按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
r to the ancient trail。 With the coming of the wagon； whose rattle was heard among the hills as early as Braddock's campaign； the process of lowering these paths from the heights was inevitably begun； and it was to the riverways that men first looked for a solution of the difficult problems of inland commerce。 Eventually the paths of inland commerce constituted a vast network of canals； roads； and railway lines in those very valleys to which Washington had called the nation's attention in 1784。
CHAPTER III。 The Mastery Of The Rivers
It would perhaps have been well； in the light of later difficulties and failures； if the men who at Washington's call undertook to master the capricious rivers of the seaboard had studied a stately Spanish decree which declared that； since God had not made the rivers of Spain navigable； it were sacrilege for mortals to attempt to do so。 Even before the Revolution； Mayor Rhodes of Philadelphia was in correspondence with Franklin in London concerning the experiences of European engineers in harnessing foreign streams。 That sage philosopher； writing to Rhodes in 1772； uttered a clear word of warning： 〃rivers are ungovernable things；〃 he had said； and English engineers 〃seldom or never use a River where it can be avoided。〃 But it was the birthright of New World democracy to make its own mistakes and in so doing to prove for itself the errors of the Old World。
As energetic men all along the Atlantic Plain now took up the problem of improving the inland rivers； they faced a storm of criticism and ridicule that would have daunted any but such as Washington and Johnson of Virginia or White and Hazard of Pennsylvania or Morris and Watson of New York。 Every imaginable objection to such projects was advancedfrom the inefficiency of the science of engineering to the probable destruction of all the fish in the streams。 In spite of these discouragements； however； various men set themselves to form in rapid succession the Potomac Company in 1785； the Society for Promoting the Improvement of Inland Navigation in 1791； the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company in 1792； and the Lehigh Coal Mine Company in 1793。 A brief review of these various enterprises will give a clear if not a complete view of the first era of inland water commerce in America。
The Potomac Company； authorized in 1785 by the legislatures of Maryland and Virginia； received an appropriation of 6666 from each State for opening a road from the headwaters of the Potomac to either the Cheat or the Monongahela； 〃as commissioners。。。 shall find most convenient and beneficial to the Western settlers。〃 This was the only public aid which the enterprise received； and the stipulated purpose clearly indicates the fact that； in the minds of its promoters； the transcontinental character of the undertaking appeared to be vital。 The remainder of the money required for the work was raised by public subscription in the principal cities of the two States。 In this way 40；300 pounds was subscribed； Virginia men taking 266 shares and Maryland men 137 shares。 The stock holders elected George Washington as president of the company； at a salary of thirty shillings a year； with four directors to aid him； and they chose as general manager James Rumsey； the boat mechanician。 These men then proceeded to attack the chief impediments in the Potomac the Great Falls above Washington； the Seneca Falls at the mouth of Seneca Creek； and the Shenandoah Falls at Harper's Ferry。 But； as they had difficulty in obtaining workmen and sufficient liquor to cheer them in their herculean tasks； they made such slow progress that subscribers； doubting Washington's optimistic prophecy that the stock would increase in value twenty per cent； paid their assessments only after much deliberation or not at all。 Thirty…six years later； though 729；380 had been spent and lock canals had been opened about the unnavigable stretches of the Potomac River； a commission appointed to examine the affairs of the company reported 〃that the floods and freshets nevertheless gave the only navigation that was enjoyed。〃 As for the road between the Potomac and the Cheat or the Monongahela； the records at hand do not show that the money voted for that enterprise had been used。
