davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

hand will delay the opening Of the canal
as the belated work will undoubtedly be
finished by the time the work on the more
recent contracts Is completed.
The total length Of the canal under con-
tract is now 1922 miles. Up 10 December
Al. 10000 cubic yards OF material had
been excavated. AMI about 100000 cubic
yards Of concrete laid. Each OF these
quantities is about two-nrths Of the total
amount for the whole project The great
chain Of water highways including the
Cnamplain. Erie and Oswego branches, with
it's massive concrete locks, its mighty wat
or gates and spillways and endless variety
/ OF smaller structures, will open up new op-
rcrtunites for the future not only OF the
country through which it passes. but for
SINNERS Of the West and the city at the
gateway of the nation.
The trunk line from Albany TO Buffalo
follows the route OF the old Erie canal,
paralleling II closely as far as New Lon
don, a hamlet a few miles west OF Rome.
1t then takes northerly and westerly
course, entering Oneida Lake. the largest
body of water lying entirely within New
York state The lake becomes part Of
the canal system for a distance OF twenty
one miles its entire length. Following the
channel OF the Oneida River, which has
been Strengthened and deepened In order
to serve as a link in the highway. the
canal enters the Seneca River at Three
Rivers. Following the course OF the his
toric Seneca River through Cross Lake In
a southwesterly course, IT continues through
the famed Montezuma Swamps. from which
point IL again parallels the old Erie Canal
westerly to TOnawanda. The new highway
here hugs the old canal closely excepting
between Wayneport, east OF Rochester. and
Spencerport to the west OF that city. where
the new canal is much more direct.
In the construction OF the canal where
the work is through rock the banks are
practically vertical. the width at the bot
tom being % feet. In the river section
the bottom is 200 feet wide. Throughout
the earth section the width at the surface
OF the water is 123 feet. the bottom width
BEING 70 feet. The locks are all Of tho
most massive concrete construction, being
S2S feet between hollow-quoins and 70 feet
between perpendlculars.
The barge canal Will be recognized as a
great engineering feat I'm canal ccnstruc-
ton Almost insurmountable difficulties
have been met with where the canal route
joins the beds Of the Mohawk, Seneca and
Oneida rivers owing TO the treacherous
cuicksands and foods, which were aggra-
ya,cd by changing the course of these
rivers, temporary dams were bgilt 10 make
II possible TO continue construction.
The profile shows that there is very
rapid rise from the Hudson TO the sixth
lock, Of 1920 feet within a distance Of
about three miles. From this point the
rise is more gradual to Lock No. 20 at
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

Somebody thought 10 run for the telephone.
1t brought an electric ambulance.
SLOWLY they carried the wounded Presi-
dent TO the side door. while his blood
dropped from his black clothes 20 the floor.
He had been hit in the breast and in the
abdomen.
"As quickly as mems tongues could
spread the news II flew round the expo
sition.
THE Presidents killed" Mr.. Mckinley
is stabbed He's dead These were the
words that ran from building to building.
IN five minutes there were ten thou
sand frenzied Americans around the Tenn
pie of Music. Some had been planning TO
shake hands with the President. There
were others who hurried there to hear him.
"'Get a ropep yelled somebody.
Outside the Temple there were many
ropes-ropes kept 20 hold in the crowds
when the marines drill or there Is a parade
of visiting soldiers outside in the es-
planade.
"A hundred men tore the ropes from
their coils; others started off for more.
Lynch himr went from one end OF the
grounds 10 the other.
"Women fought for a place on the long
line OF rope, eager 10 string up the man
who was covering inside the Temple OF
Music.
'But far down the asphalt walk there
was a futter OF white and a CLINT or guns.
IT was Captain Leonard. who lost an
arm at Tientsin last year, bringing up his
gallant company OF marines on guard.
They were in their lounging clothes. duck
trousers and blue blouses. but they meant
business
.They saved from lynching the maa -.so
shot the President Inch by inch they
fought back the crowd Then the man was
carried out and put in a closed coach. In
n tlny he was safe In station No. l3. Pres
ident Mckinley was taken to the Emerg-
ency Hospital on the grounds, near the
west gate. The blue gowned nurses had
him I'm hand m a moment lie was quick
ly undressed and laid on cot. Then the
physicians began 10 ar"i'
"The President was lying in a small room
In the rear Of the hospital. He was bleed
ing profusely. There was wound on his
breast, another further down on the left
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
Have Too Many Cooks Been Spelling the Barge Canal Broth!

