project47      ,,history ,,of ,,steam   
,,on ,,the ,,erie ,,canal4   ,appeal for
 the ,extension of the ,act of ,april1  
#ahga1 to ,foster and ,develop the      
,inland ,commerce of the ,state1  ,,for 
,,the ,,benefit ,,of ,,the ,,canals     
,,and ,,the ,,commercial ,,community4   
,,new ,,york1 ,,january1 #ahgc4   ,,new 
,,york3 ,,evening ,,post ,,steam        
,,presses1 #da ,,nassau ,,street1 ,,cor4
 ,,liberty4 #ahgc4   ,with ,respects of 
the ,author1  #aee ,broadway1 ,n4 ,y4   
,,history ,,of ,,steam ,,on ,,the ,,erie
 ,,canal4   ,,screw ,,propellers ,,from 
#aheh ,,to #ahfb4  ,during the maple    
sugar season of the spring of #aheh1 a  
well-to-do farmer1 of western ,new      
,york1 whittled out a spiral or         
augur-like screw-propeller1 in          
miniature1 which he thought admirably   
adapted to the canal4 ,he soon after    
went to ,buffalo1 and contracted for a  
boat to be built1 with two of his       
,archimedean screws for propulsion by   
steam4  ,although advised by his        

builders to substitute the common       
four-bladed propellers1 he adhered to   
his original design1 and with one       
propeller at either side of the         
rudder--called twin-propellers--she was 
soon ready for duty4 ,she is the vessel 
known to history as the ,charles ,wack4 
,she carried three-fourths cargo and    
towed another boat with full cargo1 and 
made the trip from ,buffalo to ,west    
,troy in seven days1 total time1        
averaging two miles per hour4 ,but she  
returned from ,troy to ,buffalo1 with   
half freight1 in four days and sixteen  
hours1 net time2 averaging three and    
one-twelfth miles per hour1 without tow4
  ,this initiated the series of steamers
 from #aheh to #ahfb1 and1 with others  
that soon followed1 created a general   
enthusiasm in behalf of steam           
transportation1 which led to a trip     
through the canal that fall1 on a       
chartered steam-tug1 by the ,governor of
 the ,state1 the ,canal ,board1 and     
other notables1 and with public         

receptions1 speeches1 c41 at different  
cities along the route4  ,that boat was 
soon followed by the ,s4 ,b4 ,ruggles1 a
 first-class steam canal-boat1 built by 
the ,hon4 ,e4 ,s4 ,prosser1 of ,buffalo1
 with a first-class modern propeller1   
and with double the engine capacity of  
the former4  ,the ,p4 ,l4 ,sternburg    
soon followed1 and was a first-class    
boat1 with modern twin-propellers1 but  
with less engine capacity than the      
,wack4  ,the same season there were some
 local steamers built to run regularly  
between different cities on the line of 
the canal4  ,the following season of    
#ahei was the most active year the ,erie
 ,canal has ever known in regard to     
steam4  ,the ,c4 ,wack was sold to ,mr4 
,prosser1 who took out her ,archimedean 
propellers1 and substituted a modern    
propeller1 and doubled her engine       
capacity1 and reproduced her as the     
,city of ,buffalo4  ,the ,gold ,hunter  
was produced by the ,western            
,transportation ,company1 of ,buffalo4  

,she was a short1 oblong tub1 with a    
square1 box-like bow1 and rounded stern1
 designed only to carry machinery and   
coal1 and was to be recessed into the   
stern of ordinary horse-boats by cutting
 away an equivalent space therefrom4    
,she was designed to make a trip on the 
canal1 and be immediately transferred to
 another boat for return trip1 thus to  
avoid the usual loss of time at the     
termini of the canal4 ,she was abandoned
 after a brief trial4  ,the canal-boat  
,niagara had the ,cathcart propeller    
supplied1 which consisted of a union of 
the propeller and rudder by a universal 
joint in the shaft1 and so adjusted as  
to unite them for steerage purposes4    
,this design was tried on the steamer   
,cathcart1 upon the ,chesapeake and     
,ohio ,canal1 in #aheh1 and with        
considerable newspaper eclat4  ,the     
,rotary1 of ,new ,york1 was a new       
steamer for freighting purposes1 with a 
rotary engine and common propeller4     
,this occupied but little space1 and    

worked prettily on exhibition4  ,the    
,eclipse1 of ,new ,york1 was new1 and   
had oscillating propeller engines4      
,,screw-,,tugs4  ,the ,gov4 ,king was a 
medium-sized ,new ,york harbor          
propeller1 and made repeated trips with 
three boats in tow1 and one trip with   
five boats4 ,she was so slow as to be   
unremunerative1 as compared with horses4
  ,the ,western ,transportation ,co41   
after the failure of the ,gold ,hunter1 
built two powerful tugs1 the ,washington
 and ,lafayette4 ,they were soon        
withdrawn4  ,mr4 ,prosser built the     
first-class tug1 ,stimers1 but she had a
 short canal history4  ,the tugs1 ,bemis
 and ,dan ,brown1 made good runs each1  
with three boats in tow1 but were       
short-lived canallers4                  
,,paddle-,,wheels ,,and ,,other         
,,devices4  ,during these years the     
paddle-wheel system was thoroughly      
tried1 and under varied circumstances4  
,as the locks prevented the use of      
side-wheels for full freights1 an       

adjustable stern-wheel was tried4 ,this 
could be raised or lowered in adaptation
 to the light or full cargo4  ,the ,h4  
,k4 ,viele was a first-class canal      
steamer1 with stern-wheel and vertical1 
or excentric1 acting paddles4 ,these    
were considered by some as peculiarly   
well adapted to canal purposes1 yet in  
practice proved otherwise4  ,the ,fall  
,brook was built by ,mr4 ,john ,mc,gee1 
of ,seneca ,lake renown1 for towing     
purposes1 intending to establish a line 
between ,seneca ,lake and ,new ,york    
city2 but her canal abilities were so   
poor as to cause her withdrawal to lake 
duty4  ,she had powerful engines1 with  
vertical acting paddle-wheel1 set       
amidships between twin-hulls1 with a    
full flow of water from bow to stern1   
and was decked across forward and aft of
 her wheel4  ,the ,lady ,jane1 of       
,utica1 was a bow paddle-wheel boat with
 small engines4 ,she accomplished but   
little4  ,as paddle-wheel canallers have
 proven less efficient than screw       

