The considerations of facts and suggestions herewith presented, embody
important reasons for the Legislature to continue in force the Act of
April, 1871, "to foster and develop the inland commerce of the State." It
seems well adapted to influence, encourage and facilitate the development
of mechanical, inventive talent; and to this end, all interests pertaining
to the immediate elevation of canals, to the benefits of steam, should
co-operate.
To encourage invention to utilize the steam is of paramount importance,
because the other "_necessities_" will then be met, and they need no
legislation, for common business talent will supply their demands.
The MECHANICAL NECESSITIES of our canals are greater than pertain to any
possibilities by the old systems of propulsion. _It is not sufficient for
steam to barely or doubtfully compete with horses, it should supersede them
with the same superiorities and same universality_ that it has on
railways.
Where steam is mechanically adapted to its uses, horses bear no comparison
to its economies; hence, give steam its required mechanical adaptation to
canals, and horses must be abandoned.
The enthusiasm of 1872, in regard to steam, is less than in 1858, but there
is a deep feeling of necessity for steam permeating the community, and it
should be encouraged and directed in the proper channel, for the anxieties
of 1858 _foundered on incompetent mechanism_, and the anxieties of 1872
_are in the same impassable channel_.
* * * * *
The Governor's Message of 1873 renews the scheme which was prominently
before the Legislature a few years since, which was to lengthen one tier of
locks by gates of different construction, and so as to receive longer boats
of present width; yet a single thought will show that _this will not help
steam_; for the insatiable desire for maximum cargo will put the _Bull
Head_ boat into the long locks, just as it has into the present locks, and
sharp steamers cannot compete with it.
It is proper to observe that such lengthening of _one tier_ will first:
coerce present boatman to sacrifice their property, which with boats and
equipments, exceeds a valuation of twenty million dollars, or else cut the
boats into two parts, and lengthen them (and strengthen their sides and
"back-bones") to the full capabilities of the lengthened locks; for the
short boats cannot compete with the long ones.
Then, when the mass are altered, they will coerce the State to alter the
second tier, because it becomes worthless and inoperative, and because the
one tier becomes incapable of passing so great a multitude of boats, and it
would otherwise greatly reduce the carrying capacity of the canals.
The State is sure to complete the removal of the "benches" on the remaining
part of the "Eastern Division" as they are already removed from a part, and
from the Middle and Western Division; and then we can find no fault with
the canal. _But this will not help steam_ vs. _horses_. All improvements
help horses equally with steam, and there is the ever-pending difference of
cargo.
The same authority discusses the advantages to follow, "if the time can be
shortened from Buffalo to New York from (14) fourteen to (5) five days,"
&c. If a hundred thousand dollars reward _for expedition_, pending during
two seasons of navigation, has proved insufficient to reduce the _average_
of the three shortest trips, with 200 tons cargo, below seven days total or
actual time from Buffalo to West Troy, the five days to New York, with the
present knowledge of steam machinery, becomes an impossibility. But
newspapers have preceded the message with the false supposition and the
same error.
The extraordinary measures initiated by the N. Y. Central R. R., by their
forty million dollars issue of bonds for the construction of _a double
track exclusively for freight_, shows the growing importance of this
already immense business, and whilst automaton steamers, _under the known
mechanism of the age_, will inevitably lessen the carrying capacity of the
canal, by filling its locks--which alone control the maximum carrying
capacity--eleven times with light cargoes in place of nine times with full
freights; _the mechanical elevation_ and substitution of steam, as shown by
the CANAL NECESSITIES herein set forth, possesses still more extraordinary
importance.
Every consideration enforces the NECESSITIES, set forth in this appeal, OF
MECHANICAL IMPROVEMENT, LOCAL AUXILIARY POWER, AND CONCENTRATED MANAGEMENT.