-V?
THBHTTSEUR
G IDISPATCH.
SECOND PART.
la-
PAGES 9 TO 12.
PITTSBURG, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 189L
A
L
Jhe State Commission Makes
an Exhaustive Report to
the Legislature.
ITS FEASIBILITY SHOWN.
Uoute Decided Upon From Conneaut
Lake to the Ohio Biver.
BMIE YEBI COaYINCING FIGDEES.
The Canal as a Trade Developer for the
Great Northwest,
VT1LL BE A GREAT THING FOE THIS CITI
dembers of the Commission Submit Inter
esting Papers Upon Special Features of
the Proposed 'Work The Cheapness and
Reliability of Water Transportation as
Compared With That by Kail The Har
bors of Pittsburg and Erie, Their Com
mercial Importance and What the Canal
Will Do for Them Davis Island Lock as
an Outlet.
rSPICIil. TELXGBAX TO THE DISPATCH. (
Habbisbtjeg, Feb. 20. The report of
the Canal Commission, which was appointed
&er,SjrZBj.
by Governor Beaver in October, 1839, under
an act of the Legislature, was presented to
day. The commission consists of the fol
Irwin gentlemen: John A. "Wood, of
Tittsburg; "W. S. Shallenberger, of Roches
ter; Ebi Brewer, ol Erie; John 1I. Good
win, of oliarpsvlllc, and Thomas P. Eoberts,
of Piltsbig. The commission organized by
electing John A. 'Wood, President, "W. S.
S'lallenberger, Treasurer, and Eben Brewer
Secretary. The act under which the com
mission was appointed provided that they
Mere "to determine the feasibility of con
necting the waters of Lake Erie and the
Ohio rirer by a ship canal, to lay out a
ronte for the same, if feasible, and to esti
mate the expense of construction, and make
report thereof to the next Legislature." An
appropriation of S10.000 was made to defray
the expenses of the commission.
The report is exhaustive and to it are ap
pended several maps and appendices. The
commission say that the specifications of the
resolution under which it was created are
not entirely explicit. The commission, the
report says, has acted upon the assumption
that the omission from the resolution of
terms limiting the field of inquiry was in
tentional, and not merely an inadvertence.
How tho Land Lays.
The question ;of feasibility in this, as in any
like case. Is merely relative. In order that it
might, before proceeding to actual surveys,
satisfy itself that the establishment of a canal
of dimensions and capacity generally commen
surate to the term chip canal to connect the
waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio river, is, on
come available route, feasible, the commission
made this subject of inquiry its first study.
The history of the canal known variously as
the "Erie canal of Pennsylvania" and as the
"Erie extension canal" shows that the surface
of the water In the summit level of that canal
was at the elevation of 1,0S2.5 feet above mean
ocean level equivalent to elevation of 509.61
feet above the mean level of Lake Erie and
that the area of country in the neighborhood
of the canal, and lying higher than 1.0S2.5 teot,
lsentirt.y insufficient for supply of water in
quantity adequate to the service of such um
mlt level, even with a canal of no more than
four feet depth of water and 44 feet width of
water surface.
The entire water supply of the summit level
(except an amount estimated by the engineer
of the old canal to have been "at the least" equal
to $75 cubic feet per minute, or 1,404.000 cubic
feet per diem, "throughout the year," which
amount this commission, on basis of gauge
made in July, 1S90. estimates at 1,512,000 cubic
feel per diem), was draun from a reservoir at
Bemus' Dam" on French creek, about three
miles above ilead ville, by a f ecder ( hich as
ol navigable size) some 27 miles in length.
Because of the elevation of the canal, rela
tive to that of the country through which it
lay, so water supply other than that just named
was practically available anywhere between
the summit and Erie harbor, distant ilhi miles
from the point at' which the French creek sup
ply entered the canal; nor within the 16 miles
next southward from that point. Consequently
the service of 61 miles of canal north of a.
point 16 miles touth lrom the southern end of
the summit level, depended entirely upon water
supplied by French crecL. and Conneaut Lake.
Feasible bat Not Practicable.
By the construction of several reservoirs and
a conduit of no great length an addition to this
supply of all the wateis of Watson's rnn (see
general map) might have been made; and by
means of a feeder of some 21 miles in length
utilization of some of the headwaters of the
bhenango was feasible, but hardly reasonably
practicable.
Having fully considered all the facts bearing
on the matter, among which is tho important
fact that the volume of water in any given
length of a ship canal, such as that construc
tion of which is herein recommended, will bo
something more than 13 times that in a like
length of the old canal: and tho other facts
that any wholesale diversion ot the waters of a
large stream, such as-would be necessary to the
er ice of a canal very much larger than was
the old canal, to be maintained on tho old canal
route, would be inequitable: and a project in
volving such diversion indefensible; the com
mission concluded that maintenance of a ship
canal on the route of the old canal is not prac
ticable. It has to say, however, that this
route, which it adjudges "impracticable," is
better than any other ljlng wholly in Penn
cylvania. An Immense Plateau.
Conneaut Lake lies in a considerable de
pression in the ranee of highlands forming the
divide" between the waters flowing into Lake
Erio and those of the Shenango Valley. The
elevation of the crest of this range is every
where east, or northeasr, from Conneaut Lake.
" greater than a; the point where the old canal
cro:3es it. Where the Erie and Pittslmrg
Railroad crosses the range in question at a
point some miles west from the longitude of
the lake, the top of the railroad rail Is 6S feet
higher than the water surface line in the old
canal summit level.
And, generally, going west from the lake, we
find the crest of the range about 80 feet higher
than that water line, until, almost immediately
west or tho boundary line between Pennsyl
vania and Ohio, the range quite abruptly ter
minates, its rounded end standing oat. as a
promontory into p sea, into a great plateau
lying fully 140 fcoi llowtbecieitofthoi.ro
n:ontory. and some & f set belnw the summit
level water turfacc ot tue old canal.
Tho Points to Bo Followed.
From Iho cutset la its,4uquiry the commisv
OR
SHIP
CANA
N a. Q- i
is i 3 5
slon has clearly recognized the fact that the
prime desiderata in the matter in which it is
acting, are: the greatest possible degree of
ceneral utility of the canal in direction of en
largement and general betterment of means for
transportation, and facilitation and promotion
of commerce between the principal coal pro
ducing and iron manufacturing region of the
country and the great and rapidly developing
Northwest; and large servlceableness as a
means of prompt delivery into the lakos of
armed vessels, should need for sneb means for
protecting our lake cities unhappily arise.
The Secretary of War in his latest an
nual report calls attention to the fact
that the smallest of the St. Lawrence canals
are capable of passing armed vessels of
a class of which there are more than
50 in the British navy; and that within a shoit
time none of the Canadian canals will bavo less
than 15 feet of water on its lock sills; with
which condition more than 100 of the vessels
now in the British navy might pass into the
lakes. Under the treaty, between Great
Britain and the United States, now in force,
neither country may build nor maintain naval
vessels on the lakes; bat the country that has
ample means for promptly putting armed ships
into those waters does not need to build them
there.
The canal herein recommended wonld pass
cunboats of the Concord and Yorktown class.
These vessels are 230 feet long on the load line,
with 36 feet beam, and have mean draft of 14
feet.
