The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-01-22
OhiO'S Worthless Canals.



Legislature for 4 million and a half
dollars for the Improvement" of two
of the caua.s-of the state. The gen.
tlemen composing that body would
have done the General Assembly and
the taxpayers of Ohio a favor had
t 1ey also explained where this sum
can be obtained, without going back
ward, and re-imposing the state tax
on realty ard per -onalty which was
remove two years age.
DO taey know OF any gentlemen
who are prepared to build number
IF new canal boats and put them in
commission? One of the canals sup
posed to be bene ii ed is that between
T ledO and Cincinnati. We know of
no one n this city who is re ady to in
vest money in line of canal boats.
It is not an inviting proposition.
The e il 10 profit in it. Merchants
and bu iuess men along the canal
are not clamoriug for boats, nor Of
fering carFOes. They use the rail-
ways. and are satisfied with them.
Let the General Assembly investi-
gate this matter carefully.
Especially should the Toledo dele
CATION inform itself. The proposi-
tion is Of the same nature as the
Fassett street bridge legislation.
Because of fancied demand for its
connection between the two banks of
the Maunee in the upper part of the
city, the law fo- its construction was
nassed The bridge was built, but
it has ne traffic that ju-tifes the ex-
pense. i would be same with the
ctBaIs \ few men might find it
convenience; the entire state would
have to pay for furnishing them
with the opportunity to save a few
dollars.
The following paragraph from d
Communication TO the Cincinnati
Commercial Tribune concerning the
Miami and Erie canal, shows the fall
lacious arguments advanced in favor
of the steal:
Instead of abandoning they should
enlarge and improve il. New York
State has Just voted to spend $780,
600, coo TO make the Erie canal navig-
able for l.COO ton barges. England
and Germany have spent large sums
on canals. and Uncle Sam is about to
go down in his pocket for a snug sum
TO build one across Panama
There is no comparison possible be-
tween the projected Improvement of
the Erie, aud the Miami and Erie
canal project in Ohio. The New York
proposition Is to make a waterway
for eco ton Barges. The Ohio prop
OsitiOn Is to make the canal passa6le
/ for boats Of 100 to Il5 tons-one-tenth
I the size. The Erie canal is part of
the great east and west line of traf-
I fc, The most of its freight is wheat
and similar products of western
farmers, going to the seaboard for
export The north and south line
through Western Ohio, followed by
this old canal, Is not line of through
traffic Ii is too far westward TO
share the coal and iron ore trade.
Tie compari. with ship canals Is
s,iu more absurd. The Mauchest er
canal in England, the great Kiel
canal In G rmany. the proposed Pan
ANA canal are for ocean-going yes
sels, enabling them TO take on and
/ diseEarge carCoes without having to
break bulk. To compare such enter
prises with ditch that can float notl
ing but II5-ton boats is the acme OF
absurdity.
The Ohio canals are estimated &c
oe worth si5,COO,COO Sell them and
+ PUT the proceeds into fund to begir
the work Of constructing a system oi
good roads throug hout Ohio. Let
the state pay half. the counties ben
efted pay the other half Thirty
millions viii lift the farmers of OhiC
out of the mind and add a hundred
millions 20 the value of Ohio farms