propellers they are more limited in     
numbers4  ,other contemporary devices   
were tried4  ,the canal-boat1 ,oswego1  
had her stern recessed to receive a     
submerged horizontal1 centrifugal-acting
 water-wheel1 which received water at a 
central and ejected it at a periphery   
opening for propulsion4  ,this opening  
could be turned for steerage or backing 
purposes4 ,she was altered at ,green    
,point and received good machinery at   
,brooklyn1 but was soon restored to     
horses4  ,duck's-feet paddles were      
experimented with at ,buffalo4 ,a scull 
propulsion was tried upon the ,hudson4  
,also hinge-bladed propellers1 to open  
and close with a fore-and-aft movement  
at the stern4 ,this last device was     
tried by a ,doctor ,hunter1 who has more
 recently tried a ,fish-,tail           
,propeller1 the blades being made of    
rubber1 to imitate the form and         
elasticity of the tail1 with mechanical 
imitations of movement4  ,it is hardly  
necessary to add that these devices were

 all worthless1 and others of           
miscellaneous character may have been   
tried1 yet without merit4   ,,remarks4  
,wealth1 experience and skill have      
marked this first era of steam1 and     
though combined1 they utterly failed4   
,both ,mr4 ,prosser and the ,western    
,transportation ,co4 were owners of     
fleets of splendid lake propellers1 and 
were wealthy1 with interests intimately 
identified with canals4 ,it is evident  
there was no want1 either of money1     
mechanical resources1 or knowledge of   
canal business as basis of their        
failures with steam4  ,capital flowed   
into the steam enterprise from various  
resources1 and ambition multiplied      
experiments1 but with no appreciable    
success4  ,the difficulties lay beyond  
the reach of capital and beyond the     
reach of known resources1 and no        
adequate knowledge had been developed to
 solve the problem4 ,therefore1 after   
suffering failures for several years1   
the ,state wisely volunteered to add    

extraordinary inducements by a large    
appropriation to encourage success4 ,it 
could not have been to encourage the    
reproduction of former failures by the  
repetition of former trials4  ,the      
inquiry is therefore proper1 as a lesson
 from the history of the early era of   
steam1 what are the difficulties8 ,why  
has steam failed so absolutely and so   
universally8 ,why did the ,state        
subsequently offer a large bounty to    
foster and develop steam4  ,obviously   
there is some hidden difficulty1 some   
unknown inability1 because steam is the 
arbiter of the age1 it is the great     
supreme motor of man's agencies         
throughout the world1 hence we come from
 the sublime to the ridiculous when we  
use it to load boats at ,buffalo1 to be 
towed #cej miles by horses4  ,the       
lessons of the early era are worthless  
for repetition4 ,there is no better     
screw-propelling machinery known than   
was then tried and abandoned2 but the   
lessons are of value to discover the    

difficulties which must be remedied2 to 
teach that the success of steam lies    
beyond the reach of publicly known      
mechanical resources4  ,the trials      
establish plainly and incontrovertibly  
that the failures were owing to the want
 of mechanical adaptation to required   
duty2 to a mechanical inability to      
utilize the power of the steam2 to a    
mechanical waste of power beyond their  
ability to control or remedy2 and that  
the wasted power was extravagantly large
 and the utilized insignificantly small4
 ,a very intelligent captain of one of  
the best and most powerful steamers     
known to the ,erie ,canal1 who had a    
full and carefully-kept log1 stated that
 when his engine exceeded a hundred     
horse-power of steam1 he could only     
equal twelve horses on the tow-path4    
,thus over seven-eighths of his power   
was wastefully developed in order to    
render one-eighth useful4 ,but this     
occurred when he was moving only two    
loaded boats--the steamer and one in    

tow--but when moving four boats--three  
in tow--the percentage of utility was   
lessened1 and he could not exceed eight 
to ten per cent4 of his steam1 as shown 
in slower movement1 when fewer horses on
 the tow-path could equal him4  ,the    
steamer is a reservoir1 and its rotatory
 power is free to be developed inversely
 as its resistances4 ,hence1 when       
fastened to a pier1 it is all developed 
in its receding currents1 and per contra
 when moving2 if its machinery had a    
perfect fulcrum1 it would all be        
developed in the run of the boat2       
consequently1 on rivers and lakes1 with 
fine-lined steamers1 that cut the water 
like a knife1 it is like standing in a  
small boat and pushing from a large one1
 but on canals1 with their full bows1 it
 is like standing in a large boat and   
pushing from a small one2 the little one
 runs away with the power4 ,the more    
than #ajj square feet area of immersed  
section of the full bow represents the  
large boat1 and the dozen square feet   

effective area of propeller blades1 set 
at an easy angle for spiral motion and  
recession velocity1 is the little one   
that squanders the power so             
extravagantly4 ,increase in number of   
boats increases this contrast4 ,the     
propeller blades of a good canaller will
 move twelve to fifteen miles1 in their 
line of spiral movement1 to get two to  
three miles headway for the boat4  ,a   
correct scientific analysis can trace   
the developments of the eighty-five to  
ninety per cent4 of the inherent power  
of the steam that is wasted on the      
common canal-boat1 and that has no      
resultant effect whatever in the motion 
of the boat1 just as positively as it   
can trace the co-developments of fifteen
 to ten per cent4 that is utilized and  
that moves the boat4  ,the practical man
 sees the truths of these statements4   
,he sees steam used with small1 medium  
and large engines for canal purposes1   
and sees them all fail to meet the      
economy of transportation established by

 horses2 but he would just as soon put  
men on the tow-path to compete with     
horses as to put horses into his        
elevators to compete with steam2 and    
that1 because in the elevators the power
 of the steam is chiefly utilized1      
whilst on the canal it is chiefly       
wasted4  ,it is therefore conclusive    
that there is an absolute necessity for 
a ,,new ,,mechanical ,,system1 for a    
radically different system of           
transmissive mechanism1 for a system    
that can develop a considerable portion 
of the power of the steam in the        
movement of boats4  ,the variations of  
the old systems of propulsion that are  
being continuously tried are worthless1 
in the very nature of the case1 because 
they are in no sense a remedy for       
existing inabilities1 and because they  
do not1 in any sense whatever1 meet the 
difficulties4   ,,steam ,,in #ahga ,,and
 #ahgb4  ,,screw ,,propellers4  ,soon   
after the ,act of ,april1 #ahga1 to     
foster and develop the inland commerce  