No Oatside Considerations.
Fully accepting the fact that tlid canal should
be made so as to afford servioe as great as may
be by any means derived from such a work,
the- commission has. from the beginning, felt
that no considerations of the particular inter
ests (obviously or presumably to be served or
otherwise affected by the construction of the
canal on this or that route), of any locality, nor
section of conntry should have any weight as
agawst the selection of that route which, with
out opposing to the construction of the canal
unduly great obstacles, affords the waterway a
course shorter than, and otherwise f ally as
favorable as, any other.
The plateau of which we have spoken occu
pies many square miles in Ohio and extends
eastward across the State line far into Penn
sylvania. The greater part of it is wooded: In
some tracts of as much as 10,000 acres no "clear
ing" has been made. Much of it is almost per-
Summit 'MeveZ, 2oWa
GOiyation. of Surface moJS.o
ToTALt-OCKflGE. VP
-2o-
-
fectlv "flat," and consequently, in the absence
of any "improvement," wet and swampy. But
as mall proportion of the whole district carries
any Umber of much commercial value. Along
the State line some patches of hemlock aro
found and clumps of Bwamp pine are numerous
on the Pennsylvania side of the State line.
There is a tamarack bog of about 65 acres di
rectly on tho State line, but ordinarily the sub
soil is firm and there are nowhere any sugges
tions ot difficulties to be encountered in con
structing a large canal through this country.
In this plateau aro the principal sources of
the Ashtabula. Grand and Shenango rivers.
Pymatuning creek, a considerable stream
which falls into the Shenango about three
miles above Sharpsville, in Slercer county,
Pennsylvania, takes its rise here, as does also
the west branch of the Conneaut river.
The Allegheny Koute Kbt Advisable.
In connection with its examination of the old
canal route the commission mado similar in
quiry relative to the route via French creek
and the Allegheny river. Holding the opinion
above expressed that the canal should follow
the shortest practicable route, the commission
upon learning that the distance from Franklin
to Pittsburg by tho Alleghony river is fully 123
rntlea, and that a waterwav from Conneaut
Lake to Pittsburg via Franklin would be not
less than 155 miles in length, while the ronte of
the old canal from French creek feeder junc
tion to the Ohio river, with the 26 miles of river
navigation, from Beaver to Plttsbure added
thereto, was no more than US miles; and that
tho Allegheny route is, therefore, at least 37
miles the longer; and for other reasons con
cluded that construction of the canal by the
Allegheny route is not advisable.
By therouto herein recommended by the
commission the distance from Lake Erie to
Pittsburg is no more than 12S? miles. The
distance from Erie harbor to Plttsbure by the
old canal and the Ohio river was 162 miles,
and the distance from Erie harbor by the old
canal route to Conneaut Lake and thence
via Franklin to Pittsburg would boat least
199 miles.
The Size of the CanaL
Having reached the conclusion that the canal
must follow a route taking it through the above
described plateau in Ohio, the commission
sought data for determining tho depth of
water, dimensions ot waterway and size of
locks necessary or desirable in the contem
plated canal. Having been warned that vessels
now engaged in freighting ore and coal on the
lakes are of size much greater than that
formerly considered sufficient; and that a
canal, in order to accommodate tho ore car
riers of to-day, must have navigable depth of
at least 16 feet; and that, moreover, no ore
freighter nor coal carrier in use in present prac
tice could afford to waste time In a canal; tho
commission approached this subject with some
misgivings.
It was, however, reassured upon ascertaining
that the average cargo of ore received at the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
docks at Ashtabula (the principal ore-reoeiv-'
ing port of Lake Erie) in 1SS9, weighed out
L494.ll gross tons; which average compared
with that of Escanaba cargoes (averaging
considerably higher than cargoes from Lake
Superior) in 1873. shows increase ot no
more than 202 tons (per average cargo) in
the period of 16 years indicated by tho dates
given. It learned that the average coal cargo
shipped from the Lake Shore docks at Ashta
bula in 1SS9 weighed in 1,206.4 net tons; the
number of cargoes having been 206, carried by
139 several vessels, of which 105 came to Ashta
bula with ore. It learned further that of ICC
vessels bringing ore to Ashtabula m 1SS9. 120
brought less than 1,500 gros tons at a trip; and
that of 104 vessels taking coal from that port
in said year, 79, or 75.76 plus per cent of tho
whole number, took less than 1,500 net tons.
And that, in short, folly 50 per cent of the ves
sels engaged in carrying ore and coal on the
lakes can pass, loaded to their fnll capacity,
through a canal affording 14 feet navigable
depth of water.
In view of these facts and others going to
show that even the largest vessels navigatln"
the lakes may profitably use a canal between
Lake Erie and Pittsburg affording 14 feet
navigable depth, and after due consideration of
tho natural conditions in the Shenango, Beaver
and Ohio rivers, respectively, to which canal
construction must, or will preferably, contorm,
the commission recommends that the canal be
made to afford 14 feet navigation (to do which
it will necessarily carry at least 15 feet of water
on lock sills and elsewhere) being satisfied that
establishment of that capacity is readily practi
cable, and being of opinion that a canal having
that capacity, with locks large enonchtopass
a csscl of 300 feet in length and 44 feet beam
will adequately satisfy ail demands of the com
merce for accommodation aud development of
hich it is desigued.
Tho Cocneaut-Shenango Route.
A shin canal on the Conneaut-Shenai g t
route will not divert from their natural courses
any waters tributary to any stream rising in
Ohio; and certainly would not in any way in
terfere with that canalization of the Mahoning
river, which, as this commission assumes,
would, simultaneously with the construction of
tho canal from Lake Erie to the Ohio river, be
effected for the purpose of bringing the Lower
Mahoning Valley, with its 15 blast furnaces. 10
rolling mills, and very many other manu
facturing establishments, into the ship canal
system. Tho natural waters of the Mahoning
are, under suitable management, amply suf
ficent for maintenance of such lateral ship
canal system, which would make junction with
the Shenango Valley lino just below the point
at which the Mahoning and Shenango join to
form the Beaver river.
The unal on the Conneaut-Shenango route
will serve the valley of the Shenango. with its
21 blast furnaces, 9. rolling mills (exclusive or
the S rolling mills uf the Beaver Valley), steel
works, nail factories and many other manufact
uring cstablKurnenti-, liv means of water
naturally triuutaiy to tlie'Sheiiango river. A
dlversiou to the Warren summit or any con
siderable part of tho llp.L!u-arra nf thfl .Sill-
nango would render impracticable the mainte
nance of a lateral ship canal along tt.it stretch
,
jl the Shenango Yalley on which tho :oresaidJjiff air la comparison with exB)plei oX-Uko work;
furnaces and mills are sltnato; that is to say,
from Sharpsville (at which pCSe there are nine
furnaces) to a junction near the confluence of
the Shenaugo and Mahoning rivers, with a
canal occupying the Warren route. The dis
tance from Sharpsville to said point of conflu
ence is about SO miles. In view of the facts
above stated,the commission adjudged the War
ren route unavailable.
Terminal Facilities at Erie.
