Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-04
"HE history of efforts to make
the Susquehanna River navi-


the Susquehanna River navi-
gable is not one to be proud
! of, with the exception of the de-
velopment of the canals along its
banks, long since absorbed by the
railroads. and abandoned, it has
been one hundred and thirty years
OF surveys, reports and talk. Presi-
dent George Washington included
it in his recommendations for an
inland waterways transportation
| system. The early settlers found in
it ready and practical means of
transportation. From 1858 to
1770, it was subject of investiga-
ton and legislative action. In 1771
four thousand pounds were appro-
priated and the Susquehanna River
was declared a public highway and
navigable stream. In 1890 the
War Department assigned an engi-
neer to make surveys and estimates;
| this was done but Congress did
nothing. In 1888 five thousand
pounds were appropriated, and
from 1891 to 1893 Ten Thousand
Dollars were appropriated. In 1895
| an "Ad" in the Oracle" of Dauphin
the ancestor of the Harrisburg Tele-
graph, called for men who could
handle explosives to blast the rocks
out of the Susquehanna, between
the mouth of the Juniata and the
Swatara Creek. Large, flat boats
were built and loaded with hay,
! oats, corn, wheat and other farm
. products, floated down the river and
delivered at the towns along the
Susquehanna, and at Baltimore,
Wilmington, Philadelphia and New
York.
Maryland took up the matter in
1928, and a party of enthusiastic
business men made a trip from
Owego, New York State, to Harris
burg, in flat boat. Harrisburg
lead in the efforts from 1927 to
1888. In 1884 the question came
up again, and a survey by Army
Engineers was made, but both
State and National Legislature re-
fused to act.
Boats carrying from 500 to 400
bushels of wheat were used in
those days and Travelled down the
river sometimes a distance of three
hldndred miles. Later came the
canal along it's banks, evidence of
which is still visible, except where
the site of the old canal is occupied
by the railroad. The old canal was
the means by which Philadelphia,
New York. Wilmington, Baltimore,
Washington, Boston and other east
ern coast towns were supplied with
coal, lumber, farm produce and
cattle.
In 1908 an exhaustive study and
prehenSive report on making
the Susquehanna River navigable
was made to the Harrisburg Board
of Trade, by E. q. Wal
lower, Benjamin NJ. Mead, John
w. German, for the Committee on
feasible-practical- At
that time the manufacturing inter-
ests of Harrisburg represented 446
industries-total capital. $8,749,516
their output valued at $16,054,-
SGT; Dauphin county totaling
capital of about $20,000,000, with
an output of $40,000,000. After
fifteen years of steady growth, they
have more than tripled the capital
and the output In 1908 President
Roosevelt included the navigation
of the Susquehanna River in his
message recommending the inland
waterways. The time was not ripe
and the subtle opposing influence
was too strong, the people were not
interested, the necessity of more
and cheaper means of transporta-
tion was not so pressing.
1t seems proper here to reply to
the statement frequently made.
that inland waterways, >interior
rivers and canals, are not used and
do not pay-that canals and inland
navigable rivers could not compete
with the railroads, that railroads
offsred quicker and as cheap means
of transportation than canals and
rivers-the railroads continually
developed, they built larger freight
cars, larger locomotives. better ac-
commodations. better facilities for
handling and delivering freight.
The country developing rapidly,
cities, towns and industries grew
along the lines of the railroad. The
river steamer remained the same
size, the same speed; wharves and
docks were undeveloped or allowed
to go to ruin. No new facilities
were installed. no inducements to
encourage development of business
were offered; canals remained the
same size, no enlargement of width,
depth or locks; boats necessarily
lremained the same size and the
same tonnage; mules continued a.
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