of the ,state1 the steam canal-boat     
,cathcart was tried4 ,she is like the   
,niagara of #ahei1 and has not been     
continued in the trade4  ,the canal-boat
 ,george ,barnard1 afterward called the 
,andrew ,h4 ,dawson1 was tried1 and has 
run through the season of #ahgb4 ,she   
has a common propeller in her bow1 with 
a recess from the water-line inclined to
 twenty feet aft to the bottom4 ,her    
propeller1 therefore1 forces the current
 against this incline and along the     
bottom in retardation of its progress4  
,hence1 she cannot be expected to excel 
former trials4  ,the ,eureka is an iron 
boat1 built at ,buffalo1 with           
twin-propellers at her bow1 set in      
recesses1 at a diverging angle1 to throw
 the water from the bow along the sides 
of the boat4 ,she is built1 by men of   
canal experience1 with compound engines1
 and was designed to be a superior boat 
for canal purposes4 ,but her mechanical 
currents at and against the bow must    
have a retarding tendency1 not          

compensated by any other considerations4
  ,the ,george ,a4 ,feeter is also a    
twin-propeller1 with diagonal1 channel  
waterways on each side for about        
twenty-five feet1 when they merge into a
 larger channel about five feet forward 
of the rudder4 ,her propellers are set  
in these channels1 about ten feet aft of
 their side openings4 ,with her         
propellers thus housed1 the mechanical  
currents against the aft-sides of her   
channels are very damaging to her       
efficiency4  ,the ,wm4 ,baxter is also a
 twin-propeller1 like the ,p4 ,l4       
,sternburg1 of #aheh1 and with compound 
engines1 like the ,eureka and the       
,dawson4 ,she is built of yellow pine1  
with easy lines1 and so low as to be    
unable to carry five-sixths of a        
horse-cargo of wheat or corn below deck1
 so that her lightness gives help to    
cargo1 and her sharp bow and stern to   
speed4 ,but her construction and model  
were long since abandoned by canal-boat 
builders4  ,the ,wm4 ,newman is a common

 propeller and double-deck boat1 and    
carries two hundred and ten tons4 ,she  
is much like the ,ruggles of #aheh1 but 
has less steam capabilities4  ,the      
,charles ,hemjee was built upon the     
,western ,division1 with a tunnel-shaped
 encasement to her propeller4 ,of course
 she is reported as very slow4  ,the    
,john ,durston had a propeller built in 
with her rudder1 and driven with a      
vertical shaft1 extending down through a
 cylindrical rudder-post1 but was unfit 
for service4   ,,paddle ,,wheels4  ,the 
,port ,byron is a stern1 paddle-wheel   
boat1 with vertical or eccentric acting 
paddles1 and is like the ,viele of      
#aheh4 ,she has a recess the entire     
length of her bottom of several square  
feet area1 intended to facilitate a flow
 of water from the bow1 but the flow    
does not occur2 the mechanical currents 
of the wheel will be from the nearest   
water1 and not from ninety feet forward4
  ,the ,montana is a similar            
stern-wheeler1 without the recess4  ,the

 ,success consists of two sections1 to  
be disconnected for passing the locks1  
with paddle-wheel machinery at the bow4 
,her wheel1 inside of the paddles1 is a 
drum or cylinder1 filled with cork1 to  
be buoyant1 and the hull has an easy1   
scow bow1 for the water to pass under   
the boat4 ,practically1 the large drum  
makes her a horizontal1                 
cylindrical-bowed boat1 and she         
mechanically throws the water therefrom 
against the scow-shaped bow1 and so that
 the cylinder displacement with the     
mechanical currents1 and the scow-bow   
displacement1 combine to make her very  
slow4 ,with her two sections she brought
 one and a half cargoes of corn4  ,the  
,excelsior has a horizontal1            
eccentric-acting paddle wheel1 and was  
built of light iron at ,green ,point4   
,she had a recess at the bow for her    
submerged wheel1 and1 when thus tried1  
found the retarding effects of the      
mechanical currents at and against the  
bow so great1 as to cause her original  

bow-propulsion to be made               
stern-propulsion1 when she was much     
improved4 ,she was tried with cargo for 
a short distance on the canal1 and      
withdrawn4  ,the ,fountain ,city is a   
common boat1 with machinery at her      
stern4 ,she has two submerged           
horizontal1 excentric-acting            
paddle-wheels1 each of small diameter4  
,these are placed under her quarters1 in
 the rudder cross-section1 and she is   
steered by her machinery4 ,the          
characteristics of these wheels are like
 the ,excelsior's1 and the eccentric    
variations of both--together with the   
,byron's1 ,montana's and ,viele's--are  
known as old devices of secondary merit 
on river1 lake and ocean steamers4  ,the
 ,santiago is a scow-boat1 with a       
recess1 or flume1 the whole length of   
her bottom1 to a stern propeller4 ,her  
steam was soon abandoned4  ,an          
endless-chain propulsion was tried upon 
the ,western ,division1 without success4
  ,a common canal-boat has been         

experimented with at ,brooklyn to propel
 her by the reaction of a powerful      
blower or fan4 ,this was driven first by
 a ten-horse1 and next by a forty-horse 
stationary engine1 and afterwards by a  
forty-horse oscillator4 ,each failed to 
move her from her slip1 and the         
conception proved an absurdity4  ,in    
addition to these1 local steamers have  
been run between different cities for   
local purposes1 more or less1 since     
#aheh1 and steam-tugs have been brought 
into requisition occasionally4          
,,observe3  ,this review presents the   
important fact1 that ,,no ,,new         
,,mechanical ,,system ,,has ,,been      
,,introduced4  ,the screw-propellers and
 paddle-wheels are multiplications from 
the former era4 ,the variations from the
 common propeller and paddle-wheel1 in  
the miscellaneous devices1 are all under
 reductions of merit4  ,all the         
bow-propulsions1 and all the variations 
from the ,viele1 ,sternburg and ,ruggles
 of the former1 and the ,byron1 ,baxter 

and ,newman of the present era1 are     
inferior1 whether viewed practically or 
scientifically4  ,hence1 steam has      
received no mechanical advancements     
since #aheh2 and the efforts of #ahgb   
are as positive and determinate failures
 as those of #ahfb4   ,,the ,,trials    
,,of ,,steam ,,in #ahgb ,,less          
,,economical ,,than ,,in #aheh ,,to     
#ahfb4  ,it should be observed that the 
first trials of steam in #aheh were made
 during a season of low water1 and when 
the ,canal ,board had limited the       
loading of boats to four and            
three-fourths feet draught of water1    
which1 later in the season1 was         
increased to five feet1 and in          
subsequent years to six feet1 as        
continued to the present time4  ,among  
the most successful trials of the first 
era of steam on the canals1 may be      
mentioned the ,h4 ,k4 ,viele1 ,p4 ,l4   
,sternburg1 and ,s4 ,b4 ,ruggles4 ,each 
could carry three-fourths cargo and tow 
a full cargo1 and each exceed the speed 