The commission early took into consideration
tho natural advantages and commercial im
portance of the harbor of Erie as a terminus for
the canal. There are two, and probably three,
other approaches to the bay from the long
level in which such a canal would extend from
Girard to the city limits of Erie, any one of
which would afford better facilities for con
struction and operation than would the old line,
even if that line were free from obstacles.
These approaches to the bay are formed by
water courses, heading from a mile to a mile
and a half south of the shore, at the level and
nearly on the line which the projected canal
would, if constructed, occupy, and falling into
the bay at points where abundance of unoc
cupied shorn line within practicable reach of
large areas of deep water would permit the lo
cation of an entrance basin entirely safe, con
venient and adequate to the demands of the
largest traffic which the projected canal could
ever secure,
Tho commission, after taking all things into
consideration, concludes that Erie harbor is
not available as the lake port of the ship canal,
umply because the canal, if carried from the
Ohio river to Erie harbor by the shortest route
on which maintenance of such canal would be
practicable would be fully 22 miles longer than
it will bo if taken to Conneaut harbor. In Feb
ruary, lbOO, the commission ordered a thorough
examination of Elk Creek harbor, but found
that the conditions generally wore not favora
ble to construction of a deep harbor at that
place.
Continuation of the Survey.
As beforo indicated, establishment at Elk
creek of a harbor sufficient for service in con
nection with a ship canal, is not reasonably
practicable; and, moreover, the Elk creek
route is 1 miles longer than that to Conneaut
hamor. In view of these facts the commission
abandoned the idea of taking the canal to the
lake at Elk creek outlet.
From the point aforesaid, common to the
Elk creek and Conneaut lines, the canal survey
FXOM 1tKE -W3. TT
So
-itjW
was continued around the base of the promon
tory hereinbefore described, and across the
State line into Pennsylvania; and thence to ihe
Shenango river, at a point about three miles
above Sharpsville; tho head of the Sharpsville
slackwater of the old canal.
The entire practicability of the route down to
tho Shenango having been satisfactorily
demonstrated, the engineers returned to the
lake and ran the line, to which reference has
before been made, extending from Conneaut
harbor 14.659 miles southward to a connection
with the Elk creek line.
This done, they resumed operations at the
head of Sharpsville slackwater. and continued
their survey thence to the mouth of the Beaver
river. The dlstanoe from Lake Erie to low
water mark in the Ohio river Is. by the route
above generally described, 102.972 miles. In
actual location for construction of canal this
distance would be decreased, perhaps, by one
half mile.
AT DAVIS ISLAND LOCK.
TH5 LIKE CONNECTION SHOULD BE MADE
AT THAT P0IHT.
Its Location There of Great Importance to
the Commerce of Pittsburg The Feasi
bility of Building tho Canal to the Lock
Demonstrated.
A canal constructed on the line described,
would "connect the waters of Lake Erie
with the Ohio river,': but the commission is
clearly of opinion that the connection of the
lake with the river should be made at
Davis Island lock. The fact that Pitts
burg harbor, from Davis Island dam up to
about midway of the length of Brunot's
Island, a distance of about two miles, may,
at insignificant cost, be made navigable by
vessels drawing 14 feet, is fully shown in the
paper on the characteristics of the Upper Ohio,
accompanying this report. That in order to
pass a vessel drawing 11 feet of water from the
terminal lock of the ship canal through tho
Davis Island lock no alteration nor deepening
of that lock would be necessary, is made evi
dent by the diagrams and accompanying speci
fications herewith submitted.
For passage of river craft from the Ohio into
the canal, or vice versa, at the mouth or the
Beaver, locks appropriate to such interchange
should be provided,, and an item representing
the cost of such locks is included in our esti
mate. Delivering Its boats into the Ohio river at the
mouth of the Beaver river, about 26 miles below
Pittsburg, the old canal was of but small serv
ice to commerce between Pittsburg and the
lake; wherea, had it been extended, according
to the original plan to Pittsburg, it would have
fostered traffic, and grown to meet tho growing
demands of that traffic so that it would have
long ago attained tho dimensions of a ship
canal instead of suffering entire annihilation
at the hands of the railn ays as It did.
Its Feasibility Is Shown.
Satisfied, as it was, that the Ship Canal ter
minating anywhere below Pittsburg harbor
would fall as far short of possible usefulness as
did the old canal, the commission took the
steps necessary to satisfy itself of the feasibil
ity of constructing the canal not merely to
Rochester, bnt to Davis Island lock. It here
with presents a map, made from its surveys, of
the right bank of the Ohio river from Davis
Island dam to Rochester, also a map showing
the proposed location of the canal through
Rochester: but it has not undertaken to define
upon the first named map the exact line prefer
ibly to bo followed in constructing the canal.
The prime object in making this map was to
show that for the greater part ot the distance
between Rochester and Davis Island dam there
is ample space between the river bank and
tho railway: and that a canal may be construct
ed along the river without interference any
where with any important structures, and with
out any objectionable encroachment upon the
waterway of the Ohio river.
That in the 20 miles of its course lying next
below the mouth of Beaver river the Ohio river
approaches Lake Erie more closely than else
where, is a fact entirely obvious to any person
who examines a proper map showing the States
of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
A Practical Canal Summit.
The fact that the surface of the country lying
between Lake Erie and the Ohio river has a
general declination westward, snggests the
existence in any stretch of country along the
divide, of 20 miles or thereabout In extent, lying
considerably west from the boundary line be
tween Pennsylvania and Ohio, of a practicable
canal summit materially lower than any to bo
found at or noar tho said boundary line. Tho
summit plateau across which we have laid our
ship canal line i. however, loaer than any other
found cast of the longitude of Sandusky. The
elevations given in the report of the Canal
Commissioners of Ohio, for the year 1825, show
the summit on the canal from Portsmouth, O.,
(mouth of the Scioto), to Black river (now
Lorain), to have been 38.86 feet higher, and the
summit on the canal from Portsmouth to Cleve
land to have been 96.92 feet higher than our
Oonneaut summit. The Lorain Canal was 274.76
miles, and the Cleveland canal 312,15 miles in
length.
While there are on the Conneaut route several
points at each if which works of very co-sidcr-ablo
magnitude will be necessary, no one of
these pieces of work is particularly noiiceable,
even on the score of its magnitude. Construc
tion on this route nowhere involves any engi.
neering difficulty; and the most important
Sintfla nlenn nt wnrlrr ton fhm rnntA f o m,11
JteofjLEor LME-fUE6 00- fiJVM'SMP ' CjJMJCyAoM'CoMSAir jjjnaon.jrTrrjf OWO 7rtfEK0r'J?OCtST-JZZ..
found In ship canal construction, completed or
In progress, in .England and elsewhere.
Some of tho Principal Work.
The principal pieces of work to be executed
in construction of our canal are; The cutting
just north of the crossing of Conneant river;
the aquednct at the crossing of Conneaut river;
the aqueduct at the crossing of Big run, and
the cutting next south from the last named
aqueduct. The cutting first named makes
something more than 1,000,000 cubio yards of
excavation, about one-balf of which will pre,
sumably go into the aqueduct embankment
adjoining it on the south. The cutting and
aqueduct together make 1.51 miles of canal, and
the material to be handled in construction of
the canal proper. In this length of the work. Is
in amount only 39 per cent greater than that
estimated as going to construction of like
length of canal in continuous cutting of whole
area of normal prism of tho canal.
