TO the eXtinguish-
ment OF the debt that would be created by such
Therefore, If advantage is 10 be
taken of the increased revenues of the State,
provision must be made by constitutional amend
ment.
/ recommend. therefore first, that the pro-
posal to enlarge the locks TO 1,0o0-ton barge
capacity, and to provide rev 9-foot channel
from the Hudson River to Rexford Flats be sub
mitted to the people a separate proposition
Second, that the canal be deepened to nine feet
on such portions less than that
depth. and that this proposition also be submit
ted 10 the people for their approval or disap-
proval.
The building Of trolley lines along the high
ways has resulted in great many Of the canal
bridges being used without any apparent at
tempt TO hold reeponsible the cOmpanies using