The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-19
CANALS AND WATERWAYS.

CANALS AND WATERWAYS.
There are indications of a revival Of in
terest In waterways that may have impor-
tant results. We say a revival Of interest,
because for nearly half century after the
government was formed waterways were
the principal means of inland commerce.
AT that time all the considerable rivers car
ried a much greater volume Of water than
they do now. and were easily navigable for
the boats of the period. During that period
also the construction Of canals was a mat
ter of public interest that commanded
much attention But the of railroad
building came just in time to arrest the
construction of canals. Had the former
been delayed twenty years longer the coun-
try would now have many more canals
than it has. and they would be found i'm
portant factors In regulating freights and
promoting inland commerce. The Erie
canal, which. by the way, owes its incep-
ton to General Washington. who. as
statesman and an engineer, clearly foresaw
its commercial and strategic value. and
who was the first person to advocate it.
gave New York its first distinct advantage
and start competitors. The canal was
begun in 1917 and completed In 1875, many
years before there was railroad in the
country. Before its construction New York
had no special advantage over Boston,
Philadelphia or Baltimore, but they were
all separated from the interior Of the coun-
try by ridges of mountains. Geographical
conditions made the construction Of the
Erie canal possible, and its completion
made an immense and rapidly developing
territory tributary to New York. Her pre-
eminence over the other cities dates from
that time and from the cheap freights
brought by the Erie canal. From having
been on equality with the other cities,
in six years after the opening Of the canal
the exports of New York Increased to three
times those OF Boston and more than five
times those of Philadelphia or Baltimore.
New York never lost her lead of the other
cities and continued to increase it. In addi-
ton to this the canal proved to be a great
factor in the development of the interior
and in the settlement of what was then
called the West. Towns and cities sprang
up along its line, and for many years 1T
was most important factor in the prog
ress and development of the country. If
the canal had not been constructed when
1t was probably it would never have been.
If it had been delayed ten fifteen years
longer it would have been overtaken by the
era of railroad construction and probably
abandoned, as other projected canals of
the period were. Railroads have done
great deal for the country, but the stopping
of canal construction cannot be classed
among their benefits. For many years the
whole weight of railroad influence has been
thrown against the construction of canals
or the Improvement of waterway commune
cation of any kind. Now that the railroad
system and communications of the country
are almost perfect, giving them practically
a monopoly of the transportation business
and freights, it is worth while to consider
the interrupted work of canal construction.
Another phase of the waterway question
appears in the growing interest in river i'm
provement Two projects of this kind now
under discussion are of special interest to
Indiana-the improvement of the navigation
of the Wabash and that of the Ohio river.
Both of these projects will probably be
brought before the next Congress in a form
that will command attention. or the two,
that for the Improvement of the Ohio river
is the more important, because it would
benefit a much larger area of country and
population. The proposition is to construct
series of movable dams which will operate
somewhat like locks, and by which the
river can be kept at a navigable stage at
| all seasons of the year. The accomplish
ment of such a result would be worth al
most any amount of money, and competent
| engineers say it can be done at reasonable
| cost Considering what Congress has done
| in the way of enormous land grants and
subsidies for railroads, it well afford
to do something to encourage the construc-
| ton of canals and to permanently improve
| our natural waterways.