Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-17
CANALS VIZ MUST DIG.

Austin Bierbower in Techauical World Maya
zine or Jauuury
This nation requires the construction of
six great canals to facilitate its commerce,
and give its navy free movement to points
of advantage. The first canal to be con-
structed is the Panama. As this is already
under way, and has been much discussed,
Il IS not necessary TO dwell on IL. When
this great waterway is finished, we shall
be spared the necessity Of sailing around
the vast continent of South America in
passing between our Atlantic and Pacific
seaboards or in going to Asia.
Another canal of vast importance which
should soon be undertaken, will run across
the lower peninsula OF Michigan from Lake
Michigan TO Lake Erie This would have
TO he about 200 miles long, but its con-
struction would be greatly facilitated by
utilizing the channel of several rivers
The land is nearly level so that it would
not be expensive either 10 construct or to
operate When finished IL would shorten
the distance between Chicago and Buffalo
by 400 miles. The millions that would be
spent in constructing 1t would soon be re-
paid ma the advantages of short and cheap
water communication between the West
and the East This is a public improve
ment which should early receive the at
teniion OF capitalists and of the govern
ment
Two other canals would naturally CON
meet with this in time. One is the canal
from Chicago 10 the Mississippi, to be con-
structed by deepening the Chicago Drain
age Canal and the Desplaines and Illinois
Rivers, or 10y a shorter cut 20 the Missis-
sppi by way of the Hennepin route run
ming directly west from Chicago. This
canal would unite the Great Lakes with
the Mississippi and furnish a continuous
waterway from New York TO New Orleans.
With the connecting rivers, 10 would also
run waterways all through the West, so
that our vessels could sail over almost the
whole country This canal would not be
expensive since the most difficult part
has already been built at an expense Of
SlO,OOO.OOO through the divide which
separates the waters of the Lakes from
those of the Gulf Much of the remaining
construction would run through the chan
nels OF existing rivers. The value of this
water route would be enormous, in afford
ing cheap transportation for goods and
establishing permanent competition with
the railroads.
The other canal. which will connect
with the two preceding, is the Erie. which
the state of New York has undertaken to
deepen and widen at an expense of
more than Sl00,0O0O00 so as 10 be
made available for large vessels. 1t
Is possible that, in connection with this
canal, we may have TO dig another
around Niagara Falls on the American
side from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. in
order TO render us independent Of the Well
and Canal on the Canadian side
Another canal which wo must some
time build, is across the peninsula Of Della
ware and the eastern shore of MARYLAND.
between the Chesapeake and Delaware
Bays. This will put Baltimore nearly
300 miles nearer Philadelphia bv water.
and save 200 miles between Baltimore and
European ports. il will also save the
same distance between that CITY and an
American ports north of Virginia. This
Will cheaper the transportation of freight
and greatly aid in transferring the ships
OF our navy from one body OF water TO
another This canal can be cut through a
level country at small expense. as part OF
It Will be through the channel of a river.
Another canal Of still greater import
/ tt'ANH NAAANA ANNI NAAlaNAHiNNUAf Us nfIONH
the northern part of the peninsula OF
Florida. Such a canal would save 70r
miles between New Orleans and New York
and about the same distance between ON
other Gulf and Atlantic cities. These
canals, besides facilitating the movement,
OF our commerce, would develop parts OF
the country which are now almost hope.
lessly isolated in the interiorand would
/ fttuIrn Ca ii.
power Were they all constructed, the
whole course of trade would have to be
rearranged Millions Of tons of freight
would 90 by water which now 90 by rail
With the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans the
Gull OF Mexico, and the Great Lakes, and
with long nayigable rivers and bays run.
ming into these, which may be connected
into one system, forming a network oil
waters over our vast area, We have enor.
nous possibilities of communication and
transportation which we have hardly
begun to develop; and these great interna
improvements should furnish our next
public undertaking.
Two other canals near our borders
which would also greatly affect our com.
merce, may, with advantage, be built in
time. One is a canal across the peninsula
Ni AlNMNl AAiNNIlliAf AOlltNllnk InN Gull
of California with the Pacific Ocean. Thi.
would save the people of northwestern
Mexico 200 miles in reaching the coast
OF California by water
A more important enterprise would be
a canal from the Georgian Bay to the ST
Lawrence Riyer-or more definitely
from Lake Nipissing, which connects Will
the Georgian Bay, to the Ottawa River
which flows into the St. Lawrence. Thi.
canal would give a short cut by watel
from the Great Lakes through Canadalt
the Atlantic, shortening the distance iron
Duluth or Chicago TO European ports by
600 miles. This aforementioned route
however, would be more advantageous Id
Canada than to the United States. II /.
probable that only the construction of the
canal across Michigan, already referred to-
and the turning of the Eric Canal into 3
great ship channel, can render this Geor.
gian Bay undertaking permanently i'm.
practicable; for these two canals, by bring
ing Chicago nearer the Atlantic, would
become too strong a competitor, especial,
as they would be navigable during a longel
period each year than the Ottawa and 81
Lawrence route, which is usually closec
by ice from December to May.
4 WINTER LULLABR.