New-York tribune., 1903-03-18
STEAM ToWAGE FOR THE ERIE.
Plan Of a Correspondent to Save the Hun
dred Million Dollar Appropriation.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The satisfactory and successful mechanical
operation of all the Erie Canal excepting the East
ern Division between Utica and the Hudson River
esnecialIy since the year $780, by the European sys
tenn of steam towage by submerged chains or wire
cables as in general use for many years on Con
tinentaI canals and rivers like the Rhine. the Eloe
and the Havel, has demonstrated ana eStaDIsheu
these economic and practical facts:
The Erie Canal in its partly improved structural
condition, through the expenditure by the State OF
New-York Of $90 000-or the Erie Canal as 1t was
before being so improved-can be satisfactorily ana
proftabIy operated under severest competition with
other water routes railroads, at an average
speed Of six miles hour, including lockages and
without washing the banks and can satisfy any
present or future demands of trade and trathc
even IL equal to its present capacity OF 1o,V0VO
tons (See State Engineer Richmonds Report OF
1902 If this 1t makes absolutely unnecessary
the proposed State expenditure or $lOOVV'WO' Win
fifty years interest thereon G175,MO,0OO for a L
foot COTTON barge canal. This confident and ap-
parentIy radical assertion is not made in spirit
antagonstic to the public policy now decided upon
and advocated most strenuously. but to secure ana
invite impartial and technical yerihcation OF the
facts OF record Of mechanical and commercial
operations on the Erie Canal on whih this radical
assertion is based, through exhaustive expert IN
Vestigatlon.
Should such probing OF the facts and records re-
suit in their essential confirmation and In a sSt-
tied conviction that the present Erie canal can
in its 345 miles of length, be operated protably as
heretofore by approved and acceptable means OF
mechanical towage by submerged wire rope-steam
power or electricity. If cheaper, being used-ano
Il this steam cable towage system assures uni
form speed on the present unimproved and partly
improved canal of six miles hour, including
Iockages without ''Washing the bsnkS'' or injury
to the prism of the canal and reducing transport
time between Buffalo and New-York four days;
then il Is unnecessary and most unW1se 10 create
a new and enormous State debt to secure ample
and cheap transportation and trafic facilities on
the canal as IL is without dollar OF cost TO the
State or enormous taxation of the people and
Public attention should be Immediately called to
this surprising economic claim in the most innu-
entail and official manner. that leg1slauon Ior a
mated, while individuals using their own money
as heretofore. and not. as is the case OF the
Gently born electrical third rail project seeking TO
make improvements at the sole cost or the state,
may equip and operate the whole S4o miles OF the
Erie Canal with this well known ana soccessLuI
commercial success sure to result from such use
and expenditure OF personal money independent OF
ali financial or further legislative aid by the state
canal reports Of past of the Indefeasiole prop
erty rights of the buyers and present owners OF
the franchises granted by the state In ls10 and n
certainly from the rehabilitatng Of the Erie Ca
nal with this cable towage and transportation sys-
tenn would materially assist IN securing the neceS-
This paper In part represents the experience of
canal business during period OF thirty years oy
men who Invested large sums Of money to intro
on the Erie Canal, shown by State and corpora
tion records, and who so well satisfied with
it's past commercial and mechanical success as to
go on with the business using Snss own means
al" 0''S EMERSON FOOTE
New-York March IT. 1905.