CLEVELAND ERIE CANAL. 307 



several new houses were erecting&quot; on the Canada side, and as 

 they were of large size, I considered the circumstance evidence 

 of improvement. 



The Erie canal connects the waters of the river Hudson 

 with that of Lake Erie. It commences at Albany, and termi 

 nates at Buffalo, the length being 363 miles. Besides the 

 main cut, there are lateral branches intersecting the country in 

 all directions. One branch communicates with Lake Ontario 

 at the village of Oswego, and I believe another branch is in 

 progress to communicate with one of the tributary streams of 

 the river Ohio. The height of Lake Erie above the Hudson is 

 568 feet, and the lockage of the canal 688 feet. The breadth 

 of the canal is forty feet at the top, twenty-eight at the bot 

 tom, and the depth of water four feet. 



The Erie canal was formed by the State of New York, the 

 operations commencing in 1817, and ending in 1825. The 

 revenues of the canal are so ample, that the rates of charge 

 were greatly reduced in 1833, and it is expected the whole 

 debt will be discharged in 1838 ; after which, the charges 

 will be diminished, so as the sum collected may be just suffi 

 cient to keep the works in repair. The canal is therefore like 

 a public highway, from which no revenue will be exacted 

 from the inhabitants, and is an instance of the advantages 

 they enjoy from the wisdom with which public matters are 

 conducted. 



The traffic on the canal is already so extensive, that the 

 barges are sometimes detained a long time in passing the 

 locks. In all probability it will be quite unable to convey 

 the traffic in two years hence, although a double set of locks 

 were to be constructed throughout the whole length of the 

 canal. The enterprise of the inhabitants of this State is 

 adequate to any emergency, and relief to the crowded canal 

 will be found in a railway* There is already a railway from 

 Albany to Schenectady, and in 1833 a railway was contracted 

 for to proceed from the latter place to Utica, all of which are 

 situated on the banks of the canal. A railway may therefore 

 be said to be already formed on the banks of the canal 

 one-third of its length ; and there is little doubt of its being 

 speedily extended all the way to Buffalo, and ultimately 