The Potomac Company nevertheless had accomplished something： it had acquired an asset of the greatest valuea right of way up the strategic Potomac Valley； and it had furnished an object lesson to men in other States who were struggling with a similar problem。 When； as will soon be apparent； New York men undertook the improvement of the Mohawk waterway there was no pattern of canal construction for them to follow in America except the inadequate wooden locks erected along the Potomac。 It is interesting to know that Elkanah Watson； prominent in inland navigation to the North； went down from New York in order to study these wooden locks and that New Yorkers adopted them as models； though they changed the material to brick and finally to stone。
Pennsylvania had been foremost among the colonies in canal building； for it had surveyed as early as 1762 the first lock canal in America； from near Reading on the Schuylkill to Middletown on the Susquehanna。 Work； however； had to be suspended when Pontiac's Rebellion threw the inland country into a panic。 But the enterprise of Maryland and Virginia in 1785 in developing the Potomac aroused the Pennsylvanians to renewed activity。 The Society for Promoting the Improvement of Roads and Inland Navigation set forth a programme that was as broad as the Keystone State itself。 Their ultimate object was to capture the trade of the Great Lakes。 〃If we turn our view；〃 read the memorial which the Society presented to the Legislature； 〃to the immense territories connected with the Ohio and Mississippi waters； and bordering on the Great Lakes； it will appear。。。 that our communication with those vast countries （considering Fort Pitt as the port of entrance upon them） is as easy and may be rendered as cheap； as to any other port on the Atlantic tide waters。〃
Pennsylvania； lying between Virginia and New York； occupied a peculiar position。 Her Susquehanna Valley stretched northwestnot so directly west as did the Potomac on the south and the Mohawk on the north。 This more northerly trend led these early Pennsylvania promoters to believe that； while they might 〃only have a share in the trade of those ＇the Ohio＇ waters；〃 they could absolutely secure for themselves the trade of the Great Lakes； 〃taking Presq' Isle ＇Erie； Pennsylvania＇ which is within our own State； as the great mart or place of embarkation。〃
The plan which the Society proposed involved the improvement of water and land routes by way of the Delaware to Lake Ontario and Lake Otsego； and of eight routes by the Susquehanna drainage； north； northwest； and west。 A bill which passed the Legislature on April 13； 1791； appropriated money for these improvements。 Work was begun immediately on the Schuylkill…Susquehanna Canal； but only four miles had been completed by 1794； when the Lancaster Turnpike directed men's attention to improved highways as an alternative more likely than canals to provide the desired facilities for inland transportation。 The work on the canal was renewed； however； in 1821； when the rival Erie Canal was nearing completion； and was finished in 1827。 It became known as the Union Canal and formed a link in the Pennsylvania canal system； the development of which will be described in a later chapter。
In New York State； throughout the period of the Old French and the Revolutionary wars； barges and keel boats had plied the Mohawk； Wood Creek； and the Oswego to Lake Ontario。 Around such obstructions as Cohoes Falls； Little Falls； and the portage at Rome to Wood Creek； wagons； sleds； and pack…horses had transferred the cargoes。 To avoid this labor and delay men soon conceived of conquering these obstacles by locks and canals。 As early as 1777 the brilliant Gouverneur Morris had a vision of the economic development of his State when 〃the waters of the great western inland seas would； by the aid of man； break through their barriers and mingle with those of the Hudson。〃
Elkanah Watson was in many ways the Washington of New York。 He had the foresight； patience； and persistence of the Virginia planter。 His 〃Journal〃 of a tour up the Mohawk in 1788 and a pamphlet which he published in 1791 may be said to be the ultimate sources in any history of the internal commerce of New York。 As a result； a company known as 〃The President； Directors； and Company of the Western Inland Lock Navigation in the State of New York；〃 with a capital stock of 25；000； was authorized by act of legislature in March； 1792； and the State subscribed for 12；500 in stock。 Many singular provisions were inserted in this charter； but none more remarkable than one which stipulated that all profits over fifteen per cent should revert to the State Treasury。 This hint concerning surplus profits； however； did not cause a stampede when the books were opened for subscriptions in New York and Albany。 In later years； when the Erie Canal gave promise of a new era in American inland commerce； Elkanah Watson recalled with a grim satisfaction the efforts of these early days。 The subscripti