The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-18

at least. was speedily to be accomplished. The improved canal and the very high ap- plication of electric energy for power producing purposes would inevitably re- lines operating perhaps 15 or 20 electrical ly-driven vessels upon the Erie canal.
 It's Commercial Importance
 The commercial importance of the util- ization of electricity for canalboat pur- poses Is now recognized although prob ably not fully appreciated. MT. Nesting house said that if electrically driven canal boats can operate upon the improved Erie canal at an expected rate of speed of from six to eight miles an hour. then not more than 4 hours will be required at the ut most for the transportation of freight be- tween Lake Erie and the Hudson river. This of itself will probably stimulate great increase of Erie canal transporta- tion. although there is no possibility that the canal will ever be found strong com- petitor in certain kinds of freight trans portation in the movement of which speed is essential
 It is expected that the improvement of the canal and the utilization of electric en- ergy for hauling the canalboats will make 1t possible strongly to compete with the Canadian waterways. especially in the matter of transportation of grain from the west to the seaports.
 It so happens that almost coincident in point of time with the opening of the inn proved Erie canal to navigation the ship canal across the shoulder of Cape Cod, whereby communication from Buzzard's bay to Massa chusetts bay can be secured will also be ready for navigation. The pre- sumption is that the improvement of the Erie canal and the establishment of cleo trically-propelled canalboats capable of carrying heavy tonnage and the comple- ton of the canal across Cape Cod will serve to stimulate the foreign commerce centered in the harbor of Boston.
 For unless there be considerable changes in the cost of utilizing terminal facilities in New York, there is little doubt that a considerable part of the commerce which will be carried through the Erie canal will be continued by way of the Hudson river Long Island sound and Cape Cod canal to Boston.
 In other parts of the country a demon stration of the capacity of modern appa- ratus so to utilize electricity as to make it commercially practicable to operate canalboats of large size will unquestion- ably be of considerable influence. Already In Ohio 1t Is hoped that canal which will match the Erie in navigabe facilities will connect Lake Erie with the Ohio river The equalization of several rivers in the south would greatly extend their navigable reaches and the utilization of electricity for the operation of canal boats of good size and upon sound. eco- homie methods would be likely consider abiy to increase the commerce in certain parts Of the south. especially after the Panama canal is opened to navigation. It IS spoken of here as a strangely suggestive coincidence that the Panama canal, the enlarged Erie canal and the Cape Cod canal are to be practically completed at the same time and that coincidently there Is likely to be demonstration of the avail ability of modern electric apparatus to propel boats which navigate these arti- fcal waterways with profit and to the commercial and industrial advantage of many parts of the country