of horse-boats4  ,among the most        
successful trials of the present era may
 be mentioned the ,port ,byron1 ,baxter1
 and ,newman4 ,each can carry           
five-sixths of a common cargo1 and      
exceed the speed of horses4  ,in the    
early era of steam1 the prominent policy
 was to combine towage with carrying    
capacity by the steamer1 for economical 
expedition4 ,in the present era1 it has 
been to make the carrying capacity of   
the steamer1 in itself1 economical and  
expeditious4  ,this latter policy has   
arisen under the ,appropriation ,act of 
,april1 #ahga1 which limits the minimum 
cargo to two hundred tons1 and the      
minimum average speed of three miles per
 hour4 ,but these limitations must cover
 a superior economy of freight          
transportation to that by the former    
trials with steam4 ,else1 they are      
worthless2 else1 they are failures1 as  
in #ahfb1 and their general introduction
 impracticable4  ,as in the steamers    
,byron1 ,baxter and ,newman1 there is   

nothing mechanically new1 in variation  
from the ,viele1 ,sternburg and         
,ruggles--these trios being respectively
 mechanical counterparts of each other2 
the paddle-wheels of the ,byron and     
,viele1 the twin-propellers of the      
,baxter and ,sternburg1 and the common  
propellers of the ,newman and ,ruggles1 
being respectively identical--the       
economical features are easily          
considered4  ,the first trio can carry  
#bjj tons at good speed2 the second can 
carry #ahj tons1 and tow #bdj tons2     
total1 #dbj tons1 at good speed4  ,to   
the first trio1 two boats of each class 
must be altered2 two sets of machinery  
must be furnished2 two corps of         
engineers maintained1 and coal for two  
round trips must be supplied1 with      
incidental expenses to two steamers1 to 
move #djj tons of freight4  ,to the     
second trio1 only one boat of each class
 is to be altered2 one set of machinery 
furnished2 one corps of engineers       
maintained1 and coal for one round trip 

supplied1 with the incidental expenses1 
to move #dbj tons of freight4  ,the     
costs of alterations and adaptations of 
the first trio are two-fold those of the
 second2 the cost of machinery greater  
to the first trio than to the second2   
the costs of engineers two-fold to the  
first trio2 the costs of coal about the 
same to each1 with greater incidental   
expenses to the first than to the second
 per tons of freight moved4  ,the       
differences in the two trios are in     
their steam capabilities and in their   
times2 the second requires about one day
 extra on the canal1 as possibly due to 
the locking of the tow1 though no extra 
time is required where both locks of the
 pair are ready4 ,but the extra twenty  
tons of freight more than pays the extra
 time4  ,the times of transit or rates  
of speed to the two eras are very nearly
 alike1 the steamers of the first having
 greater steam capabilities1 as due to  
their boat in tow1 whilst those of the  
present era have reduced their steam    

capabilities to increase their cargoes  
from the #ahj tons to #bjj tons4  ,the  
times of transit1 or rates of speed1 are
 given in the following miscellaneous   
record1 and as published1 from time to  
time1 from #aheh to #ahfb3  ,the ,wack  
was #g days1 total time1 with boat in   
tow1 from ,buffalo to ,troy4  ,the ,wack
 was #d days #af hours1 net time1 with  
half freight1 from ,troy to ,buffalo4   
,the ,sternburg was #bh hours1 total    
time1 with boat in tow1 from ,buffalo to
 ,rochester1 #ic miles1 averaging       
#c-a_/c miles per hour4  ,the ,ruggles  
was #e-a_/b days1 net time1 with boat in
 tow1 from ,buffalo to ,troy1 and #f    
days #ad hours1 net time1 from ,buffalo 
to ,new ,york4  ,the ,eclipse was       
#g-a_/b days1 total time1 without tow1  
from ,buffalo to ,troy1 and #e-a_/b     
days1 total time1 without tow1 from     
,troy to ,buffalo4  ,the ,gold ,hunter  
was #g days #e hours1 total time1       
without tow1 from ,buffalo to ,troy4    
,the ,rotary was #d days #d hours1 total

 time1 with half freight1 from ,troy to 
,buffalo1 and #c days #af hours1 net    
time4  ,the ,bemis1 a screw-tug1 with   
three boats1 was #e days and #h hours1  
net time1 from ,buffalo to ,schenectady1
 #cba miles1 average #b-a_/b miles per  
hour4  ,the ,washington1 do41 with #c   
boats1 was #e days #b hours1 net time1  
from ,buffalo to ,cohoes1 #cdj miles1   
average #b-c_/d miles per hour4  ,the   
,dan ,brown1 do41 with three boats1 was 
#f days1 net time1 from ,buffalo to     
,albany1 #cea miles1 average nearly     
#b-a_/b miles per hour2 and was #g hours
 from ,buffalo to ,lockport1 #ca miles1 
averaging #d-b_/c miles per hour4       
,,years #ahga ,,and #ahgb1 ,,as         
,,published4  ,the ,dawson and the      
,cathcart have both made and repeated   
through trips from ,buffalo to ,troy1   
with #e_/f of horse cargoes1 in about #g
 days1 total time4  ,the ,port ,byron   
was #e days #aj-a_/b hours1 total time1 
and #d days #g hours1 net time1 with    
#aag tons of freight1 from ,troy to     

,buffalo1 from ,oct4 #bith to ,nov4     
#dth4 ,the more important down time was 
not published4  ,the ,baxter was #e days
 #ad hours1 total time1 and #d days #i  
hours1 net time1 with half freight1 from
 ,troy to ,buffalo1 from ,oct4 #bith1 in
 the morning1 to ,nov4 #c;d2 from ,sept4
 #cjth to ,oct4 #eth she was #e days on 
her up trip1 and early in ,september was
 #e days1 also1 from ,troy to ,buffalo4 
,on her first trip down she left        
,buffalo ,sept4 #abth1 and arrived at   
,west ,troy1 the #aith1 in #g days #d   
hours1 total time1 and reached ,new     
,york the #bast1 in #h days #ac hours1  
total time1 with #bjj tons of freight4  
,in some way she reduces her #g days #d 
hours to #d days #h hours1 net time1 to 
,troy2 and her #h days #ac hours1 to    
,new ,york1 to #e days #ag hours4       
,second trip down was from ,buffalo to  
,waterford1 when she was longer upon the
 canal than on her first trip of over #g
 days4  ,third trip down1 left ,buffalo 
,nov4 #ith1 and arrived at ,troy #aeth1 

