Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

quaintance of the duke OF Bridgewater,
who had constructed profitable waterway
connecting the Trent and Mersey, and as
the result of this acquaintance, Fulton, in
1896, published a treatise on the improve
ment of canal navigation in which he fore
casted the great development Of American
waterways. Fulton sent a copy of this
treatise 20 President Washington, who
acknowledged its receipt in a hattering
note.
The year 1907 was the greatest in all
Fulton's career. The launching of the
Clermont and it's successful passage from
New York up the Hudson to Albany AMI
back was sufficient to make his name I'M
mortal but in addition to this achieve
ment he at this time proposed the building
Of the big Erie canal. The proposition
was contained in a letter which Fulton
wrote to Albert Gallatin, then secretary
Of the treasury, who had applied to the
inventor for information intended as sup
plement to a report to congress on the
matter Of public roads and canals. Three
years later the New York legislature ap-
pointed a commission to look into Fultons
proposal and report upon it's feasibility.
The following year Fulton himself was
made a member of the commission, and
| in the course OF his work he addressed
a letter to the president of that body,
| Governor Morris, in which he said:
Had 1t pleased the Author Of the Uni
verse to have drawn Hudson's river from
lake Erie, a calm and gentle stream of
ten feet water the rejecting mind would
contemplate with gratitude the divine mu-
nihcence: and he who feels that 100 miles
OF navigation on Hudsons river would be
"a blessing to this state, would compare
the successful range of extended benefits
and draw exact estimates of national
wealth from 100 miles of easy communica-
ton to the western extremity Of Lake Su,
perior For II Hudsons river, collecting
freight from its surrounding country, and
an interior not more distant than Cayuga
or Ontario, now bears on its waters nearly
10000 tons per annum, where shall the
mind be arrested; on what number Of ton,
shall II dwell? when coming from the pOpu
lation OF the next twenty years, and tht
I countries which surround Lake Superior
Michigan Huron and the canal OF 30
miles through a fertile territory? Com
pared with the trade now on Hudsoni
river. it cannot be less than 100000 Of tom
each year"
Commerce on the Erie Canal.
It is interesting TO compare this estimat
with the statistics OF the present time
when the volume OF commerce annual!
passing through the Erie canal amount
to nearly 100000 tons. Yet this is only
small fraction Of the torrent of trad
moving through the chain OF Great lakes
whose commercial development Fulton wa
one OF the earliest to fOresee. Durin
the present year, up TO November l. tn
domestic shipments on the Great lakes ag
gregated 648SO. 763 tons, an increase o
100000 over the corresponding movement
last year, and OF 100000 over that Of tn
first ten month9 Of 1901. OF this might
volume OF commerce a large percentage
5l,626,O29 net tons-passed through the De
troit river, and further TO emphasize tn
fulfilling OF Fulton's predictions regardin
the development Of waterway trade, n
less than Ss,19O,SS7 tons OF freight passe
through the 800" canal between the open
ing OF the lake season and the first OF las
month.
| Although Fulton was the originator OF N
Erie canal project and the particular advC
cate Of the plan 20 develop the commerce.
possibilities Of the Great lake region, at h
same time he gave his attention TO Amer
can waterways I'm general in much n
same manner as the present Nations
Rivers and Harbors congress Is doing.
show the extent Of waterways developmeI