New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Lake-to-Ocean
Canals Will Aid
u. S. in War
Last Branch of System Con-
Meeting Erie With the Hud-
son Opens Early in 1918
Channel Expected to Lower
Cost of Foodstufs by De-
creasing Railway Freights
By Frank M. Williams
Estate Engineer and Surveyor

1t is a coincidence but very fortu-
nate fact that at a time when the
United States finds itself plunged into
the greatest war in all history the New
York State Barge Canal should be
opened between the Great Lakes and
the Atlantic seaboard and thus placed
in a position whereby it can fulfil a
national mission. On May 10 there was
opened the new channel which estab-
lished barge canal navigation between
Lake Ontario and the Hudson River.
The carrying out of this project in
wolves an estimated expenditure OF
S155,O00,000, borne entirely by the
state. This canal will take the place
Of an earlier, now almost obsolete canal
system, but system to which New
York State and New York City owe
much of their present industrial and
commercial position.
Four Waterways Linked
The Barge Canal is not, as many
suppose, limited to connection be-
tween the Great Lakes region and the
Hudson River, but consists of four dis
tinct waterways, linked into one sys-
tom. These are: The Erie, running
across the state from the Hudson River
20 Lake Erie; the Champlain, extend
ing along the easterly boundary OF the
state from the Hudson River 70 Lake
Champlain; the Oswego, branching
from the Erie north of Syracuse and
running northward to Lake Ontario,
and the Cayuga- Seneca, which leaves
the Erie west of the 0swego junction
and extends southwark, connecting the
two large lakes from which 1t derives
its name.
The entire 0swego Canal soon will
be in operation, as will the Champlaln.
The new Erie Canal will be opened to
a point where it joins the Oswego
branch, and this will bring about the
establishment Of through navigation
between the first of the Great Lakes
and the Atlantic seaboard. west Oh
the Oswego junction the old Erie Canal
Is in operation, but the new channel
replacing this will be put into COM
mission early in 1918, thus directly
connecting Lake Erie with the hudson
River.
Even prior TO our entrance into the
war the various railroad lines running
between the East and West were forced
20 place embargoes upon certain classes
of freight. Under actual war condi-
lions the problem of handling snip,
nents is certain TO become more and
more acute. Furthermore, the demands
Of the United States governT may
within the very near future .equire
much Of the available rolling stock Tor
oar nurposes, and it may be assumed
that additional embargoes Will be placed
an Goods moving between the East and
INC West. The Barge Canal will, there
fcre. be in a splendid position to CON
,ribute TO the elimination of freight
congestion.
viii Lower Cost of Food
Rv using tho new channel produce
from the West can be shipped direct
70 the Atlantic seaboard by through
,vater route. Eastern products OF man
,facture can. likewise, be sent to the
Middle west and Canada, without caus-
inc congestion on rail lines. which now
carr these products. Furthermore, the
lou rates will have q tendency TO Keep
down the mounting cost OIL loouS'u''
and other necessities.
The more strictly military usages 70
which the canal can be put are worthy
of consideration. A fleet Of canal boats
can carry more ammunition than the
average freight train. A barge can very
easily carry piece of ordnance OF
much greater size than can be accom-
modated on any railroad.
The channel will have a UNIFORM
depth Of - feet. II will be 20 feet wide
at the bottom Of earth sections OF the
Gland line" or artificial channel. 81 feet
q, rcck cuts. with a minimum width OF
900 feet in the beds of the canallZed
rivers and lakes which constitute a
greater part of the new channels. Its
overhead clearance will be l5ts feet.
Ia locks are oil modern. There are
6ftv-seyen such structures on the Barge
Canal and these all have uniform
width of 45 feet and disable length OF
500 feet. They are constructed OF con-
crete. and their operation is entirely by
Electricity. which is generated at hy-
dro-electric power stations or gasoiene-
,ioctric nower plants. These locks vary
m the height Of lift from 6 to 40h feet,
and each structure can accommodate SIX
boats of the old type or barge hav-
Ing a capacity Of 5000 tons.
The number of locks has been re-
.iuced. For instance, the five locks
which constitute the Waterford series
and connect the Hudson River with the
canalized Mohawk have a combined Int
Of 1863 feet and have replaced sixteen
old-stylo locks located at Cohoes. The
same condition is true TO lesser de-
gree at Lockport. where two new locks
have replaced five old ones.