It should be observed that the first trials of steam in 1858 were made
during a season of low water, and when the Canal Board had limited the
loading of boats to four and three-fourths feet draught of water, which,
later in the season, was increased to five feet, and in subsequent years to
six feet, as continued to the present time.
Among the most successful trials of the first era of steam on the canals,
may be mentioned the _H. K. Viele_, _P. L. Sternburg_, and _S. B.
Ruggles_. Each could carry three-fourths cargo and tow a full cargo, and
each exceed the speed of horse-boats.
Among the most successful trials of the present era may be mentioned the
_Port Byron_, _Baxter_, and _Newman_. Each can carry five-sixths of a
common cargo, and exceed the speed of horses.
In the early era of steam, _the prominent policy_ was to combine towage
with carrying capacity by the steamer, for economical expedition. In the
present era, it has been to make the carrying capacity of the steamer, in
itself, economical and expeditious.
This latter policy has arisen under the Appropriation Act of April, 1871,
which limits the minimum cargo to two hundred tons, and the minimum average
speed of three miles per hour. But these limitations must cover a superior
economy of freight transportation to that by the former trials with steam.
Else, they are worthless; else, they are failures, as in 1862, and their
general introduction impracticable.
As in the steamers _Byron_, _Baxter_ and _Newman_, _there is nothing
mechanically new_, in variation from the _Viele_, _Sternburg_ and
_Ruggles_--these trios being _respectively mechanical counterparts of each
other_; the paddle-wheels of the _Byron_ and _Viele_, the twin-propellers
of the _Baxter_ and _Sternburg_, and the common propellers of the _Newman_
and _Ruggles_, being respectively identical--the economical features are
easily considered.
The first trio can carry 200 tons at good speed; the second can carry 180
tons, and tow 240 tons; total, 420 tons, at good speed.
To the first trio, two boats of each class must be altered; two sets of
machinery must be furnished; two corps of engineers maintained, and coal
for two round trips must be supplied, with incidental expenses to two
steamers, to move 400 tons of freight.
To the second trio, only one boat of each class is to be altered; one set
of machinery furnished; one corps of engineers maintained, and coal for one
round trip supplied, with the incidental expenses, to move 420 tons of
freight.
The costs of alterations and adaptations of the first trio are two-fold
those of the second; the cost of machinery greater to the first trio than
to the second; the costs of engineers two-fold to the first trio; the costs
of coal about the same to each, with greater incidental expenses to the
first than to the second _per tons of freight moved_.
The differences in the two trios are in their _steam capabilities and in
their times_; the second requires about one day extra on the canal, as
possibly due to the locking of the tow, though no extra time is required
where both locks of the pair are ready. But the extra twenty tons of
freight more than pays the extra time.
The times of transit or rates of speed to the two eras are very nearly
alike, the steamers of the first having _greater steam capabilities_, as
due to their boat in tow, whilst those of the present era have reduced
their steam capabilities to increase their cargoes from the 180 tons to 200
tons.
The times of transit, or rates of speed, are given in the following
miscellaneous record, and as published, from time to time, from 1858 to
1862:
The _Wack_ was 7 days, total time, with boat in tow, from Buffalo to Troy.
The _Wack_ was 4 days 16 hours, net time, with half freight, from Troy to
Buffalo.
The _Sternburg_ was 28 hours, total time, with boat in tow, from Buffalo to
Rochester, 93 miles, averaging 3-1/3 miles per hour.
The _Ruggles_ was 5-1/2 days, net time, with boat in tow, from Buffalo to
Troy, and 6 days 14 hours, net time, from Buffalo to New York.
The _Eclipse_ was 7-1/2 days, total time, without tow, from Buffalo to
Troy, and 5-1/2 days, total time, without tow, from Troy to Buffalo.
The _Gold Hunter_ was 7 days 5 hours, total time, without tow, from Buffalo
to Troy.
The _Rotary_ was 4 days 4 hours, total time, with half freight, from Troy
to Buffalo, and 3 days 16 hours, net time.
The _Bemis_, a screw-tug, with three boats, was 5 days and 8 hours, net
time, from Buffalo to Schenectady, 321 miles, average 2-1/2 miles per hour.
The _Washington_, do., with 3 boats, was 5 days 2 hours, net time, from
Buffalo to Cohoes, 340 miles, average 2-3/4 miles per hour.
The _Dan Brown_, do., with three boats, was 6 days, net time, from Buffalo
to Albany, 351 miles, average nearly 2-1/2 miles per hour; and was 7 hours
from Buffalo to Lockport, 31 miles, averaging 4-2/3 miles per hour.