Harper’s Weekly – January 22, 1859

Harper's Weekly archives ^ | January 22, 1859

[colorado tanker]

In his youth and young adulthood, Dickens seems to amassed a number of resentments. He didn’t live long enough to see the benefits industrialization would bring the English working and middle classes.

[Tax-chick]

He does seem to worry about his finances a lot.

[BroJoeK]

Strong: " Mr. Ruggles came in this evening delighted with the effect his final report as Commissioner is producing among the anti-canal enlargement people – The Constipation Party.**…

** Since his appointment to the Erie Canal Board in the summer of 1858, Ruggles, who was chosen president, had been active in promoting the interests of the great artery.
The report here mentioned was the Annual Report of the Board for the year 1858; a document which argued the immense value of the canal in spite of the growing traffic of the railroads.
The use of the canal was indeed soon to increase tremendously."

Really? Seriously?

I am sad to report that said "Constipation Party" has now ruled in New York for over 60 years, preventing the Erie Canal's expansion to compete with the St. Lawrence Seaway.
The St. Lawrence handles over 200 million tons of cargo per year, much of which would use the Erie Canal, if possible, and thus partly restore Buffalo to its former glory as "Queen City of the Lakes".

[colorado tanker]

The Seaway can handle ocean going ships. I would think it would be a major effort to upgrade the Erie Canal to that size.

It is unusual, however, that there is a public expenditure of money the Constipation Party declined to make.