The Washington herald., 1918-05-31
CANALS
now PROPOSED
Deepening Of Tennessee
River Projected. Too.
Says Holland.

A1oclo ouO4t4s AlMD3N3t VIII uaNo
completed improvements 20 the Ten
nessee river whereby that important
stream win be made navisabls fer
steam vessels Of considerable tonnage.
far back TO the end Of It's present nav
canal was completed around the rap
IDS OF the great river Of the far
Northwest. whereby navigation from
the sea far inland which 10 Of great
benent to ahe farmers. was secured.
At the head waters Of the Mississippi
river an ARTIFICIAL waterway has been
constructed to Minneapolis. whereby
that metropolis Of the Northwest 10
epaoled to take another step In the
direction Of the commercial suprsm-
aey In that region. which was predict
ed for 1t by william H. Seward In Q
memorable speech he made while
United States senator before the be-
ginning Of the civil war. Within .
few years Massachusetts, bay has
been connected by canal with Bug
Yards Bay, thus meeting q recon-
mendation made by John c. Calhoun
when he was Secretary Of War IN the
cabinet Of President Monroe almost
exactly a hundred years ago
A day or two ago report was made
in this column Of Information which
reached New York City from New Or
leas that construction work upon o
canal which viii connect Lake Tom
chartrain with the Mississippi River.
at or near New Orleans has negun
and when completed this canal win
greatly increase the harbor facilities
of New Orleans and win directly and
. indirectly prove Of advantage to the
entire United States
Enlargement Asoevated.
Now there are intimations that the
representative Of the government. Mr..
Tomlinson, who under the authority
Of Director General McAdoo has
been placed in charge Of the opera
ton Of the new barge canal across
New York state. Is already persuaded
that this canal should be converted
at least from Lake Ontario to the
Hudson river into q ship canal equal
in size and in navigable capacity to
the Welland canal and to the other
canals around the rapids Of the st.
Lawrence River upon the Canadian
side. Mr.. Tomlinson very likely will
In due time advocate the enlargement
OF the canal from Oswego to the pres
of that from q point near Syracuse
or Rome. New York. to the Hudson
River so that It will be naviga bic
by vessels Of large tonnage driven by
steam.
Many years ago some Of the far
seeing men OF the time earnestly ad-
vocated the construction Of a true
ship canal connecting Lake Ontario
with the Hudson River. But possibly
for reasons OF cost and because the
state cid not fully understand the
value to New York and to the nation
which would be found in the navi-
eating of a true ship canal from
OswegO to the Hudson. the agitation
was abandoned and a small canal con-
structed.
Should a ship canal with q term
inal on Lake Ontario at Osweso
be constructed including the enlarge
ment Of the present barge canal TO
sh.p-canal proportions. then there
would remain only one link to per-
feet in a comprehensive, adequate
deep waterway system, whereby
large vessels could pass back and
forth between the Hudson. Duluth or
Chicago.
For ten years an able and respon-
sible group of men have been advo-
eating the construction Of a canal
whose southern terminal would be
at Lake Erie a few miles south Of
Buffalo and whose northern terminal
would be at a point upon Lake On
tsrio nearly due north Of the city
of Iockport and some miles east Of
the point upon Lake Ontario where
the Niagara River empties. Many
are the reasons which are advo-
Gated for a canal Of this kind. First
of all. the claim Is made for a true
ship canal connecting Lake Erie with
Lake Ontario running some miles
east of Buffalo. that with the i'm
provement of the Oswego Canal and
the new barge canal so that they
would be made navigable for large
vessels, this contemplated canal
would furnish the needed artificial
waterway large enough and deep
enough to be navigated by ocean
going steamers. Furthermore those
who have been advocating this plan
assert that a canal OF this kind can
be so built as to have a depth Of
thirty feet and a width Of 800 feet.
Only two locks will be needed. In
the second place. the proposition, il
IL 10 acceptable to the government
and the State or both, Is to be financ-
ed by men who possess large capi-
tai and whose ability Is recosnized.
The canal will furnish free SANTA
tion for local communities. 1t will
make possible the construction upon
lake harbors Of terminals similar to
those in South Brooklyn identified
by the name OF Bush, which have
arnanAal -
government. In the next place, by
the utilization of natural resources
which are almost inexhaustible, the
equivalent Of $4,000 horse power can
be generated A canal Of this kind
would put an end to the apprehen-
sion that the increased development
Of electric energy at Niagara Falls
will impair the natural beauty Of
the falls. The control Of the eoy-
eminent over the canal II promised
to be absolute. And all the advan-
tages OF public ownership without any
OF the disadvantages will be secured.
II built and navigated no tolls will
be charged, the corporation which
will undertake the work being Der
suaded that 1t will receive compensa-
ton and fair profit for the invest
ment through the sale OF thirty horse
power per cubic foot.
II may be that as one Of the re-
suits following the taking over By
the government under the authority
of Director General McAdoo of the
new barge canal there will begin
the construction of q true ship
canal from oswego to the Hudson
river utiiizing part of the present
true barge canal And IL 1t is to