Economic history of the United States
The 325-mile Erie Canal, which connected Albany, New York, on the Hudson River with Buffalo, New York, on Lake Erie, began operation in 1825. Wagon cost from Buffalo to New York City in 1817 was 19.2 cents per ton-mile. By Erie Canal c. 1857 to 1860 the cost was 0.81 cents. The Erie Canal was a great commercial success and had a large regional economic impact.
Sandy and Beaver Canal
At a meeting in Waynesburg, Ohio, in 1834, the canal promoters decided to go ahead without the Philadelphia backing. Hother Hage and Edward H. Gill were hired to engineer the project, and made changes to the Douglas plan. The canal, as constructed, consisted of the western division with a long aqueduct above the Tuscarawas River to connect to the Ohio and Erie Canal, 33 locks, five miles (8 km) of slackwater, two reservoirs, and a rise from at Bolivar to at Kensington. The middle division from Kensington to Lockbridge had two tunnels, and two reservoirs and was , all at 1120 feet. The big tunnel was 900 yards or 1060 yards long. The little tunnel was about long. The tunnels were about high, and the big tunnel was about below the highest elevation of the hill it penetrated. The Eastern division was from Lockbridge to Glasgow, lowering from to , with 57 locks, 20 dams, and of slackwater.