Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-04-21

factor of canal transportation, and 1t
is remarkable how much was carried.
In 1856 the total production of an
thraeite coal in the United States
was 12,703,S82 tons, of which the
canal carried eighteen per cent. In
1875 it carried only 8.5 per cent.
Of the total tonnage of the canal
in 1866; eighty-three per cent. was
coal: in 1875 sixty-six per cent. was
coal; In 1909 forty-seven per cent.
was coal.
To show the decline in coal tonnage,
it is only necessary to say that in 1885
the canal carried 2,2S6,66S tons, and in
1909 it carried 1851 tons.
The substitution of rail for canal, in
coal transportation, cannot be attri-
buted TO any desire of the owners to
iniure the canal, but to natural results
of changing conditions.
1t is true, however, that this coal
tonnage could be substantially in
creased, if encouraged, and If the canal
was operated by a company in actual
competition with the railroads.
1t must also be admitted that some
other commodities left the canal and
found their way to railroad through
natural conditions, namely, iron, iron
ore, -four, feed, cement and the like.
The depletion Of forests in the vicini-
ty of the canal also accounts for some
s~hrinksge.
On the other hand there is convine'
ing evidence hat after the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company acquired con-
troll Of the canal it used its power to
divert shipping from the canal to the
railroad; and that its policy has been to
favor the railroad to the detriment of
the canal. 1t has Disseminated in its
rates, and has discouraged the use Of
the canal.
1t has also caused a bridge to be
erected over the canal at New Bruins
wick against the protest OF the Board
of Trade of New Brunswick, which also
limits its usefulness.
We are also convinced that the toll
rates charged are excessive and aided
in diverting traffic.
With the owners and operators of
the canal charging high rates, permit
ting discrimination, favoring rail ship
ments, and discouraging canal trans
portation, it was but natural that traf-
fc should be driven from the canal
and fall into disuse.
The canal never recovered from this
treatment. The number Of boats dimin-
ished, because there was no business to
keep them busy and make them profit
able, nor was there inducement to at
tract capital in new boats. shippers
gradually lost sight of this method OF
transportation and went elsewhere.
Those who still had the canal in
mind found the rates too high in com
petition with railroads. The owners of
boats had no organization, and shippers
found only a desultory service at hand.
Capital could not be induced to build
and conduct "lines," because toll rates
were too high for profitable investment;
and if reduced there was no assurance
that they would remain so.
A few companies built boats to trans
port gods of their own manufacture
through the canal, but the high toll
made them improbable.
Shippers having lost sight Of the
canal, the operators made no effort to
recover the traffic by solicitation or
advertisement, preferring to have it go
by rail.
IT must of course be borne in mind
that during the winter season the canal
is closed, and canal shippers are then
driven to the necessity of using the
rail, and are thus at the mercy of the
How Traffic Can be Restored.