New-York tribune., 1902-12-27
C4N4L IMPROVEMENT
Ex-senator Miller Opposes n 1000
Ton Barge Waterzcdu.

albany Dec. 26 (SpeciaD.-Ex-Senator Warner
,sgler has written long letter to Governor Odeu
a. imposition TO the proposed scheme of building a
one thousand ton barge canal IN place of the pres
.,+ Erie Canal He says that while such a work
.nsu completed would be magnificent monument
"a the capacity of the engineers and the iberality
~ the taxpayers IL would require nearer twelve
hs7 eight years to complete it. and the cost should
,nske the Governor pause, being estimated by the
c,ste engineers al over S94 600 oOO while millions
more would have be added as a factor of safetv
probably . per cent. making the probable cost
$3.50 100000
Ex-senator Miller continues:
IL then. neither ship canal (Which is no longer
ssnsi win meet and remedy the present difficuties.
That are we TO DO to assure continued growth and
ne immediate completion of what is known as the
nine foot Improvement and the substitution of cleo
siyen the subject careful study doubts that cleo
Tricty in the near future is largely TO supersede
ing AT the present moment trolley lines are
successfully with the Oldest steam roads. This IS
being done in most cases where the electricity is
rpiants, as the economy Of the stationary steam
plant over the waste OF the locomotive is very
great But where electricity can be produced by
water power. the saving over steam is so great as
TO at once work a revolution in every industry or
transportation scheme which ii touches. The State
of NeW-Eork owns enough unused water power to
from the outside or be created within its borders
II has given away many hundreds of thousands Of
Why not use this power of the State to make the
Erie Canal an immediate success. to move through
the canal the grain OF the West less cost than
n can possibly be done by any other system or
route. and double the export tonnage of New
York?
The nine foot Improvement can be easily finished
IN three years. With the money all appropriat ted.
and with push and vigor, it can be done IN two
years Then. boats carrying $50 tons instead 90
can make the trip from Buffalo to New-York In
one half the time now required, and the actual
cost Of carrying bushel Of wheat from Buffalo
10 Nev-York will be less than cent-proba bly,
not more than three-quarters OF cent. While
the Improvement Of the canal is going forward,
there should be built State land at Niagara
Falls electrical power plant Of sufficient ca
pacity TO all the tonnage that can pass
perts 10 be from to fifteen million tons. Put
railroad tracks the towpath (Which is already
graded for electric locomotives Use the power
from Niagara far east may be found FEAST
bic For the eastern portion of the canal, the Os-
wego and the Champlain canals bring down cleo
tricitv from the Adirondacks, or, If expert ex-
animal ton should show il to be desirable, q power
plart could be built in Utica Schenectady, thus
operating the whole length OF the canal by eec-
tric power. If the plan OF diverting the canal
through Oneida Lake should be followed. that por-
ton would be operated by steam tugs, and the
whole line could be operated by tugs If the electric
plant not in readiness when the Improvement
was completed An electric engine would haul
easily four 10 six boats Of $50 tons each 1S00
200 tons, and would move them from three
70 four miles hour, thus reducing the time Of
e trip one half. and thereby doubling the season 5
work of each boat
II il be urged by the friends that q thousand ton
much below that Of a $50 boat answer. first,
that Il will not materially reduce the cost, If at
al: secondly, that the time required for such an
Improvement prevents its being remedy for the
ii almost certain that vote for such expenditure
cannot be had