History of Steam on the Erie Canal | Page 3

this occurred when he was moving only two
loaded boats--the steamer and one in tow--but when moving four
boats--three in tow--the percentage of utility was lessened, and he could
not exceed eight to ten per cent. of his steam, as shown in slower
movement, when fewer horses on the tow-path could equal him.
The steamer is a reservoir, and its rotatory power is free to be
developed "inversely as its resistances." Hence, when fastened to a pier,
it is all developed in its receding currents, and per contra when moving;
if its machinery had a perfect fulcrum, it would all be developed in the
run of the boat; consequently, on rivers and lakes, with fine-lined
steamers, that cut the water like a knife, it is like standing in a small
boat and pushing from a large one, but on canals, with their full bows,
it is like standing in a large boat and pushing from a small one; the little
one runs away with the power. The more than 100 square feet area of
immersed section of the full bow represents the large boat, and the
dozen square feet effective area of propeller blades, set at an easy angle
for spiral motion and recession velocity, is the little one that squanders
the power so extravagantly. Increase in number of boats increases this
contrast. The propeller blades of a good canaller will move twelve to
fifteen miles, in their line of spiral movement, to get two to three miles
headway for the boat.
A correct scientific analysis can trace the developments of the
eighty-five to ninety per cent. of the inherent power of the steam that is
wasted on the common canal-boat, and that has no resultant effect
whatever in the motion of the boat, just as positively as it can trace the
co-developments of fifteen to ten per cent. that is utilized and that
moves the boat.
The practical man sees the truths of these statements. He sees steam
used with small, medium and large engines for canal purposes, and sees
them all fail to meet the economy of transportation established by
horses; but he would just as soon put men on the tow-path to compete
with horses as to put horses into his elevators to compete with steam;

and that, because in the elevators the power of the steam is chiefly
utilized, whilst on the canal it is chiefly wasted.
It is therefore conclusive that there is an absolute necessity for a NEW
MECHANICAL SYSTEM, for a radically different system of
transmissive mechanism, for a system that can develop a considerable
portion of the power of the steam in the movement of boats.
The variations of the old systems of propulsion that are being
continuously tried are worthless, in the very nature of the case, because
they are in no sense a remedy for existing inabilities, and because they
do not, in any sense whatever, meet the difficulties.
STEAM IN 1871 AND 1872.
SCREW PROPELLERS.
Soon after the Act of April, 1871, to foster and develop the inland
commerce of the State, the steam canal-boat Cathcart was tried. She is
like the Niagara of 1859, and has not been continued in the trade.
The canal-boat George Barnard, afterward called the Andrew H.
Dawson, was tried, and has run through the season of 1872. She has a
common propeller in her bow, with a recess from the water-line
inclined to twenty feet aft to the bottom. Her propeller, therefore, forces
the current against this incline and along the bottom in retardation of its
progress. Hence, she cannot be expected to excel former trials.
The Eureka is an iron boat, built at Buffalo, with twin-propellers at her
bow, set in recesses, at a diverging angle, to throw the water from the
bow along the sides of the boat. She is built, by men of canal
experience, with compound engines, and was designed to be a superior
boat for canal purposes. But her mechanical currents at and against the
bow must have a retarding tendency, not compensated by any other
considerations.
The George A. Feeter is also a twin-propeller, with diagonal, channel
waterways on each side for about twenty-five feet, when they merge

into a larger channel about five feet forward of the rudder. Her
propellers are set in these channels, about ten feet aft of their side
openings. With her propellers thus housed, the mechanical currents
against the aft-sides of her channels are very damaging to her
efficiency.
The Wm. Baxter is also a twin-propeller, like the P. L. Sternburg, of
1858, and with compound engines, like the Eureka and the Dawson.
She is built of yellow pine, with easy lines, and so low as to be unable
to carry five-sixths of a horse-cargo of wheat or corn below deck, so
that her