New-York tribune., 1903-09-06
BARGE CANAL BENEFITS.
Best and Most Convenient Water-
7cav from the Great Lakes.

70 the Editor OF The IrlDDne
So: Tcu kindly allowed me IN your columns
.,o-t tine ago TO predict the doom OF the barge
-. That prediction was made from the
,+snspoint that the greater the project the
later the benefit. and It was wrong. Repent
80 sorely OF any evil Il may have done TO
,.be-s whose judgment may have been su-
-s-fc!sI as ny own. I ask OF your courtesy the
,,ace 10 make this confession and TO profess
conversion 70 q hearty support OF the l.ooo-ton
barge canal
A study OF the admirable and comprehensive
mans and reports OF the Canal Committee and
engineers has convinced me that the barge
rsnal is the happy medium between the ex-
,-ernes" 20 provide for the least outlay the best
snd. most economical waterway from the Great
lakes 10 the Hudson. A ship canal could carry
freight no cheaper and would cost more. very
much more. Should ever the need arise for a
shin canal for strategic reasons. Uncle Sam will
,-ornptly attend 70 that. and it would be almost
s-,iride 70 take our Erie Canal. which Cbefore
neglected. has made New-York what she is
Neu,-York City end Buffalo what they are-out
q. our own hands and put il into those OF a
hostile Congress.
Nevr-York viii fight for her commercial life in
November She has reached a serious crisis IN
be- history Il behooves every citizen 10 go 10
fhe polls prepared to vote intelligently. and 10
know what a cruel blow he viii strike al the
supremacy and prosperity OF his State II he
votes adversely 70 this canal Improvement This
knowledr. b. can acquire only by studying the
data our able engineers and Canal Committee
have supplied.
There VIII be plenty OF business for both rail-
roads and canal n the bulk CT the output OF the
Great Lakes and the West is diverted this way.
BIT railroads alone viii not satisfy the neces-
sstv OF the hour. England, France and Ger
many al laced" with the best Of railways, are
rpending huge sums to build canals. Why7 Be
cause experience has proved 70 them tLat the
cost or water transportation is less by one-haf
o. tvyo-thirds than any railway can ever ofer-
What the lakes want. however, Is a waterway.
preferably on American territory and 10 the
e-est port Of Nev-York. And waterway they
VII have, even II it is obtained the roundabout
way of the Gulf of Mexico OF by the frozen, dis
tsnt and dangerous mouth OF the St Lawrence
Statistics prove that since the Erie Canal has
become inadequate by neglect 10 improve IT, our
railroads have deliberately diverted from the
port Of New York 10 the Canadian route and
other Atlantic ports a large amount OF trafhc
which by right belongs 10 IT, A properly i'm
proved canal viii. by its cheap rates, compel the
Great Lakes trade TO follow il and more than
restore 70 New-York what the railroads have
taken away.
II is a faIacy 10 suppose that large ocean
vessels can navigate the lakes. lake vessels
the ocean. or either of them al canal speed the
canal AL practical men know this.
For typographical reasons New-York state
possesses the only route by which water"a ay
can be cut from the Great Lakes 10 the ocean
anywhere between Canada and the Gulf
Politics is no reason Tor an aaNeIse Nole, o3.I @
~ the great parties beng pledged 10 improve
rho canal Nei-1er is the annual tax for pay
ue1t 80 cents az most. on $1,000 valuation on
tbe long payment plan), for II is an insignln-
HrHr H.I e lrr rIE s4T-I
this MAY require no direct taxation
Washington advised the Erie Canal; Nevy-Y ork
completed it when less able TO construct than
now to improve That canal made her the En-
uire" State built thriving and popu!ous towns
v1 cIlg lbe r-esPest 1esH sesporf and Bufalo the
greatest lake port on this continent stfnu-
lsted commerce on the Great Lakes and on the
Hudson; paid Tor Itself many unes over ana
Welded a revenue 10 the state until neglect TO
nronerly improve prevented opened Up 10 navi-
cation tla interior waters. located numerous
Industries. increased population along its line,
making home markets FOR the farms; benefited
generally every interest In the commonwealth,
and. indeed. may be- said. though in compeu-
zion. to have made possible and have fostered
our splendid Central Railroad.
Brought W 10 date l.efo-tOn barge canal,
~ VIII Do adequate fOr any growth OF CON-
u1erce. win maintain the supremacy Of the
state. make its route the greatest steel manu-
fa-turinE district = the world; rapidly IN
crease our wealth and population: secure the
main fov = lake traffic through our borders.
reetore Tho diverted commerce 10 New-Tork City
ENC b-l.diN iF lrfrtudllA n Uloll-ltI Ol Aitlslll
rates De profitable investment for our peO-
Vle and transport lumber. grain ore coal or
other bulky freight az much lower rates than
possible by rail making prices Of these less
along JUS Tine. Increase the business of our rail-
roads. and be -he pride and glory Of our State
forever
If for the benefit artiCipa ted New-York City
and Buffalo gladly pay. as they viii. s. per cent
n Tho cost of the barge canal who VIII contend
that the bare per cent Il viii cost the non
canal counties VIII not bring return far out
~ proportion ro the outIavp
Voters ~ Nev--Hork' Ponder well these facts
and 90 not Kill the goose thar lays the golden
egg hut q no The polls IN November and vote
IKE men. ONE OF THEM"
S'ocFDort-on-the- -Hudson. Sept. . 1893
AN OLD VERSE EBotJT THE CLIP