Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-07-29
CAPE COD CANAL
FORMALLY OPENED TO TRAFFIC
TO-DAY.
HISTORY ON THE GREAT UNDERTAK-
ING AND DESCRIPTION OF THE
CANAL--cosT S12, 100000.
Boston Herald, July 2s. !

| Boston Herald, July 26.i
After more than two centuries OF dis
cussion, suggestion and planning, the
Cape Cod canal - for years merely a
| scheme and dream - has become an
| actual fact, and will be thrown open
| formally to traffic next Wednesday, with
| appropriate ceremonies to mark an event
which is one OF the most noteworthy in
| New England's commercial history.
Although it was as far back as 1875 that
Samuel Sewell began first to talk about q
passage from the ''south sea to the north,
and although others have talked and
| talked in the same strain through all the
| passing seasons, when the giant dredges
began to bite into the sandy coast line at
last only little more than five years
elapsed between the beginning and the
end Of the long-doubted project.
The canal is there as refutation to the
skeptical and monument to the keen
minded and foresighted men who were
willing to make faith into works. Quietly
and without fuss small army Of work.
men have labored, huge machines have
delved, and busy experts have brought
their intellects to bear so that the problem
might be solved. And solved it is.
To be sure some 100000 have been
expended in the meantime, but well spent
when the results are considered. When
the gala feet makes its way along the
sharp-lined cut Of the canal next Wednes-
day morning, it will float along smooth
surface Of water eight miles from end to
end, broad enough and deep enough for
all practical purposes, in every way suit
able for all forms of shipping that pass
daily up and down the coast.
When the final touches have been given,
the waterway will have depth Of twenty
five feet OF water at low tide, and will be
100 feet wide at bottom in the middle sec
ton and 800 feet wide at bottom at the
ends. 1t will be spanned by two great
bridges for general purposes and one
other bridge for railroad purposes. From
end to end it will be lighted BY electricity.
1t will cut of sixty-six miles from the
water route between Boston and New
York.
Those are the facts as facts go in sta
tistics, but they do not express by any
means the benefits which the new ditch
will bring to New England commerce.
These are days when much emphasis is
placed upon "safety first" by the lands
man. The Cape Cod canal is New Eng
lands greatest s'safety first" device for the
men who go down to the sea in ships.
Jutting out from Massachusetts,, the
| haDdad urn, NJ ha cona has hold ayor
since the landing of the Pilgrims a sin
lister threat to all seafarers. From the
shoulder to the fist that doubles in at
Provincetown, there is stretch OF wind
swept and fog-laden shore.
Along that unprotected and barren
sweep of beach and sandy bluff lies a
veritable graveyard Of ships. Ever since
the English ship Sparrowhawk piled up
on the shoals in 1926, hardly year has
passed without adding to the toll of
disaster.
Figures show that about % per cent. OF
the wrecks which have happened on the
eastern shores Of the United States have
occurred along this treacherous bit OF
coast. Never a gale blows but the in
! luAh oub w WdLCn sIilhly buC
outer bars for ships caught with lee
shore waiting them.
1t is estimated that the yearly average
of marine accidents during the past fifty
years would number thirty-five shipping
disasters, sixteen total losses and death
toll of twelve lives.
With the canal cutting the arm OF the
| - ko ak,N ha Ia, 70 CT
wise vessels is greatly reduced. The short
route will save from three to four days for
much of the heavy traffic which has
passed hitherto by the outside route.
In bad weather that means the avoiding
of just SO many days OF peril. Experts
have figured that by taking the new
course shipping will avoid about fifty per
cent. OF the fogs which hang over the
cape. At Pollock Rip, for instance there
are 1852 hours OF fog each year, while at
the western entrance OF the canal there are
only 277 hours and at the eastern entrance
only 564 hours.
Ships using the canal will run out of the
prevailing 'dirty sou'westers". There are
no shifting sands or shoals in the new
route, and relatively slight current ex-
lists in Buzzard's bay. Ice will not in
terfere with steam navigation, for OBJ
servation during several winters has
proven that no ice of important thickness
has formed in the canal during winter
months and none at all has dritted in from
outside.
The safety phase, however, is by no
means the only important consideration.
To large class OF traffic, the saving in
time in the course Of year will be
enormous. 1t is figured that barges and
schooners especially which take the outer
course now will gain something like an
average of four days on a round trip. The
| 4. Ii