The plan for construction of the aqueduct,
according to which we have made estimate of
cost thereof, contemplates carrying the stream,
here crossed, through the point of the shale
cliff, on the north sfde of the stream, by means
of a double tunnel way, each opening being 40
feet in width, tunnels lined throughout with
brick work: intermediate pier of stonema
sonry; floor in each tunnel a stone invert. Sup
plementing these passages for tho waters of
the stream, we provide a ten-foot arched cut.
vert, which serves, also, to pass under the aque
duct embankment the tail-race of a water
power situate a few hundred feet above the
aqueduct site.
The Estimate of Cost.
With regard to the matter of our esti
mate of the cost of the ship canal
here in contemplation, we have con
sulted the principal builders of excavating
machinery, and contractors' plant generally, in
England as well as in this country, and have
taken counsel with contractors of large ex
perience in work of the several sorts involved
in canal construction.
As a result of these conferences with gentle
men well-informed as to the cost of producing,
and operating, modern appliances for handling
material, and of conducting operations, of the
kinds in view, on a large scale, we are satisfied
that large contracts (or a contract covering the
entire work specified in onr estimate herewith)
might be now made at rates that would bring
the cross cost of the canal inside the sum total
I
ll
s-na.
i
357:
5?.
of 26.375.188 named by us In the detailed esti
mate herewith presented.
We have provided in our estimate for revet
ment of the canal slopes (from a line three feet
abovo water level in the canal to a line three
feet below that level), with brickwork, and, in
tho estimate, have particularly indicated the
detail of the work. The weight of this brick
revetment wilt be about 360 pounds to the
longitudinal foot of reveted slope; this weight
includes that of the stono retaining strip set at
the lower edge ot the brickwork.
SOME OF THE FIGURES,
ESTIMATE OP COST OF A CANAL PE0M
CONNEAUT TO PITTSBTJEO.
The Expense of Improvements at Both Ends.
and the Construction ot Locks In the
Ohio Blver for Passing Vessels Through
Davis Island Lock.
Appended to the report are the following
estimates of the cost of constructing the
canal from Conneaut harbor to Pittsburg
harbor:
Dredging (and removal of ma
terial) at Conneaut Harbor to
make basin (Including pres
ent river bed) of 93-1 - acres,
with depth throughout of 17
feet (see map) $260,000
One mile of bulkhead (or
wnarflng), pllework, floored
16 feet wide, with 3-lnch
plank I.S0
" . S318.080
Excavation and embankment
for canal (lncludlnit a welr
way at each lock), from LaKe
Erie to the head or bharps
villa slackwater In the bhe- Cubic yds.
nanzo river. 51.9 miles 21.212,101
Excavation and dredging and
dvklnit from head of Sharps
ville slackwater to Kochester,
61 miles 12,670,021
Excavation and embankment,
itocbester to Davis Island
dam 0,400,353
Total cubic yards 43,282,475
At avcrace price Of20 cents.. 13,636,4!S
All locks and gates, complete:
51 In canal and 2 In Ohio
river (sec profile and dia
grams) on basis or prices
and cost given on profile.... 7,853 434
Weirs andwlr-gates,at35 locks. 90,000
Draw bridges (lnoludlng ma
sonry and all cost) tor rail
ways, 22 altogether (see list).
Including private tracks
(large estimate) 2M,O0a
Draws In highway bridges
crossing the Shenanco and
Beaver rivers respectively, 19
In all 110,000
Draws at crossings ofhighways,
private roads, lanes and
streets, 60 In all 143,000
Dams In Shenango and Beaver
rivers respectively: average
300 feet In length; 10x12 tim
ber; lrames set 20 inches, cen
ter to center; covered with
24-lnch plank; filled with
stone; timber and plank at
(13 per 1,000; 8,6'J0 cubic yards
stone at each dam, at !1 50
ptr cubic yard; cost (19,083
each, 22 in all 397,936
Guard gates, 14 pairs; Includ
ing masonry, 6, 750 per pair. 94,600
Conneaut Aqueduct, 2 tunnels,
40 feet each, through Shale
point; tunnels lined with
brick laid In cement; stone
pier between archways, stono
invert iu each tunnel; also 10-
reet masonry arch culvert,
under embankment (103,404
Concrete In chaunel-way In
aqueduct 34,755
Plauk in aqueduct 4.023
144,187
Two arches under Big Bun
Aqueduct 62,710
Two arches at crossings at She
nango creek 111,000
Masonry In culverts, for pas-
BageofsmaUcrecksandruns. 100,000
380,000 cubic yards masonry
In river walls In Beaver and
Ohio rivers respectively,
average price of S3 per cubio
yard.... 8,040,000
Masonry for water-ways under
canal, between Kochester and
Ilavis Island dam 390,000
Revetment or canal slopes (s;e
comparison or weight and
cost of brick, stone and plank
respectively, in body of re
port.) Brick revetment Brick (8)f
Inches xl inches i2M Inches)
laid on edge, with joints H
Inch; with retaining stone
4 Inches thick xl2 inches
deep, set at lower edge of
brickwork; the whole to ex
tend from line 3 reet below
water level to line 3 feetabove
water level; covering 12 feet
on face or slope; all laid In
cement; 1 cubic yard of "e-
ment mortar (cement 1, sand
2), for each 3, 410 brick (1 cubio
yard for each 20 feet in length
orcanal); 170.6 brick per loot
or canaf. One cubic yard of
curb stone per 40 feet or
canal.
Brick work at (7 231 (1 33-61
per 1,000 laid i per
Curb work at 1 05 per (foot of
cubic yard, laid J canal.
Canalcevetted, 51.9 miles from
lake to bhenango river, less
spaces occupied by locks and
loek-wlnrs, highway and
rallwav bridge abutments,
harbor bulkheads, and plank
revetments in aqueducts (viz.
23.660 reet) 245,352 n.
Spaces requiring revetment be
tween bhaxpivllle and Ko-
Chester....... .-., BJ,eoon
Spaces rsquijlg jtirtmsnio- . , ' .
tween Kochester and Davis
Island lock 118.940ft.
Total 412,092ft.
(1 33.61
650,590
Plank and concrete In channel
way ofBlg run aqueduct 130,000
Feeders, 8 feet deep; 20-fbot
bottom width: slopei, I5fl;
7-foot -water; delivery at ve
locity or 88 feet ner minute,
1.191.960 cubic feet per Soar.