supply. The water for the barge can1~
IS obtained from streams. ponds and lakeak
in many cases at great distance frotU
the canal. The source OF some OF the ieeAe
ers is as far distant as the AdirondacXa
In addition 10 the natural lakes an"
ponds. II has been found necessary IN somc
cases to build artificial reservoirs. ono on
the largest OF these will be the ono near
Delta. The 70-foot dam, with its spilIwaV
OF $50 feet, will create body OF water COW
ering four square miles. II will impound4
waters of the Mohawk River. There WIN oa
another reservoir at Binckley. which wiz
have an area OF 46 square miles. This WIZ
conserve the waters OF West Canada Creek
and be similar in general TO the dam az
Delta These two pieces Of work In theif1
magnitude and engineering difficulties arc
the equal Of any piece OF work on thA
canal itself.
on the new barge canal the old type on
lock tender will no longer be found It's
big concrete locks. more than 800 feet Ions
and Is feet wide, are TO be lifted with
steel gates and their manipulator VIII
have TO know enough about electricity tN
operate switchboard, for that power IN to-
be used in swinging the big leaves 10 snds
fro Each lock viii be provided with q
hydro electric plant I'm duplicate units to'
provide against breakdowns and 20 mako
repairs possible without interference with
the movem mt OF commerce. In additon-i
apparatus for opening and closing the gates
by hand will form a part OF tho equip
ment. Simple electric controls at central
switchboard will enable the lock tender to-
nv tha nj
turn on and of the electric lights which
will illuminate the canal for a distance OF
a thousand feet beyond either end OF the
lock In a few instances where locks are
close together a central station will provide
an alternating current, which will be trans
formed ard delivered 10 the lock stations
In the form OF direct current.
The decline OF traffic on the old Ehs'
Canal has been used by tho opponents Of
the project as an object lesson In opposi-
tion to the new canal. The old canal was
totally lacking in the necessary draft
width and length OF locks and scarcity OF
docking and harbor facilities. Canal boats
cost money 10 build and maintain. While
the old canal would not permit enough
boats Of sufficient size 10 be operated and
docked TO warrant fair return on the
investment, the facilities and capacity OF
the new canal ii is expected Will afford
ample room draft Of water and harbor
space to make its operation economical
and an assured success.
The Permanent International Association
Of Navigation Congresses, which will hold
congress In Philadelphia In 1912, has
made an appropriation for inspection and
investigation Of the barge canal Many
foreign engineers OF experience have ex-
amined and personally inspected the work
during the last year. and have without ex-
cepton expressed surprise at the quality
and amount Of work accomplished under
the existing conditions.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

Utica, where the altitude Is 42o feet. A de-
cided drop follows 10 the level Of Oneida
Lake, where the elevation is $40 feet. From
the Syracuse level the canal ascends once
more until It reaches Rochester, at Lock
No. 80, at an altitude OF 5l2.o6 feet above sea
level. The longest level of the canaP Is
between this lock and Lockport, distance
of about fifty miles. 1t then ascends
through three locks TO the elevation of the
Niagara River. at an altitude OF 56j.os feet
above sea level
The Oswego River IS canalized, the route
OF the Oswego branch passing through Full
ton and the village Of Phoenix TO Lake On
tario A branch through Onondaga Lake
will connect Syracuse and Two other extern
sions will add Cayuga Lake and Seneca
Lake TO the system.
The labor problem In this, as in other
undertakings Of the kind, has not been
easy of solution. II was understood that
the native labor Of the state was to have
the preference. II has, however. been the
experience OF the different contractors that
the native labor did not care TO take ad'
vantage Of the work offered. Foreign labor
Of the better class has consequently been
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
Empire Now
Construction of Great Waterway Reduced Three by Elimination
Board of Engineers VIII Be Thrashed Out by Legislature

