The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-29
COD CANAL
Off DANGERS

Buzzards Bay, Mass, July 2s.-The
Boston, Cape Cod and New York canal
connecting Buzzards bay with
Massachusetts, bay and enabling coast.
wise vessels to avoid the dangerous
passage around wreck-strewn Cape
Cod, was formally opened today by
August Belmont, Of New York, presi-
dent Of the constructing distance be-
tween the ports to the north and the
south Of it.
Although the canal has actually been
open from n end to the other since
early this month, no vessels other than
those belonging to the owners of the
canal, have been allowed to pass
through 1t. The canal will be open to
traffic tomorrow and will be completed
in all its details about Oct. 1.
The Cape Cod canal is thirteen miles
long, including a cut through sand and
boulders from Buzzards bay to Sand
witch, Mass. It has a bottom 100 feet
In width, shelving out to 300 and 400
feet at the passing points, and has d
draught Of twenty-five feet at low tide.
Greater in its dimensions than the
Suez canal, as originally constructed,
1T a accommodate the largest coast
wise vessels afloat, with one or two ex-
%ceptions.
. At the eastern end Is a massive
breakwater 5000 feet long which con-
tains more than $50, 900 tons Of granite.
This Is designed to protect vessels
using the canal from the storms that
sweep across Cape Cod bay.
The $12.OO0,000 which has been ex-
pended in the constructing of the
canal has been spent largely in ex-
cavating some 1000, 900 cubic feet Of
sand and boulders. In order to keep
the wash from passing vessels from
wearing away the banks they have
been ~rip-rapped, or paved with granite
blocks and small boulders. This rip
rapping, a large portion Of which was
done by hand, runs from six feet be-
low to four feet above the high water
mark. At the eastern end much money
has been spent in the building of q
"sand-catcher," a device calculated 70
keep moving sand from choking up the
mouth.
The canal is in reality a river, max
ing all of Cape Cod an island, for
there Is considerable difference be-
tween the tides in Massachusetts bay
and Buzzards bay, causing a sluggish
current.
The canal is destined to play an i'm
portant part in the future commerce
along the Atlantic coast Of North AM
erica. At the present time more than
25, 900, 900 tons of freight are trans
ported over the Cape Cod route an
nually, including coal, 10000, 900 tons;
stone, SOC, 900 tons; Nova Scotia
plaster, $4,000 tons; Rockland-Rock-
port lime, 10000 tons; cement, $4,000
tons; oil, 210 tons; ice, 900, 900 tons;
lumber, 1000, 900 tons and sand, $4,000
tons. Other commodities carried in
barges and freighters amount. to g.
100000 tons, while regular steamship
lines of the higher class carry as cargo
1000, 900 tons Of freight around the
cape every year.
An absence of fog along the course
of the canal will make it particularly
desirable to both freight and passenger
carrying vessels. Because of the heavy
fogs that prevail off the a o at all
times of the year many freighters and
barges are forced to lay to until the
weather is more favorable for a pass
age.
It is estimated that 100000, persons
a veal are carried around Cape Cod.
In the past sixty years, it is said, g.
900 vessels of various kinds have been
wrecked while attempting the passage
and between 700 and 800 lives have
been lost.
Tolls of vessels passing through the
canal will average in the neighbour
hood of 7 cents per cargo ton per
passage and for vessels without cargo,
over 500 tons gross register, the rate
will be about 8 cents per on. Motor
boats, yachts and other vessels not
engaged in commercial trade may pass
through the canal for as small a toll as
SO. The tolls depend upon gross tom
mage and length overall.