and ,new ,york #agth1 or over #f days to
 ,troy1 and #h-a_/d to ,new ,york1 with 
#e_/f horse cargo4 ,this canal trip was 
during the horse epidemic1 and the large
 number of boats laid up made it very   
favorable for steam4  ,but the ,baxter's
 times have been developed by a model   
which would require one-third of a      
common boat to be rebuilt--one-sixth at 
the bow and one-sixth at the stern--it  
is1 therefore1 proper to state1 that if 
we put her machinery and steam          
capabilities into a common boat--and the
 seven thousand such boats cannot be    
dispensed with--it would be very slow1  
as her speed would be reduced by three  
causes3  #ast4 ,because of an increased 
velocity of bow displacement at a       
reduced speed of boat4  #b;d4 ,because  
of an increased velocity of stern       
replacement1 at a reduced speed of boat1
 against the mechanical or counteracting
 propelling currents4  #c;d4 ,because   
the percentage of wasted power is       
increased1 and of utilized is           

diminished1 by greater resistance to    
motion4  ,the ,wm4 ,newman left ,new    
,york ,oct4 #cjth1 and arrived at       
,buffalo ,nov4 #g1 in #h days1 with #abj
 tons of freight4   ,,relations ,,of    
,,time--,,twelve ,,years ,,ago ,,and    
,,now4  ,the ,wack's through time from  
,buffalo to ,west ,troy1 with boat in   
tow1 is the same as the ,baxter's       
average without tow4  ,the ,ruggles' net
 time1 from ,buffalo to ,new ,york1 with
 boat in tow1 is only #ba hours in      
excess of the ,baxter's shortest net    
time without tow4  ,the through times of
 the ,eclipse and ,gold ,hunter1 from   
,buffalo to ,west ,troy1 without tow1   
are just equal to the ,baxter's first   
and second trips4  ,the ,rotary's       
through time up1 with half freight1 is  
nearly one day less than the ,byron's1  
,baxter's or ,newman's shortest through 
time4 ,her net time is #ag hours less   
than the ,baxter's shortest net time4   
,the net time of the tugs1 each with    
three boats in tow1 is nearly equal to  

the ,baxter's without tow1 from ,buffalo
 to ,west ,troy4  ,therefore1 by this   
comparison of times1 the one day extra  
allowed for the greater steam resources 
of the former era with a boat in tow1 is
 ample2 and the policy of that era is   
plainly more economical for freight than
 that of the past two years4         99 
99       99       99       99  ,,we     
,,therefore ,,observe3 ,that the policy 
of introducing steam canal-boats as     
carriers of freight1 is illustrated in  
the ,niagara1 ,eclipse1 ,gold ,hunter   
and ,rotary4 ,the policy of carrying and
 towing one boat1 in the ,wack1         
,sternburg1 ,ruggles1 ,city of ,buffalo 
and ,viele4 ,the policy of screw-tugs in
 the ,gov4 ,king1 ,bemis1 ,washington1  
,lafayette1 ,stimers1 ,dan ,brown and   
the paddle-wheel tug ,fall ,brook4      
,under each policy steam was a failure  
on the canals under the agencies tried4 
,the single carriers died first2 the    
tugs second2 the carriers and one boat  
third2 and last1 the carriers with      

three-boat tows4  ,in #ahfa and #ahfb1  
the policy of using the powerful canal  
steamers1 ,ruggles and ,city of         
,buffalo1 to carry freight and tow three
 boats each1 was introduced to supersede
 the former policies4 ,during these     
years the privilege of priority at      
locks1 by paying double toll on the     
boats1 was suspended1 and soon          
thereafter steam was totally abandoned4 
,it is noticeable that the steamers for 
carrying1 only1 had less vitality1 and  
were less economical1 than those for    
carrying and towing1 and those for      
carrying and towing but one boat had    
less than those for carrying and also   
towing three boats4  ,hence1 the        
carrying steamers1 or the automaton     
policy of #ahga and #ahgb1 can only     
compare with the automaton policy of the
 former era1 and they must have less    
vitality1 and be less economical1 than  
those other for carrying and towing one 
boat1 and still less than those for     
carrying and towing three boats4        

,,steam ,,in #ahgb ,,less ,,economical  
,,than ,,horses4  ,it has been clearly  
shown that ,,steam in #ahgb is less     
economical than in #aheh to #ahfj1 and  
still less so than in #ahfa and #ahfb4  
,but ,,steam1 in its former history1    
failed to compete with ,,horses2 and as1
 in its recent history1 it has failed to
 be as economical as in its former1     
because of less economical policies of  
introduction 7machinery being           
substantially the same71 it follows that
 its failure to compete with horses must
 be still more marked1 still more       
disappointing to the hopes entertained  
by the ,legislative ,department of the  
,state1 that independent financial      
encouragement could possibly foster and 
develop steam successfully1 than it was 
in its former most significant failures4
  ,but steam in #ahgb--;independent of  
its failure as compared to itself in    
#aheh--;is shown to be less economical  
than horses by direct comparison of     
steamers and horse-boats4  ,as steamers 

have run under a prospective bounty of  
one hundred thousand dollars for a      
success1 they have been first-class in  
all their appointments1 and have been1  
as in the language of one of their      
engineers1 rushed through1 it is        
strictly proper to compare them with a  
well-known duty of first-class          
horse-boats1 under the ordinary business
 enterprise of their captains4  ,thus1  
the first-class modern horse-boat can   
carry a cargo of #h1hjj bushels1 or #bdd
 tons of corn1 and make seven round     
trips between ,new ,york and ,buffalo   
per season1 averaging a round trip per  
month for the season of navigation4     
,the most systematic and business-like  
trials that have made speed an element  
of competitive economy1 are the ,port   
,byron1 ,baxter and ,newman4  ,the short
 lives of the ,viele and the ,fall      
,brook in canal service1 render it      
unnecessary to give details of the      
,byron4  ,the ,baxter left ,new ,york   
late in ,august or early in ,september1 

in new and perfect equipment1 in a      
supposed race for a hundred thousand    
dollars1 and through ,september1        
,october and to the #aith of ,november  
was in the trade1 and was in a contest  
for superiority or supremacy4 ,during   
this time she delivered at ,new ,york   
two freights1 and at ,waterford one     
freight1 being the equivalent of three  
freights of #g1bjj bushels each1 or a   
total of #ba1fjj bushels of corn2 with  
runs equivalent to two and two-thirds   
round trips4  ,but she had priority at  
locks and right of way at all times1 so 
that the horse-boat1 at the sound of her
 steam whistle1 when fifty feet behind1 
must stop and lay over to the tow-path  
and let her pass4 ,under these          
privileges and benefits she was enabled 
to make her first time between ,buffalo 
and ,west ,troy1 as advertised1 in a few
 hours over 7#g7 seven days2 her second1
 required still longer time2 her third1 
being when the horse-disease had nearly 
tied up all other boats1 so that she had

