G8 RURAL M'JW YORK 



wide and three and one-half feet deep, and carried 

 boats of seventy-live tons' capacity, was enlarged be- 

 tween 1847 and 1852 to a width of seventy-five feet 

 and a depth of seven feet carrying one hundred fifty- 

 four tons, and later was enlarged to accommodate 

 two hundred twelve ton boats. As a result of the 

 larger capacity, and probably also due to competi- 

 tion with the railroads in the later periods, the freight 

 rates were successively reduced from $1.12 in 1839 

 to twelve cents in 1882 for carrying a ton from Buf- 

 falo to Albany. Between 1903 and 1920, the Erie 

 Canal was enlarged with some.changes in course to the 

 form of the Barge Canal. It is twelve feet deep and 

 will accommodate boats carrying three thousand tons 

 which will be moved by steam tugs instead of by 

 horses. 



The construction of railroads followed close on 

 the opening of tlie Erie Canal. By 1832 the railroad 

 had reached Eochester and was operated by steam in 

 1837. The first line reaching across the State was 

 the Erie through the southern part and the first train 

 from New York reached Dunkirk in 1851. ISText 

 came the New York Central which, because of the low 

 elevation of its bed along the line of the Erie Canal 

 and the Hudson River, when taken in connection 

 with the large agricultural production along its route, 

 has come to be one of the heaviest lines of travel on 

 the continent. 



Nearly all the existing lines of railroad were con- 

 structed by 1880. After 1895 the electric railroads 

 were developed along the lines of the more intensive 