Bay 33 miles of feeder at aver
age or 33, 000 cubio yards paid
material, per mile at 24 cents
percubicyard f 261,380
Gates and weirs 20,000
f 231.390
Pipe conduit 30-inch iron
pipe, 374 pounds per foot, at
IK cents per pound delivered,
. equals per mile 124,684 00
Lead Joints. 79K lbs per joint... 1,399 20
Trench. 2Jf feet x 6 ftet; 3.226
cubic yards at 30c SOT 80
Labor, laying 450 00
Cost per mile 37. Ml CO
13 miles at (27,591 t 897,818
Keservolr dams, with weirs and gates:
Big "Shenango No. 2'! f 87,500
Mothers, big ahd little 135.000
1 222,600
KUht or way Conneaut to
bhenango river. 52 miles (In
cluding distance from lake to
lock .No 1), at 36X acres per
mile, 1,893 acres; 75 acres at
$300 22,800
75 acres at fiOO 7, BOO
250acres at SM.,., .,.,.. ........ 12.500
743 acres at (20 , 14,960
"SOacresatfS .'. 6.C40
63,460
Land damages and costs 35,000
f (8,460
Damages along bhenango and
Beaver rivers 165,000
Right or way. damages and
costs. Kochester to Davis Isl
and dam 252,000
( 635,460
Ground for storage reservoirs
and necessary marginal
space, say 17,253 acres, at av.
tlOperacre 172,600
Kight of way for feeders; 265
acres at 20 per acre 6,800
Klgbtof way for conduit, (100
per mile 1,300
1 178.100
Elevation of water surface in
the .Rochester level11 is
705,291. Klevatlouot low water
" MIM - - .... .
? M Is
It ! ' 42 I foil I iSi
fJ! I A f I HP I ; Ilfi
(Hi? li m Htli it Jfal t I t IM in
do
mark in the Ohio river at the
mduth of the Beaver river Is
662.0. Difference, 43,291 feet.
1'or connection of the canal
with Ohio river pool No. 6.
at Kochester, three locks will
be necessary. Under the as
sumption that locks 200 feet
In length by 45 reet in width,
will serve the Durnoses for
which these locks will be pro
vided, we estimate cost ot the
three (with allowance for
extra cost or building one of
the locks In the river) at f 339,600
Two pairs of guard gates In
summit level, and two pairs
in the "Kochester" level 27,000
Total 24,421,471
Add for engineeilng and con
tingent expenses, 8 per cent.. 1,933,717
Aggregate 26,375,183
Under Instructions from the Chief of En
gineers, U. 8. At. Major L. Cooper Overman, U.
K. Engineers, made in January, 1889, an estimato
of cost of relocating the harbor entrance at
Conneaut. and building new piers (crib-work,
filled with stone) out to 16 feet natural depth
in Lake Erie, With allowance for contingent
expenses added (522,002) this estimate amounted
to 8212.022.
According to Major Overman's plan, the
channel way wonld be 160 feet wide, between
piers, dredged to give 16 feet depth of water
from the lake to inshore end of the works.
Enlargement of this plan so as to give 17 feet
of water at inner end of channel way, and to
carry the piers out to 18 feet natural depth. In
the lake, would entail additional cost of per
haps 50,000, making whole cost of the new har
bor entrance say $322,000.
THE SUPPLY OF WATER.
ST0EAGE EESEEVOIES AND THE QUAN
TITY IN FEENCH CHEEK.
Bow Much. Can Be Depended Upon From
Both Sources Drainage Capacity of the
Water Shed That Will Supply the Needs
of the Ship Canal.
J. 51. Goodwin submits some figures, show
ing the capacity of reservoirs for supply of
Summit level. He shows that the nine reser
voirs will hold an aggregate of 2,264,412,360
cubic feet, while the seven reservoirs below
the summit will deliver z,239,OS8,960 cubic feet,
or a grand total of 4,503,601,320. The season of
navigation being 214 days, the average daily
supply to Summit level is 10,581,366 cubic feet
from storage alone. Ihe total acreage of
tributary surfaces is 79,235, or about 124 square
miles. The probable aggregate area of land to
be acquired for reservoir purposes is 14,457
acres, of which a large proportion is now, prac
tically, waste land.
T. P. Roberts submits a paper upon the water
supply of French creek. In the course of which
he says that although the water supply of the
proposed ship canal, is amply sufficient without
drawing upon French creek, it will interest
many to learn something of the capacity of this
stream.
The Erie Canal's Supply.
The Erie Canal of Pennsylvania (abandoned
in 1872 drew its supply of water for its summit
level, and for a considerable distance both
ways, from the summit, from Conneaut Lake
the natural supply of the lake being supple
mented by means of a navigable feeder canal,
extending from the lake 27 miles to Bemus
dam, two miles abo'vo the city of Mead vllle,
Crawford county. The notion which some
residents along the route of the old canal still
entertain, viz: That this source of supply was
insufficient for the canal, is entirely erron
eous. It arose, probably, from the fact of the pecu
liar and unfortunato arrangement of the sum
mit level of the old canal, the water at times
not being able to run out of tho lake into the
canal of its own volition, and hence the neces
sity of pumping. The pumps must have been
either too small or otherwise inadequate for
the performance of the required duty, when
from any cause the level of the lake was lower
than that of the canal prism. Tho summit level
was provided with locks of four feet lift at
each end, malting it just four feet higher than
was contemplated originally. Such an arrange
ment would have been truly ludicrous, had it
not been for the lack of funds to dig ont the
entire length of eight miles of tho summit level
as originally designed by Its engineers.
The adequacy of tho water supply, says Mr.
Robert"" is one of the most important questions
belonging to the subject. He then tells of the
capacity of the creek, as shown in measure
ment taken at different times, and how its flow
could easily be used for tho purposes of tho
canal.
Route to the Lake.
Mr. Roberts also has a paper entitled "Route
the Lakes via the Allegheny River from Pitts
burg." He says:
That a feasible route exists frotn Pittsburg to
the lakes via the Allegheny river and French
creek, to a connection with the canal line,
recommended by the commission, in Crawford
county, is not to be doubted.
The Allegheny is a river best susceptible of
improvement by means of locks and dams. The
, surveys already made are not sufficiently accu
rate to determine tne location 01 tue dams
which might be proposed for the Improvement
of this river. The experience acquired in the
improvement of similar streams in this country
would probably dictate for dams on the Alle
gheny a lift of about ten feet, or lhitsuch a
maximum should not be exceeded, excepting
for grayo engineering reasons. If, then, a deep
canalization of the river should ever be recom
mended, the dams wonld necessarily be very
'UKp. struct U114S, WottciBjeJUheJAUetiurs,wa3 a -factor-cntirclydopendcat-upoajl
gheny river, even during the driest seasons, is
amply sufficient to meet the wants of the deep
est canal which might be proposed, so that the
questions involved In the studies of this stream,
or even of its tributary, French creek, are in
no way involved with the considerations re
garding a water supply.
Mr. Roberts thinks that dams in tho Alle
gheny should be constructed with special refer
ence to resist the action of ice in the river. Ills
idea was dams of ten feet lift and designed to
afford a depth of ninofeet for the passage of
boats, making to the comb of tho dam a height
of 19 feet from the bed of tho river. He re
gards this height for a permanent structure as
excessive, and thinks it would be advisable to
arrange on them a system of adjustable shut
ters of plate iron or steel, raising, or rather
lowering the height five feet when deemed ad
visable. When the shutters would be low
down they wonld present a smooth, metallic
top on the crest of the dam for the passage of
ice, and when down the dam would be only 14
feet high. Most of the dams above Freeport
can be founded on solid rock, which remark
applies to the locks as well.
Flood Lines of the Allegheny.
