The Ordway new era., 1918-09-13
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flood period. 1t allows the river to flow
on uninterrupted, while during the
navigation season it serves its full
purpose as dam and may be so op-
Grated as to pass large or small
quantity of water. thus keeping each
pool at Its proper level.
Highest LIT Locks.
There are 80 locks on the Erie
canal. all of which are massive con-
crete structures, having inside rec
tangular dimensions of 800 by 44.44
feet and lifting capacity varying
from few feet up to 40h feet. At
Waterford the locks are so constructed
that series of five serves to lift the
barges from the Hudson river to the
canalized Mohawk river, 1863 feet above
the level of the government lock at the
Troy dam. These structures have
been called the worlds greatest series
of high-lift locks and their lift is dou-
BILE that of the locks In the Panama
canal from sea level to summit.
One of the highest lift locks in the
world is located at Little Falls. where
the difference in pool elevation is 4O1a
crete walls. which stand so feet high
and are 80 feet wide at the base. The
lower gate is of the lift type and is
raised and lowered. instead of being
swung open and shut us are the gates
on other locks.
In the operation of all locks the wa
ter is admitted to and drawn from the
chamber by means of culverts run
ming through the side walls. and the
openings have been so designed that
the filling and emptying of the cham
ber is only matter of few minutes.
The locks are all electrically OPP
Grated and the chambers are filled or
emptied while the gates and valves
are opened or closed by simply turn
ing lever. Safety devices are also
arranged so that errors in operation or
navigation are practically eliminated.
The Erie canal is spanned by 232
bridges, of which so are railroad cross
ings. The clearance under these struc-
lures must be at least 15A feet.
Guard Against Accident.
In the ''land line" guard gates have
been provided which are located about
ten miles apart. These are steel struc
lures, suspended from towers and may
he lowered to hold the water. in case
of emergency. such as might exist If an
embankment became weakened or any
similar accident made 1t desirable to
unwater any section of the channel.
Numerous culverts and splllways
which keep the water from overflow
Ing the banks have been provided and
hundred million yards of earth and
rock have been removed. while three
million yards of concrete have been
placed.
While the actual construction period
has been about 13 years, this, consider
ing the magnitude and qualifications of
the work, is very short time. The
many structures and the nature of the
territory through which the different
channels run has made this one of the
really Important engineering undertak-
ings of the age. and the construction
details have been the most extensive.
the plans alone being some of the most
elaborate and complete ever drawn up
for any large construction work.
The cost of handling freight on the
railroads. before recent increases went
into effect, varied from two to seven
mills per ton per mile. the average be-
ing between three and six mills per
ton mile. 1t is now estimated that this
figure will be reduced more than one
half on the new canal system. owing to
the larger barges and the thoroughly
up-to-date facilities. The method of
propulsion used is by power boats
driven either by steam, electricity or
the Internal combustion engine, and it
has already been determined from
trial trips that the speed which may be
maintained throughout the system IL
considerably in excess of that main