The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-25
ERIE CANAL AS
TRAFFIC CARRIER
BY HOLLAND

the director general of the federanze1
and unified American railroad system
decided to take over the practically conf
pleted Erie large canal which reaches
from Lake Erie to tide water on the
HUDSON, he caused announcement to De
made of his purpose not to utilize thiS
waterway IN competition with the rail-
roads. bot instead so to employ it that
it could cooperate with and be maze
supplementary to not only New York, but
the entire country as far as possible.
What would have been said had it been
predicted that the Erie canal, after the
railroads began to operate across New
York STATE, would in time to come De SO
rti!ized as to supplement or cooperate
with the railroads in the transportation
of freight? A proposition OF that kina
would nave doomed to defeat any citizen
who sought public Office who mate 1t
or any party that supported it. 1t was
the established principle oil the state lof
many years to maintain the Erie canal
SO that there could be, in this way,
restraining hand placed upon what was
expected to be the monopolistic manage
mcnt ur New York state railroads.
Competition of this kind, however, was
not in the mind of Dewitt Clinton ard
those who were associated with him in
the agitation which began in 1909 Tor
the construction of an artificial water
way across New York state. This canal
was Begin in 1876 and completed nearly
~ years later. There was no thought at
that time of maintaining competition
with railroads since it was not until two
or three years after the canal was COM
pleted that the world was electrified, so
to speak, by the announcement that an
English inventor, George Stephenson,
had built locomotive engine which
could economically and successfully haul
Coaches over rails.
Nevertheless, the construction of the
Erie canal did create competition of
kind which was keenly feared in Balti-
more. That city had obtained great
prestige as a commercial port. The lead
ing merchants, including Alexander
Brown, who created what became one
of the worlds international banking
houses, were fearful lest the Erie canal
should give to New York city CONNER
cial prestige at the expense of Balti-
more.
Therefore, it was deemed necessary to
Idevise some means whereby the compe-
tition for commercial supremacy could
be maintained in favor of Baltimore.
Mr.. Brown, one of whose commercial
houses was at Liverpool, was well in
formed respecting the success of the
Lis erpool and Manchester railroad. He
therefore took the lead in Baltimore in
Il novement which had for it's purpose
the construction of a railroad stretching
westerly from Baltimore over the Blue
Ridge mountains to a convenient point
on the Ohio river. If that were done,
then Baltimore, Mr.. Brown was sure,
could snap it's fingers at New York and
inc Erie canal.
The road was built, but New York,
initiating Baltimores example, author
lied the construction of railroad from
Dunkirls on Lake Erie to "a point on the
Hudson river opposite Tarrytown.
WHAT VANDERBILT DID
Some years later Commodore Wander
bilt perfected the first great unification
of railroads that had been accomplished
| in the United States up to that time.
This unification was known as the New
York Central and Hudson River rail-
road. Tn cline ran parallel with the
| Ellie Canal and it was thought inevitable
| that were it not for this canal the. com
modore's railroad system would have Sc
cured complete monopoly of transport
tation across New York state, The
canal, it was hoped, would serve as an
adequate restraining force to- prevent an
establishment of a monopoly at that
| time. 8ts% &s&
| There did arise intense competition,
but not in the form which it was expected
competition would assume. 1t was the
| competition which was, due to the ability
| of the railroads through economic hand
| ling of freight, long and unbroken hauis
! to and from the west and through the
great volume of business thereby OBJ
| tanned. SO to reduce the cost of trans
portation as to make it impossible for the
| canal boats to be operated at a like Or
| lower cost This was not cut-throat
competition 1t was legitimate compe-
tition, for both the railroad and the peo-
pie prospered by reason of it.
WE MUST IMPROVE 1T
| Therefore the people of the state of
New York decided that the Erie canal
should be so enlarged as to make it pos
sible to operate barges driven by steam.
Still the idea of restraining the railroads
possessed the people, and they Therefore
authorized great improvements in the
canal. These, however, We're of no avail,
! but it began to be perceived that an IN
correct view had been taken and those
who succeeded Commodore Vanderbilt
| in the management of the New York
| Central We're among the first to take
| that view They were persuaded that
the canal could be best employed in the
| interest of the people, in the interest of
the canal itself, and also in the inter-
est OF the railroad if it were to be so
operated that it could establish co-opera-
ton with the railroad and eliminate COM
petition. That view was taken in some
parts of the west where canals were suit
before railroad construction had been
perfected upon any large scale
That is the view which is taken now
htrt l..