 a river-like freedom1 she required     
about 7#f7 six days1 thus averaging     
about 7#g7 seven days from the ,lakes to
 the ,hudson4  ,give any first-class    
horse-boat captain a supposed or        
possible bounty of a hundred thousand   
dollars1 with priority at locks and     
right of way1 and he would in the same  
time have delivered three times #h1hjj1 
or a total of #bf1djj bushels of corn   
from the ,lakes to the ,baxter's        
destinations2 or #d1hjj bushels of corn 
in excess of the ,baxter's capabilities2
 and have delivered at ,buffalo the same
 up-freights1 with ease4  ,but the      
profits of this excess pays a profit    
over the entire cost of horse-movement1 
leaving the ,baxter in debt for her     
entire cost of movement1 for her entire 
time1 and an excess in addition4        
,again1 suppose ,baxter's were          
multiplied and reduced to horse-boat    
regulations1 then she would have to make
 eleven trips to deliver at tidewater   
the freight of nine horse-trips--as #aa 

#g1bjj  #i  #h1hjj4 ,this she cannot do 
in the same time1 nor can she do it at  
the same expense4 ,her necessity for the
 two extra trips would destroy her      
economy and practicability1 or her      
competitive abilities as against horses4
  ,hence she is obviously and largely   
deficient in economy as compared to     
first-class horse-boat4  ,the ,wm4      
,newman run #e1jjj miles from ,may #agth
 to ,november #gth1 carrying in the     
aggregate #b1ccj tons of freight4 ,her  
time is #e-b_/c months2 her mileage is  
five round trips from ,buffalo to and   
from ,new ,york1 by the canal #a1jjj    
miles round1 each2 her freightage is 7#e
  #baj or7 #a1jej tons down and 7#e     
#abj or7 about #fjj tons up1 total      
#a1fej tons ,this amount carried        
indicates a towage of two boats down    
with full freight1 and up1 through the  
canal1 with half freight2 all of which  
make her aggregate tonnage4  ,if we     
allow one and two-thirds months for her 
towing trip1 and leave four months for  

her four round trips1 or a run of #d1jjj
 miles1 delivering in ,new ,york 7#d    
#baj or7 #hdj tons1 and in ,buffalo 7#d 
#abj or7 #dhj tons1 total #a1cbj tons1  
it may be supposed nearly correct in the
 absence of details4  ,a horse-boat1 in 
same time and circumstances1 would have 
made the #d1jjj miles and have delivered
 in ,new ,york 7#d  #bdd or7 #igf tons1 
and at ,buffalo 7#d  #abj or7 #dhj tons1
 total #a1def tons4 ,excess of down     
freight #acf tons1 equivalent to #d1hej 
bushels of corn4 ,to make this wantage  
of freight good1 requires nearly        
two-thirds of a full cargo1 or of a full
 round trip4 ,hence1 she is obviously   
and largely deficient in economy1 as    
compared to a first-class horse-boat4   
,therefore steam in #ahgb is less       
economical than horses4   ,,horse-,,boat
 ,,times4  ,under another view of the   
case we have the following relations of 
horses and steam to show that steam in  
#ahgb is less economical than horses4   
,the captain of the ,vosburg states that

 he left ,west ,troy in ,oct41 carrying 
over #ajj tons of freight1 after the    
,baxter had left there for ,buffalo1 and
 with two mule teams1 alternating one   
with the other every six hours1 he      
arrived at ,buffalo in advance of the   
,baxter2 through time less than the     
,baxter's shortest time4 ,net time not  
stated4  ,publishing net time of        
steamers instead of total or through    
time1 is deceptive1 and creates a false 
impression with the community4 ,had not 
the through time of steamers this season
 been suppressed1 the governor of the   
,state would not have imagined five-day 
trips from ,buffalo to ,new ,york1 as   
per his message1 and our city editors   
would not have ventilated such visionary
 pretensions4 ,there are a multitude of 
horse-boat captains that can reduce     
their net canal time of movement below  
the ,baxter's1 which has been so        
extensively commented upon2 but their so
 doing would not expedite the transfer  
of grain from the lakes to tide-water4  

,a certain horse-boat1 in a former      
season1 made two round trips from       
,buffalo to and from ,new ,york in      
twenty days each1 and on each trip lay  
three days in ,new ,york4 ,this made her
 through time average between the cities
 #h-a_/b days each way4 ,her captain    
once towed in the ,line and was only    
nine days twenty hours from ,buffalo to 
,new ,york4 ,this season a horse-boat   
made the round trip from ,new ,york to  
and from ,buffalo in twenty-one days4   
,these round trips have probably never  
been exceeded by steam4  ,in the former 
era the prism of the canal seemed       
imbedded with innumerable old and broken
 tow-lines1 which the propeller1 by its 
high velocity1 sucked up1 and was       
thereby fouled2 and now the sea-grass is
 a hidden enemy that entwines itself    
around the propeller to foul it4  ,when 
the waters are low1 forcing the engines 
of screw propellers lets the stern of   
the boat squat or hug the bottom1 and   
although these are minor features of    

want of mechanical adaptation to canal  
duty1 they illustrate petty detentions  
serving to lengthen the through times of
 steam4  ,hence1 if we intermix the slow
 steamers with the fast ones1 as we do  
the slow with the fast horse-boats1 for 
a general average1 it is quite probable 
that horse-times are fully equal to     
those of steam1 and that the excess of  
horse-cargoes makes a large and handsome
 advantage in their favor4  ,therefore1 
under this general average1 steam in    
#ahgb is less economical than horses4   
,,conditional ,,explanations4  ,because 
steam has been encouraged by the        
,legislature1 heralded by the press1 and
 favorably reported by the ,executive   
officers of the ,state as a standard of 
advancement most desirable to attain1 a 
supposition very generally prevails     
outside of canal men that it will       
succeed4  ,as early as #ahde1 before the
 enlargements1 three steamers were built
 and tried1 and one1 the ,pioneer1 ran  
from ,new ,york to ,oswego in five days1

 total time1 #cfb miles2 and then       
supposition very generally prevailed    
that steam would succeed4 ,but light    
freights would not pay then as against  
full horse-freights2 neither would they 
pay from #aheh to #ahfb2 neither have   
they paid in #ahgb1 as against horses4  
,a large part of the boats own and carry
 their horses1 two teams 7four horses71 
alternating the teams from boat to      
tow-path every six hours4 ,many desire  
to see the hardships1 cruelties and     
dangers to horses obviated4 ,it is said 
that one company during the war1 when   
most of the best drivers turned         
soldiers1 lost as many horses during the
 season as they put on for all their    
boats in the spring2 that is1 they had  
to purchase a complete equipment to make
 good their losses4  ,some humane       
captains tow by the lines to avoid      
suffering and dangers to horses1 many of
 which are drowned1 and many left by the
 wayside4 ,when changed from tow-path to
 stable1 a stout man must hold the horse

