Evening star., 1909-03-04
They were originally 80 feet long Is feet

They we're originally 80 feet long Is feet
wide and 4 feet deep. They have since
been enlarged, until they are now lac
fee, long. Is feet wide and feet deep
'.The locks in the new canal will be
32s feet long in the chambers. 40 feet
! wide and 12 feet deep. The prism varies
from a 75-foot bottom width in earfh
cuts 94-foet width in rock cuts and 300
| foot width in river and wide water por-
| tions of the route.
That will permit the passage of barges
carrying over 200 tons OF freight. al
though IL will probably be found more
convenient to use smaller barges OF not
| more than 1000 or 1,JOO tons capacity
each
THE new canal will be built without
| towpaths. 1t is expected that the pro-
pelling power of the barges will be steam
driving a regular screw propeller, one of
a connected feet being equipped with
power and the remainder being simply
towed.
Although careful endeavors to find
some way of applying electricity to the
propulsion of canal boats in the water
way under construction have been gofns
| on for several years no practical. eco
nomical and satisfactory system, either
with storage batteries or troiley "ires'
has been discovered.
THE new barge canal surpasses the ex-
isting Erie Oswego and Champlain ca
! nails by admitting boats carving from nVe
| to ten times as much freight. Lockages
are concentrated SO that only about one
half as many locks will be needed as are
used in the existing canal and the locks
will be so large as to permit several boats
| to go through at one lockage, thus saving
much time. The size of the canal prism
will permit much greater speed.
1.-The maximum capacity or present
! boats is 24O tons The present trafic Is
about 3.OOO.0OO tons year All arrange
ments for the new canal are made upon
a minimum estimate of 1O.O0o,WO tons.
and that capacity can readily be increased
| to 20,CO0,OO0 tons per year
Expenditures in Past.
| Up to 1882 the state had expended In
original construction and subsequent Inn
provements and engagements on the Erie.
| Champlain. Oswego. CayuSa and Seneca,
Genesee valley. Chenango. Chemung,
Black river Oneida lake and other aux
| ilaries about S19.O00.000.
'-rhe total cost of superntendence, re-
pairs maintenance. collection of tolls and
other ordinary expenses was about $4S.
| V.O cJO during the same period. making
the aggregate cost or the entlre canal sys-
| tenn and everything connected with 1t
about $121 100000. To offset this there
| had been collected up to 1882 a revenue
| from tolls of over $l35.GO.000. which
shows the canal system of New York not
| only paid for itself, but has contributed a
net profit of $SOO0.OOO to the treasury of
the state.
Down to the close of the year 1882 the
| tolls collected on the Erie canal alone
exceeded all sums paid out for every
| thing whatsoever by $42.599. .I1S. This
profit was reduced in subsequent years.
| but the fact should always be borne in
mind that the Erie canal has paid in
| the state treasury more money. by many
millions of dollars, than has been spent
upon 1t.
Several other canals. such as the Gene
T! sc valley Chenango and Chemung. were
abandoned years ago because competing
railways made them useless. They served
| their purpose for the time being and sums
| expended upon them cannot be considered
| q total loss.
In 1882 all tolls We're abolished. Since
| then the net profits have been just about
| equal to the cost of repairs and main
tepance.
To Cost $1O1 600, 900.
1.-The estimated cost of the new barge
canal is Ol0OO. coo. This sum was au-
! thorized to be spent by a vote OF the
people Of the state of OF New York /;
probably will be sufficient 10 complete
the canals as originally planned. but sew
eral additions have been ordered since the
plans were adopted and others are In con-