Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-05
CANALS IN UNITED STATES
Four Great Artificial Waterways to be
- a. Opened in 1914.


The year Of 1914 might appropriate
ly be termed the year Of canals. writes
Holland in the Philadelphia Ledger
Within twenty-four hours after the Of
fetal announcement from Massachu-
setts reported that the canal which will
cut off the forearm Of Massachusetts,
Cape Cod. at the shoulder will be COM
pleted early in the year 1914 and open
ed to navigation within the year, there
came also authoritative information
from Texas stating that early in tho
year 1914 the canalizing which has
been in progress at and near Houston
would be completed. When this work
Is done there will be a ship channel to
Houston with an average depth Of 2s
feet of water. The Cape Cod canal
will have a depth sufficient for any put
the very largest steamships.
In the year 1914, in all probability
the greater part Of the work for the
Improvement Of the Erie canal will
have been completed and IL the great
terminal basin which is to be estab-
lished at the west end Of Long Island
fronting New York harbor were also
then finished, this stupendous canal
proposition, which Is to cost about
two-thirds as much as the Panama ca
nal, will also be ready to float barges
Of a thousand tons capacity. In the
year 1914 the Panama canal will be
made ready for the commerce that will
be offered, so that in the early winter
of 1915 this greatest public work OF
modern times, at least in its influence
will also add its achievement to that of
the other canal builders.
OF these canals the one now under
construction at Cape Cod to connect
Buzzard's Bay with Massachusetts, Bay
is the only one which represents the
investment Of private capital. The Cape
Cod canal represents the initial por-
tion Of the proposition laid down near
ly 100 years ago by John G. Calhoun,
when he was secretary Of war in the
administration Of President Monroe
The canal, which would shorten the
distance from Boston to New York, and
would also make possible practically
safe navigation by avoiding Cape Cod
was outlined by Calhoun as the begin
ming Of artificial intercoastal canal sys-
TENS stretching from Massachusetts,
Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Apart OF
that system is now in operation and
the initial part will be completed next
year.
At the remote southwest, as compar-
ed with Cape Cod, Houston Is to cele-
brate the construction Of an artificial
ship channel by means Of which ocean
going vessels will be able to dock at
Houston. The government of the Unit
ed States is sponsoring this canal with
the abundant assistance Of Houston
herself, and the governments engineers
are perfecting this artificial channel
There is to be turning basin at the
upper end Of this channel and the city
of Houston will build as perfect a sys-
tenn of wharfage as is to be found in
the United States upon the front OF
this basin. The government, however
exacts from the city q guarantee that
commerce will be free and Houston did
not grudgingly accept this provision OF
the contract, since the enterprising cit
liens of that fiourishing city had q
keen understanding Of what free
wharfage and free water front would
mean in the way Of tempting COM
merce to utilize the new ocean front al
Houston.
Whatever may be the commercial in
fluence consequent upon the opening
Of four waterways to navigation the
fact that these artificial navigable wa
ters will be completed in the year 1914
is of itself enough to authorize the
designation of that date as the great
American canal year.