The highest flood record at Pittsburg is a rise
of 81 feet 4 inches. At Oil City, about eight
miles above the mouth of French creek, the
highest stage recorded In the Allegheny by the
United States Signal Observer stationed at
that point, since 1877, which is as far back as
complete records are obtainable, is 18 feet,
whicn flood occurred February 4, 1883. The
interference to navigation upon the wboleriver
by reason of floods, in case this river is slack
watered, will not be found to be serious, nor
has it been found to be a serious difficulty on
the Monongahela, where the floods are much
higher.
Below the mouth of French creek and be
tween that point and its mouth, 123 miles, there
are 18 bridges crossing the Allegheny. Of these
bridges, six within the limits of the city of
Fittsourg are located below the site chosen for
the Herr's Island dam, and reference has else
where been made to the limitations they
impose on the navigation of the Alle
gheny river portion of tho harbor of Pittsburg.
The problems involved, particularly with sev
eral of the more important street bridges in
Pittsburg, should the Allegheny route be
chosen for the main line of a ship canal to the
lakes, would be quite serious, but the commis
sion quite fortunately is not called upon to dis
cuss them in its report.
River Interests at Pittsburg.
The above beading is tho title of another
paper contributed by Mr. Robert3.
In in.
course of this he says:
Tho river trade at Pittsburg furnishes era
ployment for a greateractual aggregate tonnagi
in vessels than is owned at any American port,
either on the lakes or on the Beaboard. For the
reason that the coal vessels are unnamed, often
being referred to simply as "packages," the
greater portion of this tonnage is not registered,
in the United States official shipping gazettes,
and consequently the facts regarding them are
known to few outside of those directly inter
ested in the navigation of the Ohio river. Al
though there are 5,0t0 boats regularly engaged
in the canal trade between Buffalo and Albany,
on the Erie canal, the aggregate capacity ot
such vessels is scarcely more than one-third as
great as that of the boats and barges owned in
tho single port ot Pittsburg and engaged in the
coal trade alone.
As this is a matter having Important bearing
on, and suggessive of what one item in the
possible future traffic in the proposed canal
may be, the commission made an effort to ob
tain the statistics of the commercial marine ot
the port of Pittsburg, audaltbougb the attempt
was made to have the figures complete and ac
curate, and although useful Information sup
plementing Its own work was furnished It by a
special agent engaged in the United States cen
sus work, several Bmall owners could not be
found, while others did not properly classify
their boats, and a few of the moie important
shippers omitted tho smaller vessels known as
"flats," which accompany fleets carrying the
fuel of the towing steamers. From reports re
ceived from 22 firms and individuals engaged
chiefly in tho coal trade, the following figures
are herewith presented:
Mamber.
Coal boats 1,467
Coal barges 1,776
Coal flats 643
Total 8,891 2,253,600
Features of Blver Navigation.
It may surprise many to learn that such a
vast carrying capacity should be required for
the coal snipped from the Monongahela river,
which amounts to about 4,000.000 tons annually,
making it appear that the vessels engaged in
the trade average only about two loads each per
annum. This somewhat anomalous state of
affairs in this trade arises from the irregularity
of the periods of navigation in the Ohio, and
the fact that in the majority of the ports to
which the coal is shipped no storage facilities
are provided, and the coal is accordingly left in
the boats until sold. These craft are short
lived, and a large proportion of them are al
ways in the docks for repairs or laid up in other
ways, often being aground on the shoals await
ing rise?.
Nevertheless, with all tho drawbacks which
beset the Pittsburg navigators, they can
proudly claim the distinction of showing the
best devised and choapest system of transpor
tation known to the world. A single towing
steamer can safely transport on one trip from
Louisville 30,000 tons of coal to New Orleans In
a few days, something which has frequently
been accomplished, the cost per mile per ton
being sometimes only a fraction of a mill. That
two such great avenue? for cheap transpor
tation in the interior of America with only 102
miles separating them, as at Beaver and
Conneaut harbor, cac exist with no means of
direct connection, evidences the neglect which
has been given in this country to advantages
which even a colony of Great Britain, not to
speak or France, Italy or Germany, would so
eagerly avail thomselves of.
Lower xtivor Interests.
A considerable portion of the paper is de
voted to Pittsburg and to its reputation as one of
tho best for general gas, steam, blacksmith and
coking coals. Attention is then given to river
interests on the dhio river below the outlet of
the canal. Wheeling and Bellaire mark tho
western limit of the compact iron manufactur
ing district, which extends along the Mononga
hela and Ohio rivers, from McKeespnrt, 15
miles above Pittsburg, to tho points na-nnd;
while its northern boundary is defined by Now
Castle, Sharpsville, Sharon and Youngstown,
on the waters of the Beaver. The proposed
canal, pasMug as it does, down the Beaver Val
ley, bisects this populous, wealthy manufactur
ing region, striking the Ohio river 26 miles be
low Pittsburg and 64 miles above Wheeling.
Even without tho assurance now given that
the Government will build within a few years,
at the most, a dam across the Ohio river just
below the mouth of the Beaver, the important
navigation interests of Wheeling, Steubeuville
and Bellaire would demand that locks should
be provided at the mouth of the Beaver so as
to give access to the canal, for without them
steamers and barges would have to be taken
up the Ohio river21 miles to the Davis Island
dam, to enter it. The construction of the pro
posed dam, by making an excellent harbor in
the Ohio and Beaver rivers, not only adds
therefore to the inducement of such a connec
tion, but makes it easier of construction and
safer in operation.
HARBOR OF PITTSBURG.
CONDITION OF NAVIGATION IN THE SEV
EEAL BIVEBS.
Physical Features In Connection With the
Davis Island Dam and the Monongahela
Navigation The Great Benefit of the
Dam Down the Ohio.
Mr. Eoberts devotes considerable space to
the physical features of the harbor of Pitts
burg and the navigation of the Mononga
hela. He savs:
Until within the last fix years, the depth
of water afforded in tho Ohio river at Pitts-
Tonnage.
1,174.600
953,100
120,809
the seasons and the amount of rain produc
ing the freshets, which alone made it nav
igable; but in 1884 the United States Gov
ernment completed its great work for the
improvement of this harbor by the construc
tion of the Davis Island dam across the Ohio,
four miles below the junction of the Mononga
hela and Allegheny rivers. This work cost almost
1,000,000, and consists of an adjustable dam
moro than 1,000 feet in length from Davis Island
to the right bank of tho river. N ext to the
main shore is the lock. 600 feet long between
gates, and 110 feet wide, making the largest lift
lock, so far as area is concerned, in the coun
try. The dam is peculiar in construction from the
fact that it Is arranged to be lowered in periods
of freshets or rises, which are the only times
the coal barges and boats, which draw from 6
to S feet of water, can navigate the river bo
low. The periods of freshets are very irregu
lar in their occurrence and duration, and while
waiting for them it was very important and es
sential that a safe harbor of good- depth should,
be offered, in which the boats could lie withont
injury or liability of grounding. Upon the oc
currence of a natural stage of water, making a
depth below the dam in the channel of the
Ohio of 7 or more feet, it is lowered
and the coal-towing steamers, with their fleets,
pass out through the "navigable pass" of the
dam, and, of coarse, without going through the
lock. Upon the return of the steamers bring
ing back empty boats from points below it may
occur that the river at Pittsburg has fallen to
i or 5 feet natural depth, in which case
the Davis Island dam will be found raised, and
in which event the boats must necessarily be
passed through the lock to reach the pool of
the harbor about Pittsburg, the idea of this
dam being to maintain, as permanently as pos
sible, a uniform depth in the harbor.
