22 WESTERN CANATi. 



LETTER v.. 



My Dear Sir, 



In my voyage on tlie canal I met witn several 

 loaded boats and scows, ascending as well as dc« 

 ' scending, and also rafts. The facility with whicli 

 boats pass each other without interruption or delay, 

 strikes one forcibly at the first view. This canal 

 will make a great revolution in the internal trade 

 of the country, and in the balance of political 

 power. 



One horse can draw as much on a canal, as 

 60 on a road. The expense of transportation will 

 be consequently greatly reduced. I saw an ad- 

 vertisement of Mr. Henry B. Ely, of Utica, 

 wherein he offers to forward goods on the canal 

 for 25 cents per Cwt. for 100 miles, including toll, 

 which is about five cents a ton per mile, at least 

 one quarter less than by land. But this I appre- 

 hend is too high ; the maximum cost ought not to 

 exceed three cents a mile per ton. I saw at Utica 

 a raft of 440 tons of lumber, which had been 

 floated on the canal for 20 miles, for about 50 

 dollars. It was drawn by four horses at the rate 

 of two miles an hour. The conveyance of this 

 timber by land would have cost at least 1600 dol- 

 lars. The price of wheat at Albany, is now about 



