The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-11-19

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river, Virginia, on which Norfolk is
situated, and extends thence via the
route OF the AlbemarIe and Chesa-
pcake canal to Albemarle Sound,
tiiehce across Albemarle Sound, Croa-
tan Sound and Pamlico Sound to
Neuse river to the head Of Adams
creek; thence up Adams Creek 70 its
mead; thence across to the head or
core Creek and theme down Core
1feek and Newport river to Beaufort
inlet. The engineers recommended
the route Of the Albemarle and Chesa-
peake canal largely for engineering
reasons and because as between the
Two canals it was only practicable to
make this a sea-level canal: There is
no solid along the entire
route except for our miles between
the head of Adams Creek and the head
of Core Creek. The total length of
this route is about two hundred miles.
The present depth adopted Is ten feet
and the appropriation of s550,000 al
ready mad is the amount estimated
Tor its com letion from Beaufort IN
let to Pamplico Sound.
1t has been asked by many why
Congress made the first appropriation
TOR construction at the Southern end
instead of at the Northern end, and
this is a pertinent question. 1t is true
that most OF our commerce Is with the
Northern ports and for thai reason
49, nav Z JILL - ~ - =
first constructed the Northern section,
connecting Albemarle Sound and Eliz-
abeth river, but it was deemed best by
the friends of the project to begin at
the Southern end for tactical and po-
lite ~eason This important project
has had to fight its way against the
most determined opposition. Repre-
sentative Burton, of Ohio, for many
years chairman of the committed of
Rivers and HarborS, has been its act
I Two on nrn~ IN n al ~
came from sectional considerations
and at all times the lines have been
clearly drawn its friends and
enemies. To have asked an initial ap-
preparation to to begin the construction
on the Northern end would have inVit-
ed the additional opposition of the
owners OF the Dismal Swamp canal
adding thereby a formidable force ITO
the enemies of the project. 1t was to
avoid this additional opposition that 1t
vas agreed among all of its friends to
begin thu construction at the southern
end. Their has been no motive eX-
cept to insure the success Of the
project.
The above comments cover the sub
iect of navigation but the substan-
tial benefits TO accrue affect directly
all facilities of transportation ana the
promotion of commerce Unless the
expenditure for it's construction can be
u I'D I" pi
either by a saving in transportation
charges or by increasing our com
merce the money ought not to be eX-
pended. Based upon the present traf-
tc passing through the two canals
from Eastern North Carolina to Ches-
apeake Bay it was estimated by a COM
mittee of the Chamber of
in Washington, N. c., in 1903, that
the amount of tolls per annum paid
on lumber alone from Pamlico River
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upon other articles $21,0O0.00, maxi
ing a total of 100000 which would
be saved from this port and river
alone. To this should be added the
traffic from New Bern and Neuse
River and from Elizabeth City and
other rivers and sounds. The Board
of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors
in a somewhat critical report in 1905
| estimated that the saving to Eastern
! North Carolina alone wcl.-i be 5000
10000 The estimated cost of this
| waterway ten feet in depth is less than
| IS. 90, 900. Four per cent upon this sum,
a greater rate OF interest than is paid
by the Government, would amount to
only S12O, 900. 90 annually, 50 that up-
on the savings admitted by the En-
gineers it would be a profitable invest
ment for the Government This does
not take into account the prospective
commerce which would be promoted
by this waterway. Freed from the
burden Of tolls. additional freight
! m would be put into service
and many harges would be added to
! those now in service and thus the saw
ing effected would be largely Jug
mented.
While the construction of this
waterway is of such trancendent i'm
pOrtance to North Carolina and the
benefits accruing therefrOm to the
State, Would more than justify the ex-
! nnnditl1ra xrai nrtI1Tnta1N FOR tho nrn-
iect it would likewise affect the com
merce of a much larger area. 1t
would affect the entire coast-wise
trade, from Massachusetts to Florida.
This statement can be amply demon
strated. Reference has been made to
/ Cape HatteraS and Diamond Shoals
on the North Carolina Coast. which
greatly restrict our coast-wise trade.
! There is a large coaSt-Wise trade abe
! tween Norfolk and New York and in
it~erInediate points both by teamer, yes
sci and barge. There shout likewise
be a large water traffic, say between
Savannah, and points betWeen Norfolk
and New York; and the same condl-
ton should apply to Wilmington,
Georgetown. Charleston. and
VILE as with the ports north of Hat
teras. AS q matter of fact, however,
the movement of bulky products be-
tween the North and the South around
HatteraS is only a slight proportion
or the COtdl amount Ill ed >lHNSh
these sections. The present movement
is confined to g few lines of large
| steel steamships, and to a large class
| of sailing vessels, which usually make
q wide detour to the east from Hat
teras. Small freight and
barges are prohibited by these dangers
to navigation. An interesting report
in this connection. is to the effect that
| all of these lines o. coast-Wise steam
ars between the North and the South,
are controlled by the several trunk
Ines OF railrodS, either by actual
ownership Of a majority of the stock.
ar nv a community interest. 1t can
he easily seen that such conditions
are utterly inconsistent with any legit-
innate rate competition.
therefore. the construction of this
Waterway Behind Hatteras directly af-
| fects the extension Of our coast-Wlse
trade when it is completed, there
will be lines of small freight steam
| ers. lows of barges sailing from
Southern ports between Wilmington
and Jacksonville, to the Northern
nor+s between Norfolk and New York.
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