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Barge Canal Closes Best Season Operations During 1920 Set New Standard for Artificial Wy nergy -- Future N MANY ways 'the most remarka- ble in its entire history, the 1920 shipping season of the New York barge canal, the country's greatest artificial waterway, has been brought to a close. While the present barge canal with its deep channels and monster locks is a far cry from 'the original concep- tion of DeWitt Clinton and 'the band of so-called dreamers who won over adverse pubiic opinion the first appro- priations for the old Erie canal, their judgment has been more than jus- tified. From a mere "hole in the ground" this waterway across the Empire state has evolved into a carry- ing mediura which may tbe ranked without exaggeration among the coun- try's foremost 'transportation facil- ities. Finished during the war emergency and given its first trials of operation in 'the unsettled period of readjust- ment, the deep waterway, until the season of 1920, had no fair test of its practicability. The fact most of the companies transporting in a large way on the canal showed favorable oper- ating returns for the year, and plan further extensicns to their services, is taken by those who have fol- lowed the canal's development as conclusive proof it has launched upon a new era, Can Operate at Profit An exceptional sidelight is. thrown on the situation by the report of the secretary of war, who managed the 'government-owned canal fleet during the past year, that its opera- tions were becoming profitable. The government has done considerabie "trail blazing" in equipping and han- dling barges and in methods of han- dling freight on the new __ standards made possible by the improved water- way. <All these have cost large sums of money. The fact that government operation shows a decreasing loss, even under these circumstances, with the usual high cost of all gov- ernment activities of this sort, is pointed to by those interested in the canal's welfare as evidence that pri- vate operations may be conducted on a basis of profit, which will cont. pare favorably with other. methods of transportation. Only those who have had oppor- > boat: coupled . "py BAL PLUMB" a tunity to compare. the old, canal, with its tarrow, shallow channels and 'small. locks, with the, present deep waterway with its great locks capa- ble of handling a towing steamer and its "string" of barges, ¢an realize the altered status of the New York canal. The day of the mule-drawn with its picturesque crew of is definitely passed. That is, except on the smaller "feeder" lines, where the small boat is and will continue to be the 'economical medium for collecting small treights. Steel barges, towed in trains by steam towboats, running night and day and carrying efficient crews be- "canalers" 'tween great terminals constitute the future operating units. The com- panies already operating on 'the canal are doing so on the new scale and, to interest capital, it is declared, others will have to do likewise. There is, however, still sharp dif- ferences of opinion as to the most efficient units for stuccessful canal operation. The. government has adopted a 150-foot steel barge and i steel towboat of the same size pro- pelled by steam. The boat tows three of the barges, usually. The four can be taken: through the pres- ent locks at once. Another line, the Transmarine Corp., Newark, N. J., has adopted a 100-foot barge as its unit... Its towboat is a steam tug, which carrics no cargo. Both have been found to give successful re- sults. An advantage is claimed by the government towboat, however, in its being an oil burner. Difficulty in obtaining coal for the tugs at way points between Buffalo and its ter- minal at Newark bay, N. J., were experienced by the Transmarine man-: agers. Small Barges General To date the twg and the smaller barge is in most general use, due to the fact that much of the equipment was of a size suited to use on the old canal. However, the Trans- marine Corp. is reported planning to build 60° to 100 mew barges during this winter of the 100-foot size. Those who have studied canal oper- ation point out 'that as 'trade de- velops either in the direction of large tonnages of bulk freight at coni- paratively low rates, or toward smaller 34 "York .& Western Canal ° gan Bright freights at higher' rates, the most efficient unit will be definitely de- termined, The small operator with one or two boats still is a factor, but it is the larger companies, with fleets of carriers and 'terminals of their own, which are taking a leading part in the development of the waterway's' facilities. There 'are about a. half dozen aside from the government line, which occupy positions of prom- inence. They are: Transmarine Corp, Newark, N. J.; Inland Marine Corp. New York; Lake Chiamplain Trans- portation C€o., New York.; Marine Express Co.. New York; E. G. Mur. ray Lighterage Co., New York; New Line, New Yorkie M, & J. Tracy, New York. Will Take Active Part The Transnyarine Corp. promises to assume within a few years a com- manding position in barge canal transportation. Backed by the inter- ests identified with the Submarine Boat Corp., Newark, N. J., 'this com- pany now is organizing a world trans- port service by means of carriers built in its yards. Many of its ocean services already are operating. Its canal line is planned to serve as an inland feeder for foreign bound freight and a distributing arm for freight pound inland. Already it has a monster terminal at Newark bay, near New. York, and dockage in foreign ports anid liberal warehouse facilities at Buffalo. It '4s reported to be planning operation of about 100 barges on the canal in 1921. The Inland Marine Corp. is a_reorgan- ization of properties under the old regime, controlling about 50 barges and towboats. The Lake Champlain Transportation Co., fis not new to operation on the New York canals; but formerly it confined its opera- tions largely to the Lake Champlain route and waters lin the eastern part of the state The E. G. Murray Lighterage Co., in the past, has op- erated chiefly in and about New York harbor. During the past year, however, it chartered many of its boats for use on the canal and made a start in operation. on its own ac- count. It has about 35 barges and a number of towboats. It is. de- clared to be planning to extend its canal services. The other com-