The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-18
BELMONT WILL
BACK CAPE COD
CANAL PROJECT

New York, Dec. 1S.-The construction OF
canal across Cape Cod, a project that
has been discussed for more than 300
years. has been taken up by August Bel
mont & Co. and is TO be pushed by that
firm and its associates as rapidly as pos
sible. Within three years at the outside.
1t was declared yesterday. channel deep
enough to accommodate any ship in the
coasting trade will be opened across the
cape.
The New York, New Haven and Hart
ford Railroad company, to which has been
ascribed most OF the opposition TO the ca
nal In recent years. has changed it's front
in regard 10 the proposition and is now a
hearty supporter OF H. The New Haven
road. through the New England Naviga-
tion company. controls most Of the steam
ooat lines now operating on the sound,
and on account Of this large steamboat
business viii make up by water whatever
traffic is lost by land.
The New Haven road. when the canal Is
connected, will undoubtedly take by water
to Boston that part OF it's Boston traffic
now transferred from sound boats at Fall
River and other places. BY use OF the
canal, steamers leaving New York In the
evening Will arrive at Boston early tho
next morning. The New Haven, I'm addi-
ton 10 its present feet. has steamers un-
der construction TO compete with the new
Morse boats Yale and Harvard. which
will engage In the New York Boston all
water traffic next summer. The canal Is
TO be deep enough to accommodate the
Yale and the Harvard as well as the
steamers building for the New Haven
company.
The canal will shorten the inside water
route from New York to Boston. by 70
miles. and the outside route by 40 miles.
The chief gain, however. is In the avoid
Ing OF Cape Cod weather by the use OF
the inside passage. Next 10 Cape Hatteras.
this is the most dangerous part OF the At
lantic coast An average Of % per cent OF
the wrecks along the seaboard from Nor
folk TO Maine occur I'm this neighborhood
and long delays on account of fogs are
frequent.
William Barclay Parsons. who is to
have charge Of the work, said today:
THE canal will be about eight miles
long and extend in straight line from
BuzzardS bay on the south TO Sandwich
or Barnstaole bay on the north. II will
have a depth Of at least % feet at low
water. and at least 30 feet at high water
The minimum width will be 125 feet at the
bottom, and from 250 to 300 feet at the
surface
There will be four stretches. however
along which the minimum width will be
at least 200 feet at the bottom. The OBJ
tect OF the canal being to save time. IL is
designed for that purpose. and there will
be no delays on account OF steamers ty-
Ing up. for others TO pass
The canal will cost about SO, 600 600 and
can be completed easily in two years and
half. 1t WILL OF course, be a sea-level
canal, and there will be no tide locks al
either entrance"
Most OF the work on the canal can be
done by dredging. for the soil is sandy.
The company will collect tolls which, 1,
is said, will amount to but small part OF
the expense OF going around the cape
Several years ago the Boston. Cape Cod
and New York Canal company secured n
charter from the state OF Massachusetts
for the construction OF the canal. Up 10
recently this company had been controlled
by De Witt c. Flanagan OF New York. A
controlling interest has now passed "a
August Belmont & Co, though Mr. Flana-
gan is still heavily interested The capital
ization OF the company is now $4,000. 900
and the company owns options on most
If not all, of the right of way required
Mr.. Parsons and Moorfield Storey. rep
resenting August Belmont & Co. and
Samuel Untermyer. as attorney for Mr.
Flanagan, applied last week to the Mas
sachusetts railroad commission and the
Massachusetts harbor and land board for
consent to construct the canal The route
of a railroad must be altered