Erie Canal
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Erie Canal. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
the largest artificial waterway in the United States, serving to connect the great lakes with the sea. It begins at Buffalo on Lake Erie, and extends to the Hudson at Albany. It is 387 miles long; has in all 72 locks; a surface width of 70 feet, bottom width of 42 feet, and depth of 7 feet. It is carried over several large streams on stone aqueducts and was opened in 1825. See NEW YORK STATE BARGE CANAL. ERIE, LAKE, one of the great chain of North American lakes, between Lakes Huron and Ontario, about 265 miles long, 63½ miles broad at its center, from 200 to 270 feet deep at the deepest part; area, 9,600 square miles. The whole of its S. shore is within the territory of the United States, and its N. within that of Canada. It receives the waters of the upper lakes by Detroit river at its S. W. extremity, and discharges its waters into Lake Ontario by the Niagara river at its N. E. end. The Welland Canal enables vessels to pass from it to Lake Ontario. It is shallow compared with the other lakes of the series, and is subject to violent storms. The principal harbors are those on the United States side-Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, etc. ERIE, LAKE, BATTLE OF. In the War of 1812, between the United States and Great Britain, each party tried to gain possession of Lakes Erie and Ontario as a theater for warlike operations. The chief command of the naval force on Lake Ontario was held by Commodore Chauncey, and that on Lake Erie by Master-Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry, of Rhode Island, then only 27 years old. Perry fitted out a squadron of seven vessels at Erie, and succeeded in running the British blockade early in August, 1813. On Sept. 10 following he engaged in a fight in Put in-Bay, near the W. extremity of the squadron of 6 veslake, wit with the British squadron lake, sels, mounting 63 guns. A fierce battle was waged for several hours, in the early part of which Perry's flagship, the "Lawrence," was completely disabled and struck her flag. He immediately shifted his flag to the "Niagara," and continued in action, finally defeating the British and establishing American supremacy on the lakes.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
an important canal in the state of New York . It leads from Buffalo on Lake Erie, through the Mohawk Valley, to the Hudson River at Albany. The Erie was constructed at state expense in 1817-26, largely through the determined efforts of Governor DeWitt Clinton and his political friends. The length of the canal is 387 miles. It is 70 feet wide at the bottom and is 7 feet deep. Buffalo is 568 feet above Albany. There are 72 locks. There is a lift at West Troy of 188 feet and another at Lockport of 54 feet. Stone aqueducts carry the canal across the Mohawk twice. The original depth was four feet. The original cost was $7,602,000. Subsequent deepening and widening and other improvements have brought the total cost up to $52,540,-800. Some scandalous contracts swelled the latter figures. The Erie Canal preceded railroads. A line of light packet boats drawn by horses at a round trot reduced the passenger schedule between Buffalo and Albany from the ten days required by stage service to three days and a half. The rate on freight drawn by long lines of teams was cut from $100 to $10, and later to $3 a ton. The canal did much to fill the valley of the Mohawk with settlers. It opened the way for emigrants bound westward and it formed a great highway for freight from the Northwest to the seaboard. The canal gave New York City an advantage over other Atlantic cities and did much to make it the metropolis of North America . The management of the canal has been a bone of contention from the first. Of late years it is believed that adverse railroad interests have sought to impair the usefulness of the canal. A project is on foot to convert the Erie into a ship canal capable of bearing tugs and barges. Such an enlargement cannot be made for less than $100,000,000.