Improvements of the Harbor.
Without knowledge to be acquired from
thorough hydrographlo surveys of the entire
river between the Davis Island dam and Pitts
burg, the Commission would not be warranted
in suggesting detailed plans looking to the im
provement of the harbor of thatjeity, and mak
ing it more entirely available for vessels draw
ing the maximum depth recommended for the
canal. It is important to know that without
any costly improvement vessels drawing 14 feet
can reach a point midway between the dam
So
md the city wharf ; and that from that point
jp there is a channel for the passage of single
ve?sel3 over the Glass House shoal drawing
nine and one-halt to ten feet. From a chart
furnished the Commission by Colonel William
C. Merrill, United States Engineer, in charge
.if the Ohio riverimprovement, it would appear
that with the removal of about 50,000 cubic
tards of gravel from this shoal, a depth of 12
feet and200 feet wide could be given over it.
though, of course, more or less work would be
annually required in dredging operations.
While it is possible for single vessels drawing
9)4 feet, or, perhaps, even 10 feet, to reach the
wharf at Pittsburg without any improvement,
saving that already made by the construction
of this Davis Island dam, the safe, practicable
limit, in viow of the character of the landings
as tboy now exist, and dangers of vessels miss
ing the channel and grounding, wonld be a
depth for loaded vessels of not to exceed 9
on the River.
Another shoal exists in the Monongahela
above the Tenth street bridge, where for a
distance of about 400 feet the channel depth is
only 8 feet, when the Davis Island dam is fall.
This particular shoal has become worse in re
cent years, the result of the reckless encroach
ments made by filling out the river banks, and
making its waters the receptacle for the ashes
and cinders of numerous large mannfacturing
establishments, and of the refuse coal from
mines along the river. Recent legislation has
been bad from Congress looking to the cor
rection of the evils here complained of, aud
which have been for years a source of annoy
ance to the interests concerned in the
navigation of the rivers about Pittsburg,
and efforts are now being made to have the law
put in force. If this were done, and particu
larly if the banks of the Monangahela wero ex
tended out to properly prescribed lines, this
particular shoal would disappear of itself, and
in any event its removal by dredging to permit
of the passage of vessels drawing ten feet of
water, is a matter which would involve only a
trifling cost.
The extension of the harbor of Pittsburg up
the Allegheny river will require some notice.
At the mouth of the Allegheny there is a shoal
having a depth of not over eight feet of water
when the Davis Island dam Is raised. It is,
however, quite short, and is suscentlble of im
provement so as to afford a safe passage tor
vessels drawing nine feet at a cost of, perhaps,
not exceeding 55,000 to be expended in dredg
ing. Thonce lor two miles to the Herr's Island
dam, now about to be constructed by the United
States Government, there s a straight, easy
channel with a safe minimum denth at nina
feet.
Bridges Must Have Draws.
In referring to the subject of bridges. Mr.
Roberts says that all such structures crossing
the canal between Conneaut harbor and the
mouth of the Beaver must be made with draws.
In view of tho restrictions thrown about their
construction, and the difficulties to be over
come, their great cost, and the enormous local
business they accommodate, it will be wise to
consider the Ohio Connecting Railroad bridge,
tho Point bridge and the Allegheny river
bridges as fixtures. Some of them aro of such
peculiar construction that they would not ad
mit of being altered to provide for draw spans
without being entirely reconstructed with piers
differently arranged, etc Nor does it appear
that any necessity exists for recommending
any change in the bridges approaching the city
of Pittsburg, though it will remain the fact
that no vessels from the lakes carrying masts
more than SO feci above water line ran ap
proach nearer than to Brunot's Island, 2f miles
below the city.
The Monongahela river bridges limit tho
height of vessels which can pass up that river
to a low-water, or maximum clearance, of 61.8
feet to Monongahela City, 32 miles above Pitts
burg, where there is an iron highway bridge
affording a clearance of only 42 feet above nor
mal low-water surface. Ou the Allegheny
river the conditions are not so favorable for
master vessels passing beneath them as they
are on the Ohio and Monongahela rivers.
Monongahela Slack Water.
The slack-water navigation on the Monon
gahela 13 of the most noble proportions. There
are upon it nine dams in all, extending the
navigation from Tittsburg to Morgantown, W.
Va., a distance of 102 miles, with an average
length of the pools of about 11 miles. The
fact remains that no engineering difficulties
exist calling for tho expenditure of more than
a few thousand dollars at each of the nine
locks and dams on this river to prevent the
river from being made 9 feet in depth throngh
oufrits already improved portion of 102 miles.
Mr. Roberts goes at length into the improve
ments that can be made to the Monongahela
dams without extraordinary expense. In case
the canal of the proposed depth is constructed,
it would be a matter of great importance and
an advantage of vast pecuniary benefit to the
interests of all concerned to have the harbor
at Pittsburg Improved to correspond with It
more nearly in depth than its present condition
now admits of, and no effort and no expense
would probably be spared by the General
Government in doing what was possible to ob
tain so Important and entirely practicable a
result.
The commission ha3 taken this particular
subject into serious consideration, and in re
commending, in accordance with tho modern
experience, both that of Canada and of Europe,
whore the overwhelming advantage of deep,
over shallow, canals is now so well recognized,
an available depth for the Ohio and Lake Erie
canal of 14 feet, believes that to propose a less
depth would result in the proved Inadequacy ot
the work in a very brief period following its
construction.
Mean Depth of Water.
In connection with this paper a table Is given
showing the monthly and annual mean depth
of. water at Pittsburg from 172 to 1SS9 inclusive.
During the Is years the mean annual depth
ranged between 4.4 and 6.Q feet. with a mean for
the entire period of &.6S3 feet. Daring the
jura from 1835 -to 1SS9, both included, (ho ri3-J
Ingof tbeldamat Davis Island ha had soma
effect in increasing the annnal means, possibly
to the extent of several tenths. There is also
given a list of the bridges on the Allegheny
from Pittsburg to Oloan. with their length,
height, etc A similar list is given of those
over the Monongahela.
J. M. Goodwin contributes an appendix to
the report relating to the shipping and com
merce of the great lake;. At the close of 1373
there were on the lakes 2,090 vessels, propelled
either by sail or steam. In 1SS9 there were
vessels of all sorts, footing up in number. 2,885.
The maximum in tonnage of sailing vessels in
1889 bad advanced since 1872 "from 1,130 gross
ton to 1,900 gross tons; and of steamers, from
1,575 tons to 2.669 tons.
Of steamers of 4UO ton', and from 400 to L20O
tons, there were, in 1889. 34 more than in 1872;
and of sailing vessels of from 400 tons to 1.000
tons, there were, in 1SE9, 113 more than in 1872;
and this while the totat number of sailing ves
sels has decreased by 173.