 by the tail as he descends the steps   
into the stable1 to prevent his pitching
 against the opposite side2 and he holds
 with greater difficulty as he descends 
the bridge from the high1 light boat to 
the tow-path1 which is often more       
dangerous than the stable descent4      
,others tow by the lines--take turns for
 teams1 often with tedious delays--and  
they are1 to a great extent1 subservient
 to the drivers1 else they suffer by    
their indifference1 laziness or         
caprices1 and many are sure to do their 
poorest1 unless they are feed extra4    
,all would be charmed with towage by    
steam1 if done with economy1 dispatch1  
regularity and safety2 but quite another
 feeling prevails under the suggestions 
of changing drivers for engineers1      
stables for engine-rooms1 horses for    
machinery1 and light cargos for full    
ones1 as in case of converting the      
horse-boat to a steamer4  ,steam1 as    
used for towing purposes1 would be      
acceptable and subservient to the       

several thousand boatmen constantly in  
service4  ,if we give to the automaton  
system of steam any privileges over     
horse-boats--excepting for incidental   
initiatory encouragement to steam--we   
have a war of the many against the few4 
,in the former era the double toll      
system was obliged to be suspended1 and 
the no-toll system of this era is only a
 temporary sufferance4  ,therefore1     
steam must stand or fall by its own     
merits1 and should be fostered and      
developed until horses possess no       
competitive ability4   ,,canal          
,,necessities4  ,the history of the     
experiments for means of propulsion on  
our canals shows that no system has been
 developed by means of which the        
carrying power of these great channels  
of communication can be made available  
by steam4 ,if this deplorable fact is to
 be overcome1 it must be through the aid
 of the inventor2 we must have some     
instruments of propulsion not hitherto  
in use1 and some other means of         

application of the propelling power than
 those now in practice1 or steam can    
never be sufficiently utilized to       
supersede horses on canals4  ,we see the
 ,new ,york and ,albany tow-boats1 with 
from twenty to forty loaded canal boats1
 running at four miles per hour1 and    
they have taken over sixty boats in a   
single tow from ,new ,york to ,albany4  
,but an engine1 with a respectable part 
of their steam1 can take but a small    
fraction of their boats1 and at a       
largely reduced speed on the canal4     
,the doom of #ahde1 of #aheh to '#fb1   
and of #ahga to '#gb1 hangs over steam  
like a shroud2 it is a mechanical doom4 
,steam should be mechanically elevated  
so that it can utilize from a third to  
half of its power1 and so that an engine
 can develop an equivalent of thirty to 
fifty horses on the tow-path to a train 
of boats1 and so that it can take trains
 of ten to fifteen boats on the two     
sixty-miles levels--where large hulls   
can be built and used without necessity 

of passing locks--and somewhat smaller  
trains on the other parts of the canal1 
averaging eight to ten boats per tug1 or
 moving from #gj1jjj to #hj1jjj bushels 
of corn1 all as fast as they can be     
safely handled1 and then the day of     
horses is limited1 and canals will need 
new arrangements1 new regulations and   
new customs4  ,tugs on the canal have   
never exceeded a utility of eight to    
fifteen per cent4 of the inherent power 
of their steam4 ,hence1 they have never 
had towing power to develop the movement
 of trains of boats2 but when they can  
be made mechanically to utilize from    
thirty to fifty per cent41 the train    
movement becomes initiated with boats   
just as absolutely as with cars1 and the
 tow-boat system will be just as        
prominently and universally established 
between ,buffalo and ,albany as it is   
between ,new ,york and ,albany4  ,it is 
perfectly practical for steam1 when it  
shall possess a respectable mechanical  
adaptation to canal duty2 that is1 when 

it shall not be so shamefully profligate
 in expenditures of power--to double the
 average speed of horses1 or lessen the 
general average of ten days on the canal
 to five days1 of which the down trips  
may overrun and the up trips fall short1
 as with horse average4  ,when a single 
tug shall equal #cj to #ej horses on the
 tow-path1 it equals #fj to #ajj of     
supply1 as all require the alternate    
team4  ,the automaton system of steam is
 a hinderance to horse-boat navigation1 
besides increasing the risks and        
dangers1 whilst the towing system1 in   
substitution for horses1 greatly        
improves the navigation and lessens the 
risks and dangers4 ,averaging the total 
mileage of a season with horse-boat     
times of transit1 and boats meet each   
other every twenty minutes1 night and   
day including ,sundays1 for seven       
months4 ,to carry this tonnage1 there   
must be eleven meetings of steamers to  
nine by horses1 which increases the     
risks and dangers twenty-two per cent42 

on the other hand1 tows to the same     
tonnage would only meet each other about
 every three hours1 hence for long      
distances they have an unobstructed     
water way4  ,,mechanical ,,invention1 to
 adapt steam to the heavy resistances of
 canal boats1 is therefore the first and
 greatest necessity of canals4  ,a      
second necessity will be ,,auxiliary    
,,and ,,co-,,operative ,,power ,,at     
,,the ,,locks ,,and ,,short ,,levels4   
,these must be local1 and may be by     
stationary steam-power1 by water-power  
from the upper levels1 or by horses4    
,thus1 there would be only one detention
 of a tug through all the sixteen locks 
from ,west ,troy to ,cohoes--only one   
wherever there are two or more locks    
near each other1 and at all locks there 
must be an independent local power to   
handle all boats4 ,in this way tugs will
 lose less time between ,buffalo and    
,albany than horse-boats do in changing 
teams from boat to tow-path every six   
hours4  ,following these necessities1   

new rules1 regulations and customs will 
be established1 protecting the rights   
and equities of all4         99       99
       99       99       99  ,a third   
necessity will be a ,,centralized       
,,management1 or control of all tugs1   
train-movements1 and local powers at    
short levels and locks4  ,this is       
essential to a harmony of movements1 to 
a proper distribution of motors1 and to 
a proper adaptation to all the ebbs and 
flows of trade4 ,this is just as        
essential for the tugs of a canal as for
 the locomotives of a railway4 ,provided
 the control of steam shall be held1    
upon the merits of some invention1      
protected by ,letters ,patent from the  
,general ,government2 then the owners   
thereof might establish a centralized   
management to meet the merits1 demands  
and exigencies of the case4 ,they could 
enforce a harmony of interests between  
all trains and a harmony of police      
regulations1 and they could enforce a   
consolidation of effort and co-operation

