Clinton was elected Governor later that year, just before construction of the Erie Canal started at Rome on July 4, 1817. Thereafter, construction and operation of the Erie Canal was authorized, funded, and managed by
New York State
.
Who wanted the Erie Canal built?
In the winter, the roads dissolved in a sea of mud. An imprisoned flour merchant named
Jesse Hawley
envisioned a better way: a Canal from Buffalo on the eastern shore of Lake Erie to Albany on the upper Hudson River, a distance of almost 400 miles.
Did government fund the Erie Canal?
The state issued bonds and had private investors lend it money for the canal. And in only eight years — with
zero financial support from the federal government
— New York finished the canal with uproarious celebrations.
Where did the money come from to build the Erie Canal?
In 1853 the
New York Central
Railroad was created by the consolidation of several smaller railroads. The Erie Canal Enlargement program was completed in 1862. The toll charges not only paid for the construction of the canal but brought in a surplus which covered a substanial portion of the New York State budget.
Who was responsible for the design and construction of the Erie Canal?
Chief engineer Benjamin Wright
and his corps of self-taught engineers (there were no engineering schools in the United States at that time, though the project prompted several schools to start engineering programs) were successful in overcoming the technological problems faced by the canal, which needed to move boats …
Is Erie Canal still used?
Erie Canal Today
Some parts were rerouted to make way for more ship traffic in 1918.
Portions of the original canal are still operable
, though tourism is now the main source of boat traffic along the Erie Canal.
How deep is the Erie Canal now?
| JUST THE FACTS | Canal dimensions, 1862 Enlarged Erie 7 ft deep x 70 ft wide; lock 110 ft long | Canal dimensions, 1918- present Erie Barge Canal 12-23 ft deep x 120 -200 ft wide; locks 310 ft long | Cost to build $7,143,789 | Return on Investment 10 years |
|---|
What did Jefferson think of the Erie Canal?
Thomas Jefferson is frequently quoted as saying that the proposed plan for the Erie Canal was
“little short of madness
.” Jefferson’s comment is essentially hearsay reported by another party; however, rather unusually, Jefferson himself later confirmed that he had “no doubt” that his comments as related secondhand were …
What president built the Erie Canal?
DeWitt Clinton
His efforts paid off, and in 1817 the first canal authorization bill passed by a narrow margin. Clinton was elected Governor later that year, just before construction of the Erie Canal started at Rome on July 4, 1817.
How did the Erie Canal help the economy?
The Erie Canal helped to launch the consumer economy.
In addition to
providing an economic boost by allowing the transport of goods at one-tenth the previous cost
in less than half the previous time, the Erie Canal led to a transformation of the American economy as a whole.
How much did it cost to ride on the Erie Canal?
| Vessel Size Seasonal Pass Ten-Day Pass | Under 16 ft. (4.88 meters) $25.00 $12.50 | 16 ft. – Under 26 ft. (4.88 meters) – (7.93 meters) $50.00 $25.00 | 26 ft. – 39 ft. (7.93 meters) – (11.89 meters) $75.00 $37.50 | Over 39 ft. (11.89 meters) $100.00 $50.00 |
|---|
How long would it take to move material before the Erie Canal was finished?
Goods and people were transported quickly along the canal – freight sped along the canal at about 55 miles per 24 hour period, but express passenger service moved through at 100 miles per 24 hour period, so a trip from New York City to Buffalo via the Erie Canal would only have taken
about four days
.
What were two positive effects of the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal had many positive effects.
It opened up trade in the Midwest
, as farmers now had a cheaper way to get their goods to markets. The canal put many people to work, most notably Irish immigrants. It also gave Albany and Buffalo an economic boost.
How many Irish died building the Erie Canal?
While there are no official records of immigrant deaths,
somewhere between 8,000 and 30,000
are believed to have perished in the building of the New Basin Canal, many of whom are buried in unmarked graves in the levee and roadway fill beside the canal.
How long did the Erie Canal take to build?
The canal was completed in only
8 years
at a cost of $7,000,000. When completed on October 26, 1825, DeWitt Clinton (by then Governor of New York) boarded a vessel, the Seneca Chief, in Buffalo and headed to New York City.
Why was the Erie Canal called Clinton’s Big Ditch?
On July 4, 1817, construction began in Rome, NY, on the Erie Canal. A mere four-feet-deep and forty-feet-wide, the waterway was nicknamed “Clinton’s Big Ditch”
after Governor DeWitt Clinton, who pursued the goal of connecting Buffalo’s Lake Erie with the Hudson River without any support from the federal government.
