756 PROJECTED NEW BARGE CANAL OF STATE OF NEW YORK. 



to the junction of the Oneida, Oswego, and Seneca rivers, at Three 

 River Point — a famous locality in the olden days. Here two routes 

 were open to the enterprising travelei'. Tf he were going to the set- 

 tled western part of the State he would follow up the Seneca Kiver 

 and thence into the various branches and into the beautiful " finger " 

 lakes tributary to the Seneca. At that time and by that route the 

 cost of transportation betAveen Alban}' and Seneca Lake was from $75 

 to $100 per ton, and it took four weeks to make the round trip. If he 

 were going farther west, or into Canada, or had much freight to 

 transport, he Avould ofttimes go on down the Oswego River to Lake 

 Ontario and thence by lake to his destination. 



The projected route of the Erie Barge Canal follows up the Hud- 

 son River to Waterford; thence, by means of the requisite locks, it 

 reaches the Mohawk River above Cohoes Falls. From Cohoes Falls 

 to just west of Rome the river is canalized — that is, dams are built, 

 forming great pools, and these pools are connected l\y channels not 

 less than 200 feet in width and 12 feet in depth. Above Rome 

 there is a summit level leading over to Wood Creek, and, as in the 

 olden days, the canal route follows down this stream and through 

 Oneida Lake and Oneida River to Three River Point, thence up the 

 Seneca River i)roperly canalized to the vicinity of Clyde. From 

 Clyde westward there are no water courses of importance running 

 in the right direction, and the new canal will follow generally the 

 route of the existing canal to the Niagara River at Tonawanda; 

 thence the Niagara River will be used up to Lake Erie and Bulfalo. 

 Between Clyde and Tonawanda there is one important modification 

 of the route, and this is at Rochester. The present canal goes thi'ough 

 the city in a very aAvkward manner, crossing the Genesee Rivei- in a 

 masonry aqueduct, and the route is impracticable for the large canal. 

 Here a new route is adopted, passing to the south of the city and 

 crossing the Genesee River in a pool formed by dannning the river. 



The Oswego Barge Canal leaves the Erie Canal at Three River 

 Point and keeps on down in canalized OsAvego River to Lake 

 Ontario. 



The new Chani|)Iain Canal ke('[)s in the Hudson River from AVater- 

 ford to Fort P^dward, instead of following along on the bank of the 

 river as at present. In doing this advantage is taken of the couiukm-- 

 cial power dams which already exist in the river, and which, in con- 

 nection with locks to ]>ass them and the deei^ening of the river be- 

 tween the pools, will fully canalize the i-iver. From Fort P^dward 

 to Whitehall, at the foot of Lake Chauiplain, the new canal follows 

 the location of the existing one. 



The most important question connected with any canal pi'oposi- 

 tion is that of water supply, and the Ei-ie (^inal is no exception. 

 The western end of the canal will be fed from Lake Erie, as at 