 to meet any exigency1 just as a railway
 company can consolidate and develop its
 efforts upon any necessitous occasion4 
99       99       99       99       99  
,in the nature of the case1 these three 
necessities1 when accomplished1 will    
give to steam the universal movement of 
boats4  ,first4--,because it becomes a  
cheap motor in regard to which horses   
can hold no competitive claim4  ,this is
 seen from the fact that when steam can 
only utilize from eight to twelve per   
cent4 of its power1 as under the two    
eras of steam1 the two best             
steamers--the ,s4 ,b4 ,ruggles and ,city
 of ,buffalo--lived five years in       
competition with horses1 nothing since  
has exceeded their economies or         
capabilities2 but give the steam they   
used a utility of thirty to fifty per   
cent41 or over three times its present  
capabilities1 and no team can be        
supported in competition4         99    
99       99       99       99           
,second4--,because it possesses the     

economies of concentrated power4        
,horse-power must be diffused into small
 and limited qualities to be economical4
 ,the cost of double1 treble1 or        
quadruple teams1 to increase speed or   
reduce time1 swells the cost of         
transportation almost in like ratio1 and
 would eat largely into the value of    
cargoes4  ,with the present enormous    
waste of steam-power1 trains with over  
three boats begin to increase the cost  
of freight per ton4 ,the ,governor ,king
 was less economical with five boats    
than with three4 ,on a part of the      
,eastern ,division1 two powerful tugs1  
lashed side by side on the levels1 have 
taken a train of 7#ag7 seventeen boats  
successfully4 ,give to half their       
combined steam fifty per cent4 addition 
to their combined power1 and train      
movement receives an important          
inauguration4 ,economy1 dispatch1       
regularity and a universal harmony of   
interests prevail4   ,,summary4  ,the   
considerations of facts and suggestions 

herewith presented1 embody important    
reasons for the ,legislature to continue
 in force the ,act of ,april1 #ahga1 to 
foster and develop the inland commerce  
of the ,state4 ,it seems well adapted to
 influence1 encourage and facilitate the
 development of mechanical1 inventive   
talent2 and to this end1 all interests  
pertaining to the immediate elevation of
 canals1 to the benefits of steam1      
should co-operate4  ,to encourage       
invention to utilize the steam is of    
paramount importance1 because the other 
necessities will then be met1 and they  
need no legislation1 for common business
 talent will supply their demands4  ,the
 ,,mechanical ,,necessities of our      
canals are greater than pertain to any  
possibilities by the old systems of     
propulsion4 ,it is not sufficient for   
steam to barely or doubtfully compete   
with horses1 it should supersede them   
with the same superiorities and same    
universality that it has on railways4   
,where steam is mechanically adapted to 

its uses1 horses bear no comparison to  
its economies2 hence1 give steam its    
required mechanical adaptation to       
canals1 and horses must be abandoned4   
,the enthusiasm of #ahgb1 in regard to  
steam1 is less than in #aheh1 but there 
is a deep feeling of necessity for steam
 permeating the community1 and it should
 be encouraged and directed in the      
proper channel1 for the anxieties of    
#aheh foundered on incompetent          
mechanism1 and the anxieties of #ahgb   
are in the same impassable channel4     
99       99       99       99       99  
,the ,governor's ,message of #ahgc      
renews the scheme which was prominently 
before the ,legislature a few years     
since1 which was to lengthen one tier of
 locks by gates of different            
construction1 and so as to receive      
longer boats of present width2 yet a    
single thought will show that this will 
not help steam2 for the insatiable      
desire for maximum cargo will put the   
,bull ,head boat into the long locks1   

just as it has into the present locks1  
and sharp steamers cannot compete with  
it4  ,it is proper to observe that such 
lengthening of one tier will first3     
coerce present boatman to sacrifice     
their property1 which with boats and    
equipments1 exceeds a valuation of      
twenty million dollars1 or else cut the 
boats into two parts1 and lengthen them 
7and strengthen their sides and         
back-bones7 to the full capabilities of 
the lengthened locks2 for the short     
boats cannot compete with the long ones4
  ,then1 when the mass are altered1 they
 will coerce the ,state to alter the    
second tier1 because it becomes         
worthless and inoperative1 and because  
the one tier becomes incapable of       
passing so great a multitude of boats1  
and it would otherwise greatly reduce   
the carrying capacity of the canals4    
,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 part1 and    

from the ,middle and ,western ,division2
 and then we can find no fault with the 
canal4 ,but this will not help steam vs4
 horses4 ,all improvements help horses  
equally with steam1 and there is the    
ever-pending difference of cargo4  ,the 
same authority discusses the advantages 
to follow1 if the time can be shortened 
from ,buffalo to ,new ,york from 7#ad7  
fourteen to 7#e7 five days1 c4 ,if a    
hundred thousand dollars reward for     
expedition1 pending during two seasons  
of navigation1 has proved insufficient  
to reduce the average of the three      
shortest trips1 with #bjj tons cargo1   
below seven days total or actual time   
from ,buffalo to ,west ,troy1 the five  
days to ,new ,york1 with the present    
knowledge of steam machinery1 becomes an
 impossibility4 ,but newspapers have    
preceded the message with the false     
supposition and the same error4  ,the   
extraordinary measures initiated by the 
,n4 ,y4 ,central ,r4 ,r41 by their forty
 million dollars issue of bonds for the 

construction of a double track          
exclusively for freight1 shows the      
growing importance of this already      
immense business1 and whilst automaton  
steamers1 under the known mechanism of  
the age1 will inevitably lessen the     
carrying capacity of the canal1 by      
filling its locks--which alone control  
the maximum carrying capacity--eleven   
times with light cargoes in place of    
nine times with full freights2 the      
mechanical elevation and substitution of
 steam1 as shown by the ,,canal         
,,necessities herein set forth1         
possesses still more extraordinary      
importance4  ,every consideration       
enforces the ,,necessities1 set forth in
 this appeal1 ,,of ,,mechanical         
,,improvement1 ,,local ,,auxiliary      
,,power1 ,,and ,,concentrated           
,,management4   ,,transcriber',s ,,notes
  p4 #jbd--typo fixed1 changed 'enfore' 
to 'enforce' p4 #jbe--typo fixed1       
changed 'superiorites' to               
'superiorities' p4 #jbf--typo fixed1    

changed 'adandoned' to 'abandoned' p4   
#jbg--typo fixed1 moved a comma after   
'with' to after 'trips'