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Handicaps of various sorts wore the patience of commissioners； engineers； and contractors。 Lack of snow during one winter all but stopped the work by cutting off the source of supplies。 Pioneer ailments； such as fever and ague； reaped great harvests； incapacitated more than a thousand workmen at one time and for a brief while stopped work completely。
For the most part； however； work was carried on simultaneously on all the three great links or sections into which the enterprise was divided。 Local contractors were given preference by the commissioners； and three…fourths of the work was done by natives of the State。 Forward up the Mohawk by Schenectady and Utica to Rome； thence bending southward to Syracuse； and from there by way of Clyde； Lyons； and Palmyra； the canal made its way to the giant viaduct over the Genesee River at Rochester。 Keeping close to the summit level on the dividing ridge between Lake Ontario streams and the Valley of the Tonawanda； the line ran to Lockport； where a series of locks placed the canal on the Lake Erie level； 365 miles from and 564 feet above Albany。 By June； 1823； the canal was completed from Rochester to Schenectady； in October boats passed into the tidewaters of the Hudson at Albany； and in the autumn of 1825 the canal was formally opened by the passage of a triumphant fleet from Lake Erie to New York Bay。 Here two kegs of lake water were emptied into the Atlantic； while the Governor of the State of New York spoke these words：
〃This solemnity； at this place； on the first arrival of vessels from Lake Erie； is intended to indicate and commemorate the navigable communication； which has been accomplished between our Mediterranean Seas and the Atlantic Ocean； in about eight years； to the extent of more than four hundred and twenty…five miles； by the wisdom； public spirit； and energy of the people of the State of New York； and may the God of the Heavens and the Earth smile most propitiously on this work； and render it subservient to the best interests of the human race。〃
Throughout these last seven years； the West was subconsciously getting ready to meet the East halfway by improving and extending her steamboat operations。 Steamboats were first run on the Great Lakes by enterprising Buffalo citizens who； in 1818； secured rights from the Fulton…Livingston monopoly to build the Walk…in…the…Water； the first of the great fleet of ships that now whiten the inland seas of the United States。 Regular lines of steamboats were now formed on the Ohio to connect with the Cumberland Road at Wheeling； although the steamboat monopoly threatened to stifle the natural development of transportation on Western rivers。
The completion of the Erie Canalcoupled with the new appropriation by Congress for extending the Cumberland Road from the Ohio River to Missouri and the beginning of the Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake and Ohio canals； reveal the importance of these concluding days of the first quarter of the nineteenth century in the annals of American transportation。 Never since that time have men doubted the ability of Americans to accomplish the physical domination of their continent。 With the conquest of the Alleghanies and of the forests and swamps of the 〃Long House〃 by pick and plough and scraper； and the mastery of the currents of the Mississippi by the paddle wheel； the vast plains beyond seemed smaller and the Rockies less formidable。 Men now looked forward confidently； with an optimist of these days； to the time 〃when circulation and association between the Atlantic and Pacific and the Mexican Gulf shall be as free and perfect as they are at this moment in England〃 between the extremities of that country。 The vision of a nation closely linked by wellworn paths of commerce was daily becoming clearer。 What further westward progress was soon to be made remains to be seen。
CHAPTER IX。 The Dawn Of The Iron Age
Despite the superiority of the new iron age that quickly followed the widespreading canal movement； there was a generous spirit and a chivalry in the 〃good old days〃 of the stagecoach； the Conestoga； and the lazy canal boat； which did not to an equal degree pervade the iron age of the railroad。 When machinery takes the place of human brawn and patience； there is an indefinable eclipse of human interest。 Somehow； cogs and levers and differentials do not have the same appeal as fingers and eyes and muscles。 The old days of coach and canal boat had a picturesqueness and a comradeship of their own。 In the turmoil and confusion and odd mixing of every kind of humanity along the lines of travel in the days of the hurtling coach…and…six； a friendliness； a robust sympathy； a ready interest in the successful and the unfortunate； a knowledge of how the other half lives； and a familiarity with men as well as with mere places； was common to all who took the road。 As Thackeray so vividly describes it：
〃The land rang yet with the tooting horns and rattling teams of mail…coaches； a gay sight was the road in those days； before steam…engines arose and flung its hostelry and chivalry over。 To travel in coaches； to know coachmen and guards； to be familiar with inns along the road； to laugh with the jolly hostess in the bar； to chuck the pretty chamber…maid under the chin； were the delight of men who were young not very long ago。 The road was an institution； the ring was an institution。 Men rallied around them； and； not without a kind of conservatism expatiated on the benefits with which they endowed the country； and the evils which would occur when they should be no more decay of British spirit； decay of manly pluck； ruin of the breed of horses； and so forth and so forth。 To give and take a black eye was not unusual nor derogatory in a gentleman： to drive a stage…coach the enjoyment； the emulation； of generous youth。 Is there any young fellow of the present time； who aspires to take the place of a stoker？ One sees occasionally in the country a dismal old drag with a lonely driver。 Where are you； charioteers？ Where are you； O rattling Quicksilver； O swift Defiance？ You are passed by racers stronger and swifter than you。 Your lamps are out； and the music of your horns has died away。
Behind this change from the older and more picturesque days which is thus lamented there lay potent economic forces and a strong commercial rivalry between different parts of the country。 The Atlantic States were all rivals of each other； reaching out by one bold stroke after another across forest； mountain； and river to the gigantic and fruitful West。 Step after step the inevitable conquest went on。 Foremost in time marched the sturdy pack…horsemen； blazing the way for the heavier forces quietly biding their time in the rearthe Conestogas； the steamboat； the canal boat； and； last and greatest of them all； the locomotive。
Through a long preliminary period the principal center of interest was the Potomac Valley； towards whose strategic head Virginia and Maryland； by river…improvement and road…building； were directing their commercial routes in amiable rivalry for the conquest of the Western trade。 Suddenly out from the southern region of the Middle Atlantic States went the Cumberland National Road to the Ohio。 New York instantly； in her zone； took up the challenge and thrust her great Erie Canal across to the Great Lakes。 In rapid succession； Pennsylvania and Maryland and Virginia； eager not to be outdone in winning the struggle for Western trade； sent their canals into the Alleghanies toward the Ohio。
It soon developed； however； that Baltimore； both powerful and ambitious； was seriously handicapped。 In order to retain her commanding position as the metropolis of Western trade she was compelled to resort to a new and untried method of transportation which marks an era in American history。
It seems plain that the Southern rivals of New York City Philadelphia； Baltimore； and Alexandriahad relied for a while on the deterring effect of a host of critics who warned all men that a canal of such proportions as the Erie was not practicable； that no State could bear the financial drain which its construction would involve； that theories which had proved practical on a small scale would fail in so large an undertaking； that the canal would be clogged by floods or frozen up for half of each year； and that commerce would ignore artificial courses and cling to natural channels。 But the answer of the Empire State to her rivals was the homely but triumphant cry 〃Low Bridge！〃 the warning to passengers on the decks of canal boats as they approached the numerous bridges which spanned the route。 When this cry passed into a byword it afforded positive proof that the Erie Canal traffic was firmly established。 The words rang in the counting…houses of Philadelphia and out and along the Lancaster and the Philadelphia…Pittsburgh turnpikes〃Low Bridge！ Low Bridge！〃 Pennsylvania had granted； it has been pointed out； that her Southern neighbors might have their share of the Ohio Valley trade but maintained that the splendid commerce of the Great Lakes was her own peculiar heritage。 Men of Baltimore who had dominated the energetic policy of stone…road building in their State heard this alarming challenge from the North。 The echo ran 〃Low Bridge！〃 in th