esou the advisory board Of consulting en-
,s.ors for the barge canal be given up. as
ss.,,ernor Dix suggests. or not? This ques-
W &c likely TO be fruitful OF considerable
.,.,,sson in the course Of the present ses-
- of the Legislature. Governor White
,.fore giving place to Governor Dix
'sa,ebt the canal was not making the
.rress Il should because OF the division
I, authority. LAS 70 the barge canal" he
IA publlcly, q express grave doubt as to
- outcome. I believe the work is pro-
.,,ss.nc in far from satisfactory way
s,,,o contracts are dragging Some parts
!, tho work lave not been well done. The
.,,ianation lies in the fact that there is
rerious division of responsibility and
NE The statutes fail TO provide a COM
mander.
The construction Of the canal is intrust-
= N four authorities-the State Engineer,
,ss state Superintendent Of Public Works
- Canal Board. which is made up Of
,o.e executive officials and includes the
Lieutenant Governor, and the advisory
,oard Of consulting engineers. The ad-
,isory board is the only one which has per-
lament tenure of Office. for the others
.,snee with each state administration
There have been four State Engineers, ard
, fifth is now in Office. three Super'ntend-
ants Of Public Works, a fourth now being
!, office. and the entire personnel Of the
canal Board has been changed four times
since work was begun on the canal. Not
erly do the state Engineers change every
,uo years. but their personal STATS of en-
s...frrafrer fhnco IN, -
Sgisions. do. also. Although the engineers
n lower executive rank are protected by
ne Civil Service regulations these also are
IN danger Of transfer by new State Engi-
nseTs
On December IS Governor White sent
letter 10 each Of the individuals and bodies
involved asking for a report which would
have a bearing On the subject, which he
had brought up at the dinner of the Cham
ser Of Commerce. State Engineer Will
ams admitted thot the mechanism was
somewhat ponderous and delayed the work
70 some extent. but believed that this was
balanced by the number of examinations
and checks put upon his work. thus mini
mixing the number Of mistakes likely to De
Inadvertently made. One-third of the canal
work had been completed, he said, and he
prophesed that II the present rate OF prog
ress was maintained the Champlain Canal
from Whitehall TO the Hudson River, at
Waterford, would be in operation in the
spring Of 1913; the combined Oswego and
Erie canals, from the city of Oswego. on
Lake Ontario. to Troy, in the spring of 1914.
and the entire Erie Canal system. from
Buffalo TO Troy, in the spring Of 1915
The constant change Of state officials in
charge OF the work greatly delayed IT, in
the opinion OF Mr.. Stevens. the Superin-
tendent Of Public Works up 10 the close
q Governor Whites administration. An
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
WHERE IGNORANCE is BLISS.

A great general was taking regiments
into action. He sent forward detail OF
men TO make gaps In rail fence TO avoid
the heavy loss sure TO result II the whole
body Of men paused 10 tear IT down. The
coolest and finest man in tho detail was a
young soldier who had never been under
fire before When he began pulling down
the fence he fancied he had disturbed Y
nest OF hornets, as he thought he heard
them singing tercely about his ears. But
the lad was not going to run from hornets
when there was more serious business
ahead. Ignoring the angry insects. he
opened the fence and rejoined the regiment
without being stung. In day or two he
was surprised to hear that he was TO DO
promoted.
But" he said, modestly, II don't think
deserve promotion over the others"
MY boy" replied the general. II saw
YOU pull down that fence. You were the
coolest man under fire l ever saw"
The man gasped, stared and turned pale.
What" ne exclaimed. regardless OF
grammar. Was them wasps bullets?'-.
Tit Bits.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

1.-The Presidents killed" went up the
cry. Pandemonium instantly, women faint
ed, men made a rush for the man with the
handkerchief
"Only the President was calm. lie
seemed 10 grow taller. Into his eyes came
a look half reproach, half tremendous in
dignation that he should have been so
treated in the house OF his friends Then
he turned and started toward a chair un-
assisted.
"rhen Mr.. Cortelyou and Mr.. Milburn
started forward. Thcy had him in a chan
in a moment. and woman handed her fan.
"All this took three seconds. Ireland had
his HANDS on the would-be murderer quick
as thought. No slower was Foster But
quicker than all was another. a Hercules
IN bronze. James +. Parker. a negro wait
or in q restaurant I'm the Plaza
"IIe was just behind the man who had
the pistol He had stood there. six feet
four inches tall. go pounds OF muscular
enthusiasm. grinning widely at the prospect
OF shaking the Presidents hand
"One quick shift II the clenched fist and
he knocked the pistol from the assailants !
hand A left hook, and he spun the man
around like a top. One more punch and
he broke the mans nose. Again, and he
split his lip and knocked out several teeth.
The man who tried TO murder President
Mckinley was only half conscious when
they tore Parker away.
".Oh. for only ten seconds morer he
cried sobbing like a baby.
somebody in that big crowd kept his
head.
".shut the doors" he yelled above the
din.
"The great doors slammed with crash
and President Mckinley and the man who
tried 10 murder him were locked in tho
same building. The President was lying In
the chair. Mr.. Milburn was tanning him.
Mr. Cortelyou was bending over his face,
ashen white The President started to rise
The Secretary held him back gently
eft was then that william Mckinley. the
man. thought OF the woman he had made
his wife His first thodght, when he real
ized his condition. was OF her and how she
could be told of the terrible thing. lie was
perfectly conscious.
rsuapsely, too. his face kept its color.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

