The sun., 1919-02-11
CANADA WATERWAY
OPPOSED BY NIXON
Governor Smith Transmits
Report on st. Lawrence River
to the Legislature.
FANORS BARGE CANAL
Head Of State Public Works
Objects to Paying for For
eign Project.


ALBANY, Feb. 10.--In a special mes
sage TO the Legislature tonight GOV
Smith transmitted a report from Lewis
Nixon, state Superintendent of Public
Works. opposing the plan before Con-
gress for "A survey OF the cost OF deepen
ing the st. Lawrence River between
Montreal and Lake Ontario, with the
idea OF having tho United states coop
crate with the Canadian Government
in making the Improvement. The report
says that the cheapest. quickest ana
safest route from the West to the ocean
Is through the State Barge Canal TO
New York harbor.
while, of course, not wishing TO
charge that this movement is In any
way related to the propaganda against
use OF tho states canals TO n degree
commensurate with their possibilities
said MIR Nixon, IT need not point out
that It discourages the very enterprise
which is now in the course OF healthy
development In response 10 your pre-
election promises.
There can he no objection 10 the car
ryinE out of this work by tie Dominion
OF Canada a the Governments own risk
and expense. but at the same time
trust every effort will he exerted to in
duce congress TO refuse to authorize
any procedure by the representatives OF
the United States in the way pro-
posed by the amendment
Superintendent Nixon, who is a ship
builder, and has been in close touch with
water route development, points out that
IL Congress were simply calling for an
investigation Of the project II would be
all right but he shows that tho amend
ment assumed tho benefits of the i'm
provement" and requires a survey that
in itself will lie expensive for the United
States.
"Our contention is that a ship canal
from the Great Lakes TO Montreal will
not be a commercial success and that
Congress will upon investigation find
that any money spent in bringing it
about will be wasted
"Only dilettantes in water transporta-
ton advocate the navigation OF rivers
and canals by oceango!ng ships"
n addition he points out that the big
saving in time and cost of transporting
freight through New Works. new barge
canals argues against the proposed route
from an economical standpoint, and in
addition insurance rates are higher IN
the st. Lawrence region because OF fogs.
The State OF New York has at enor-
nous expense created an adequate
waterway from the lakes 10 the Hudson
IrFe 10 INC Use OF craft tl All inc states,
the capacity of which cannot ne over
taxed. inasmuch as added water supply
can be secured 20 keep pace with needed
increase OF traffic" says Mr. Nixon.
IN the event that the development OF
trafnc overtaxes possible terminal facill-
ties at Buffalo and New York we have
the potential domestic routes through
OsNego and Albany by tho Improvement
of Oswego harhor and tho deepening Of
the Hudson River 10 twenty-seven feet
from Hudson to the Federal dam az
Troy.
Tho development OF these two auxil-
larry ports would relieve any possible
future incapacity Of existing and pro-
posed facilities, and such project would
be based not only on the economical al
vantages to be obtained in convenience.
speed and cost. but Will retain to this
nation the benefits OF handling It's own
commerce. ! recall no instance in his
tory where one nation has diverted COM
merco to another to It's own disadyan-
ia &C."