The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-06-04
BIG BOOST FOR
INDIANA CANAL
HOUSE COMMITTEE MAKES RE
PORT AND SAYS WATER
WAY WOULD CONNECT
TWO LAKES AND
BENEFIT 26,Ooo,O0O
PEOPLE.

The ship canal project from Lake
Erie to Lake Michigan received big
boost when the house committee on
railways and canals, at Washington,
submitted report TO the house, in
forming the country what a great
blessing this Improvement would be.
The report points out the unmeasur-
able benefits TO Indiana and says the
construction of the canal would be a
long step forward in the conservation
of the nations natural resouces. The
committee unanimously submitted the
following:
A canal from Chicago to Toledo
by way of Fl. Wayne would open a
waterway which is certain to control
freight rates between Chicago and
Buffalo. 1t would occupy 4 territory
that is populated by one-fourth of the
people OF the United States, and
would be a connecting link by short
ening the waterway from Chicago to
Toledo 400 miles. thereby making the
distance by water from Chicago to
New York the same as that by rail
By means of this connection il
would make it possible for the build
ing\or construction of canal system
through the states of Ohio and Indi-
ana. leading from the Ohio river tc
indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Chicago
and Toledo.
Today 26,OOo,OOo people, more thar
onefourth of the population of oul
country, would be directly benefited
by the construction OF this canal
Fifty years from now this same are;
consisting of $4,000 square miles, a
the present rate OF increase will CON
tain 1OO,OOO,oO0 people.
The construction of this canal, vii
secure TO the government 10000 hors,
power. estimated by Lyman E. Cool
ey. to be worth, developed into elec
trical power, $16,OOO,OOO This powei
could be doubled in the same area b,
the construction of reserv oirs at bu
little cost. The construction OF thi.
canal will make it possible 10 trans
port commodities in vessels who's,
average tonnage will cost SIS per tor
capacity, while today, on the oper
lakes, transportation is carried in YES
sells costing from 500 to SIS per tor
capacity, hence it is readily seen tina
barge traffic on canals will be taker
for less money than on the oper
lakes. This system of canals will en-
able coal to be distributed all ovei
The states of Ohio and Indiana at tn,
lowest possible transportation figure
1t is estimated that the cost of con
struction would be s10O,O0O.0OO. Bias
ing the feasibility of its construction
upon basis OF per cent interest i
would be found the interest would b,
s3,000,0O0 annually and the value o
electrical power alone would NOR,
han five times pay the interest
It's construction means the creates
possible conservation of the natura
resources Of our country and woul,
be prominent and everlasting sourc
OF revenue to the government as wei
as a regulator of railroad traffic, an,
materially assist in the more rapid ad
vancement of our national wealth an
increased prosperity.
The states directly affected by thi
canal produce more than SO per CEN
OF the worlds corn, and Indian
alone, through which the principa
part of this canal passes, produce
last year more corn than the Argen
tine Republic-Indiana, l6s,0O0,O
bushels, and Argentine, 100000
bushels II by the construction of
series of canals in Indiana and Obi
the freight on Indiana corn alone wa
reduces cent per bushel it would b
saving of $4,000, 900, nearly enoug
To ray the annual interest on the cos
VI constructions OF the canal