side OF the abdomen an inch and half TO
the left of the median line.
The surgeons placed the President on
the operating table and ether was admin
istered.
"Dr Mann, assisted by his son. then be-
gan probing. 1t was a pitiful little scene
in the operating room. witnessed only by
The World representative.
"The President lay inert under the glare
OF the electric lamps lis breathing was
very rapid.
Sometimes he groaned slightly some
times his chest heayed and he raised his
knees as If in anguish.
But the surgeons worked on speedily
and quickly. At last Or. Mann held up
something in his hands.
THE bullet. he said. quietly.
"It took quite forty-Gve minutes before
the effects OF the ether began to wear
away. Two nurses had. deftly wrapped the
President in a blanket
"A hospital orderly was bathing his head
with ice water.
THE form on the table seemed so
shrunken 1t was no longer the porty fig
ure Of the man who had been so central
in all yesterdays doings.
Slowly the ether worked itself away and
the doctors decided that 1t would be better
to move their patient to Mr. Mnburn's
home. No. lOGS Delaware avenue, where the
Presidential party had been stopping
"A big electric ambulance rumbled I'D.
ablaze with lights.
Into a big automobile were piled a hos
pItal cot and all the necessary appliances
for modern surgical sickroom.
TWO nurses climbed in and were whirled
at once over TO Mr.. Miburns
They were slower with the President.
He was all wrapped in blankets and his
face was covered. Merciful unconscious
ness st.ll held his brain
"Tenderly the physicians themselves put
him In the ambulance, and Dr. Mann
climbed behind with u hospital steward
ION the way from the hospital to the
house II was found necessary 10 give the
President two hypodermlc injections one
OF brandy and one Of strychnine. He was
suffering great pain. Much OF II, however,
was from the wound In the chest, which Is
OF only q superficial natWe.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

THE stretcher on which the President
lay was Iifted from the ambulance with
the greatest care but It was evident that
he suffered intense agony every time he
was moved. He groaned loudly and al
most continuously and his drawn features
gave evidence OF his suffering.
"He was lying on his right side, with his
right hard under his head With his left
hand he reached up and brushed back from
his forehead a towel that had been bound
around his head. Or. Park replaced the
bandage. and the litter was carried into the
house. The President was carried into
room on the north side Of the house, one
Of a suite extending across the west end
Of the two-story frame dwelling house.
"Outside thronged the crowd. silent and
angry.
"There was a guard and platoon Of
mounted police but they had little TO do
suddenly up dashed a big wagon, filled
with soldiers, a guard from Fort Porter,
commanded by Major William A. Mann
and Lleutenants f. S. l.. Price and George
F., Brady, all OF the l4th Infantry.
1--WE had a telegram from Washington
10 report here for duty explained Major
Mann. There was little need for any guard.
The crowd only wanted to know II the
President could live.
There were women weeping as they
waited There were men who still talked
OF lynchng."
Describing the scene about the Mllbum
house during the days that followed while
the President was hghtng for his life, Mr.
Phillips said:
Mr. Burke has extended the lines of his
guards. SO that now no one is permitted
even to walk TO within two blocks on
either side except those who have busi-
ness at the telegraph tent. But even these
guards. with their uniforms ana guns. do
not change the character OF the scene.
"That character is q democratic llmplic.
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
COMPLETED LOCKS At osWEGo, THE osWEGo BRANCH
ONTARIO.

