New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-05
THE CANAL QUESTION.
Should the Proposed State Waterway Be
Built?
To the Editor Of The Tribune

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The first transportation for commercial DUR
poses 10 the harbor Of New-York was in Noven-
Der, 1924 when the Indians brought upon their
backs many thousand beaver and other skins 10
form the chief part Of the cargo OF the first vessel
loaded here TO cross the Atlantic Later came
transportation upon the backs OF animals. Then
rude carts were used roads began to be made and
wagons were employed. In the course Of time
great highways were constructed. reaching out
further and further, until they extended all the
way from Albany 10 Buffalo, and over them great
wagons with heavy loads Of produce were drawn
by powerful teams Of horses. These sufficed until
something better was required, and then the Erie
Canal was built. This put an end 10 through trans
portation by wagon this State but it continued
elsewhere, as in Pennsylvania where a canal was
impossible, and gave T. Buchanan Read the sub
jet for beautiful poem.
But only three years after the canal was com
pleted our people began TO build railroads, and
IN lSi2 there was continuous road from Albany
10 Buffalo, and ten years afterward. IN 1852 a line
was opened along the Hudson to New-York City.
AS the carrying Of freight passed from the backs
OF men and animals 10 carts and wagons. and
from them TO the canal, 50 IT began to be trans
ferred from the canal the railroads. in the
natural and inevita bic order OF evolution. until
now the latter practically do the business. Each
system struggled for its existence against its better
and more efficient successor. until the struggle be-
cane useless. It has been just so in all evolU-
lions. and probably Will be the end. Now the
blind struggle against fate is for canal transporta-
ton
Drowning men grasp at everything. The first
thing is a deception. They talk Of canal en-
largement." while the real proposition is for an
entirely new canal. there is not a lock nor
bridge nor a cubic foot Of masonry yard OF
embankmeut OF the present canal that can be used
in the new one. And. further. they do not state
the whole case. for not q word is said about the
enlargement" OF the Hudson River. Il is well
known that for q loag distance below Albany the
river is not deep enough BY TWO feet 10 float the
proposed I.GJo-ton barges- And when the river is
deepened the work must be done over every year
10 remove the deposits Of freshets. OF all this no
man can count the cost
proof. somebody proposition Tor th0uSahQ-toI
barge" There Is such vessel : that proposed
NV eAt Ir55e ana who 6 prac ne 5itr bS never
been demonstrated % crude IS the proposition tnat
~ S5 -i ly- - az ions Bur The cest tor is rIsI
Inc proposed canal Is only intermediate between
sonHetne with canada But canada is abandon
lr- an such canals for Through business. and is
cargoes may unbroken 70 the sea Our prop
osiuon Is Tor nondescrlTt afIalr Wtich. Win IN
every cargo al Bu1alo. with all the expenzs at
whole scheme Is concealed.
The one great argument put forth FOR The new
canal is cheap transportation. Any franspcrlitlsn
cosr Hbln. In 1ss5 the tolls upon the ere canal
payers became the toIlpayers. and thls they have
been ever since There has not been a time n
ten years when the amount paid by the state
added 10 the canal rate. has failed 10 make II
greater than the railroad rate. In i+1 the cost u
rr--suorulg al freight on the canals vas 81
Mills 4 ton mile and in 1902 10 s5 mills. The
.4- arrs fle NeW-lurE Central ara Ffol-pl
River road show it, cost ton mile was Al mills
Another argument worked in season AID oct OF
s.ason is that the canals regulate railroad rates
tbs Is not true. On January ! last the Central
raed made a through rate on grain which mas not
enc beer Changed. The canal season has not IN
fueured 4 one way or the other.
80 HArtasrsh.D a. tie -ea-5le sEoa41 ~