The Erie Canal, extending from the Hudson River near
Albany/Troy to Lake Erie near Buffalo, was a very successful entrepreneurial
project built in the early-mid 19th century. Large canal boats that
plied its waters opened the trans-Allegheny west to settlers and to commerce. To make toll charges fair, the canal
company built specialized “Weigh Locks”, something we had never before encountered. The weigh lock was
designed along a flat part of the canal.
A barge would enter, the lock space would close on both ends and then
the water would drain out of the lock leaving the barge to rest on a cradle
which was attached to a lever system connected to a scale. Each boat was registered with its own
unloaded weight. The unloaded
weight (tare) was then subtracted from the weight registered on the scale and,
lo and behold, the toll taker determined the weight of the cargo. A toll was then paid based on that
weight. The lock was then filled with water to bring the boat to a proper
floating level, the gates were opened and the barge with its cargo went on its
way.
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| Chase Bank desk where tolls were calculated and recorded |
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| Model of scale used to weigh loaded canal boats |
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| Dry goods shoppe which flourished along the shores of the Erie Canal |
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| Syracuse China Co. was founded and expanded -- providing dishware which could be shipped west along the canal |
The Erie Canal paid off its bonds in 25 years after which its
tolls paid for current maintenance.
In 1885, canal passage was declared free in an effort to compete with
the railroad, which had by then become a major transportation system, which
allowed for more rapid travel and easier movement of goods. So, a better system replaced one that had
been outstanding in its day. Such is the creative, though at times destructive,
power of capitalism.