Could Go Through the CanaL
Of the 613 vessels (238 sailing and 375 steam)
of over 400 tons gross tonnage on the lakes In
1889. some 331 in number, or more than 54 per
cent of this fleet could load to their full ca
pacity in the ship canal, constructed as planned
with 15 feet of water (II feet dranght per
mitted) on its lock-sills. And under operation
of conditions to be induced by establishment
of the .canal, steamers now loading to a draught
of, very nearly if not quite, IS feet, in order to
handle a cargo of 2,30002,400 gross tons, will
find a trade involving the round trip through
the canal (notwithstanding the limitation to 14
feet dranght), more lucrative than that In
which they have been heretofore engaged.
Cleveland receives by lake large quantities
of Inmber. distribution of which, to the coun
try south and southeast from Cleveland is made
by rail. Receipts of lumber at the port in
question In 1889, aggregated 333.000,000 feetB.
M. For vessels suited to this trade, the canal
will afford ample water.
The Wahnlpitae (recently stranded and
totally lost), schooner-ngged. but ordinarily
operated as a tow barge, was 260 feet in length
(customs measurement), and of the extraord
inary, beam of 51 feet. Witnnomore than 1L9
feet of depth she could carry about 1,000,000
feet B. it. of lumber. Her net tonnage (by
customs measure) was 1,359.97 tons. She
actually carried something more than 2,100 net
tons of lading. With beam of 44 feet sueh
vessel could carry about 660,000 feet B. M. of
DO
lumber in a canal affording 14 feet navigable
depth.
The Iron Tonnage.
Receipts ot iron ore at ports in the Cuyahoga
district, exclusive of Lorain, together with
receipts at Erie and Sandusky (the two ports
outside said district, from which ore is dis
tributed to the Shenango and Mahoning val
leys and to Pittsburg and vicinity), aggregated
in 1889, 5,112.312 gross tons. Deducting from
this amount the 299,000 tons consumed at Cleve
land, the 63.073 tons sent southeastward from
Erie by the Philadelphia and Erie Railway.and
the 123.185 tons sent from Ashtabula and Cleve
land to New York and New England and to
other points ont of the line of shiD canal
service, wo have remaining a balance of 4.627,049
tons; for transportation of which to its destina
tion the ship canal would have afforded superior
facilities.
Provided the current rate of increase in pro
duction of pig iron in the district above named
be not checked by lack of adequate transporta
tion facilities, an amount of ore equal to about
twice the "balance" above named will within
ten years from this time go annually from Lake
Erie into the country to be reached by means of
the ship canal.
The canal will afford ample meaDS for for
warding annually an amount of ore even
greater than this i 627,019 tons.
With cargo eqnal to the average ore cargo
received at Ashtabula in 1889. the tonnage
named makes something less than 3,084.7 ear
goes; say 3,085 cargoes, with 214 days of naviga
tion; this equals 1141 pins cargoes to go through
the canal per diem. Were the vessels, steam
and sail together, to make average of no mors
than 13 trips in the season, a fleet of 288 vessels
could do the entire work in question. An ex
amination of the table above will show that wo
have ot sailing vessels from 500 to LOCO tons
"gross" tonnage. 154; arid of steamers from 600
to 1,400 tons, 168; making a fleet ot 322 vessels
applicable to this work. And steamers as large
as the Cambria (of 1,873 gross tons) could profit
ably engage in the trade; back cargoes of coal,
or other northwest-bound freights being always
procurable.
Burden Capacity of Vessels.
Mr. Goodwin also submits a paper upon
nominal "tonnage" and actual "burden" of
lako vessels, in the course of which be says that
the list of merchant vessels annually made up
by the Treasury Department gives the gross
tonnage and net tonnage of each vessel, but
neither the gross nor net figures afford any
direct indication of the actual burden carrying
capacity of the vessel.
A wooden screw steamer to carry 1,400 to 1,600
net tons of cargo, with a draft of 14 feet of
water, may very well have dimensions as fol
lows: 00 feet keel. 213 feet over all, 34 feet
beam, '1 decks. Total deptn irom top or upper
deck to bottom of keel. 21 feet, measured, of
course, at crown of deck amidshlp. Tonnage
depth (Customs measurement) from underside
ot npper dectc planking to top ot ceiling, or
floor, in bold. 17.25 feet. Depth of lower hold
(under side of lower deck carlings to ceiling,
or floor), 9 feet. Between decks (under upper
deck carlings), about 6 feet. Displacement
of this vessel, at 14 feet draught, would be about
2,711 net tons. Weight ot vessel, machinery
and coal in bunkers, about 1,250 tons, leaving
cargo capacity of 1,461 tons.
This vessel at 14 feet draught would have 6.375
feet freeboard (i. c, the top of her deck, at the
sldo of the vessel, would be S feet 4 Inches
above ber load line). She might, therefore,
carry 1,500 tons cargo, or even considerably
more, without risk, m the lake. On entering a
shin canal tbroueh which she can steam with
in 43 hours, at no time speeding at a rate great
er than 4 miles per hour, she may have CO.
or even 100 tons les than her ordinary stock of
fuel on board. A steel vessel of the dimen
sions above given would carry cargo materially
In excess ot that specified as to be carried by
the wooden vessel.
Carrying Capacity Advanced.
The maximum point In cargo carrying capac
city has been largely advanced sinca 1S73 and
while the largest screw steamer on the lakes In
1S72 was of no more than 1,575 net tons, there
are now six ot 1,835.14 net tons; one of 1,902.78.
one of 1,004.58, and three of about 1,935 net tons,
the gross tonnage of the three last mentioned
being 2,669 tons each. The fact that cargoes of
ore of great size, such as those above specified
(of "2,900 to 3.300 cross tons), have been
carried by lake steamers, has been,
naturally, widely heralded, and we
find quite generally prevalent an
Idea that vessels carrying much less than these
great cargoes aro in small favor among like
BhiD owners. The fact is. however, that we
have now on the lakes 26 screw steamers rang
ing in gross tonnage from 00 to 600 tons each,
whereas, in 1872, there were but 12 vessels ot
that class, and that we have 120 screws ranging
from 200 to 400 gross tonnage, where in 1S72 we
had but 54.
But we bad in 1SS9 127 screws of tonnage
greater than the largest of those of 1872. The
size of the average Marquette cargo of ore
(coming through the Sault canal and the St.
Mary's river) has largely increased since 1873.
as a consequence of the increased capacity of
the Sault canal lock, and the deepening of the
St. Mary's river; measurablv, too. as an effect
of combined influences favoring the usa of
larger vessels in tho ore trade; but the general
average tonnage ot ore cargoes has not ad
vanced to the mark at which, one taking bis
impressions from the reports aforesaid, ot ex
ceptional cases, would naturally expect to find
It at this time.
Cargoes of CoaL
The aggregate number of cargoes ot coal
(bituminous, most of which came from Tough
iogbeny) shipped from the L.S.4M.8, R. R.
Company's docks at Ashtabula, in 1889, was
206. Total number of vessels loaded witn coal
(some but once and some several times) during
season, 139. Since no more than 105 of the ore
carriers took coal (as cargo), while no freight
oth er than ore was received by lake at the Lake
Shore Company's docks during the season in
question, the fact is apparent that 34 vessels
came to those docks, llgnt,for purpose of tak
ing coal as freight.
She averago cargo ol coal Jsken Ir tat X
3
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