128 Frank Carney 



in his report to the "Pork Aristocracy" of that city. But Ohio 

 made no great progress in the acquirement of wealth till ready 

 lines of communication with the east were established. This 

 came first through the construction of canals. 



Canal construction. The canal-digging fever struck Ohio 

 shortl}^ after its outbreak in the Atlantic states. In 1817 its leg- 

 islature considered the matter of constructing waterways; the 

 subject came up regularly in the following years, culminating in 

 1825 in a law that commenced operations. In this same year 

 Clinton's ''ditch" tapped Lake Erie. The Ohioans, therefore, 

 did not wait for positive proof of the advantages of improved 

 waterways. The evidence was forthcoming, had it been neces- 

 sary, for immediately after the Erie Canal had wedded the lake 

 and the ocean northern Ohio felt a new throb of commercial life. 

 Lake trade was stimulated, harbors were improved, wharves and 

 warehouses constructed; and prices advanced on all commodities 

 that could be conveniently reached. The Ohio legislature had 

 taken the initiative without these evidences. In seven years 

 the Ohio Canal, 360 miles long, was completed, connecting Ports- 

 mouth on the river, at the mouth of the Scioto, with Cleveland on 

 the lake. The Miami Canal, joining Cincinnati and Toledo, 

 was commenced in the same year, reached Dayton in 1830, 

 but was not completed to the lake till 1845. Along either canal 

 route trade activity shortly developed the sleepy villages into 

 thrifty towns and cities. Later adjustments have left some of 

 these places only a retrospect; the canal period was their heyday. 

 Others, however, as for instance Newark, Coshocton, Massillon, 

 Akron, Hamilton, Troy and Defiance, have continued to prosper 

 under the conditions incident to the transfer of shipping from the 

 canals to railroads. 



The Ohio Canal, the course of which was controlled by other 

 considerations than merely joining the river and the lake, makes 

 an ascent of almost 500 feet. Its construction, relative to its 

 length, was much more expensive than the Erie Canal, which 

 ascends only 445 feet. The maintenance of the Ohio Canal also 

 involved greater expense. For this reason, with the extension 

 of railroad lines in the state, we find that b}' 1856 the canals of 

 Ohio ceased to earn running expenses. During about twenty 

 years, however, these canals were of great commercial impor- 

 tance to the contiguous parts of the state. Even upon the open- 