, neers with the services Of which apparent
ly Governor Dix thinks the state could dis
pense, also admitted that the division OF
authority and responsibility was at times
somewhat awkward and a cause OF delay,
but thought that the advantages gained
more than compensated. as it was the only
continuing body having charge of the canal
work They look upon the present method
Of administering the canal work as far
from ideal but they thought II doubtful
IL It could be improved upon under the
present constitutional requirements. They
believe that the changes IN the admins
trative force Of so many Of those in au-
thority would lie almost fatal were it not
for the fact that the original barge canal
law provided for permanent element in
the administration of the work-the advis-
ory board of consulting engineers.
A representative OF Scott Brothers, at
Rome, who lately completed yof the most
difficult locks in the Seneca River at Bald
winsville, when approached on this sub
ject said
"The supervision of the numerous boards
does not materially retard the work The
commissioners and contractors become ac-
Quainted with each other, their require
ments. methods and facilities, which nat
urally harmonlzes the duu S of those work
Ing together. The most serious objection
which comes from the changes is the length
Of time necessary for the new engineers
and commissioners TO make themselves ac-
quainted with the work and what has been
accomplished IN the past, and plans made
by predecessors for the continuation OF
the project which might neccssitate the
changing of machinery and method 10 carry
out new ideas. THIS however does not oc-
Cur often"
on January l the work under contract
amounted to $73.l0O.000. This represent
ed seventy-nine contracts. with eleven more
to be let, representing an aggregate Of 3d.
600, 900. Besides this amount II is csti-
mated that It will be necessary 10 spend
about sS,300,000 for railway and highway
changes, bridges, the construction Of the
basin at Albany, and operating machinery.
In other words 81 per cent Of the work Is
row under contract.
There are fourteen Of the contracts that
are behind hand. The chief reasons are
lack Of capital, improper equipment or in
competent management Up to the pres
ent time the value Of the work accomplished
is s26,100,000 1t Is believed that the con-
tractors will earn as a maximum for the
next two years about $50, 200, 900 each year.
1t IS not believed that work which is behind
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
Dead Authors Account of the Attack President 1T
Buffalo, Covered" for a New York Newspaper
Is Considered a Notable Piece OF Work

ident He was IN plain clothes rev
steps toward the line on the President
left was George z. Foster, another secret
Service man.
Further along was Albert Gallagher,
third one OF the Presidents bodyguard, VINO
was helping the line along. Just back OF
Mr.. Mckinley and little TO his right was
Mr.. Cortelyou.
"For fifteen minutes all went along
smoothly. The crowd kept passing by In
rapid style and Mr.. Mckinley was In high
spirits.
.No one noticed in the crowd a fairly
thickset young man, with curly brown
hair and a well shaped mustache. VINO
kent moving slowly with the rest.
"He had cap under his arm His LETT
hand WAS bound up in a white hanGker-
chief The keen eye Of Foster was on
him as soon as he got within range
"Rut there was nothing suspicious
nothing but the clean elk handkerchief,
that looked as if the young man had hurt
his hand and bound it up. Not soul
Guessed that concealed In the folds H.
the handkerchief was an ugly little re-
volver. thirty-two calibre derringcr,
carving five short cartridges
.orhe nistol was cooked. ireland, stand
ing not three feet away from the Presi-
dent and directly opposite him. saw the
man with the handkerchief, too, but moth
ing gave him warning.
"The President reached out his right
hand. The man reached out quickly The
President smiled.
"For an answer. the man reached his
,e,t hand around, just as a pugilist might
try TO give his opponent quick jab In the
ribs. He pressed his hand aghinst the
HACK frock coat OF tho President and
nressed the trigger. Before even the Presi-
dent realized It. there was second report
The man had fired twice. and both bullets
bsd struck the President
New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

engineer coming in TO Office, he says. re-
quires from six months to year 10 be-
come familiar with the work. From a
quarter TO half of his term Is occupied
with this preliminary work. In the mean
time he does not wish to become profess
sionally responsible for plans prepared by
his predecessor for millions Of dollars
worth of work without examination, the
unsigned contracts for which lie on his
desk when he assumes office. He asks 10
have them withdrawn until he can look
into them. Perhaps he will afterward de-
sire 10 make changes In them, and this
further delays the work
The new State Engineer who came into