This was a very big deal: The Erie Canal allowed for east–west navigation from the coast to the Great Lakes within US territory.

The canal system thus gave New York a competitive advantage, helped New York City develop as an international trade center, and allowed Buffalo to grow from just 200 settlers in 1820 to more than 18,000 people by 1840. 

The port of New York became essentially the Atlantic home port for all of the Midwest—because of this vital connection and others to follow, such as the railroads, New York would become known as the "Empire State" or "the great Empire State". [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal]

Howard Harvey, most often called "Tex" took his Radio Officers license before the U.S. Commerce Department and lied about his age and obtained a job as a radiotelegraph operator on a barge travelling the Erie Canal. He had been using this Vibroplex Blue Racer made in 1912 for over 75 years. He would often tell me that he had a "Lake Erie Swing" and he did as he learned that particular method of sending while on the Lake Erie Canal, but I would correct him being much too precise, by saying "No, you have a Lake Erie Canal swing." to which he would just double over laughing. Tex last lived in Creve Coeur, Missouri about 1,000 miles from me in Massachusetts but he would put in one of the few audible signals (the other was K0PNB from St. Louis, MO) from the Western side of the Mississippi River during daylight hours on 40 meters- which means he had an outstanding signal. This is a one of the recordings that Macalee "Lea" Hime, AB5TY of Texas made of him at my request. Also heard is Kenneth Cooper W2BNA who breaks in at an inportune time during the recording for posterity. Tex was so happy about this recording being preserved as an example of "Lake Erie Swing" that he even spoke about it on his death bed. 73 and BV OM.

Included in this archive is a PDF file of a letter from Macalee "Lea" Hime, AB5TY, "Girl Railroad Telegrapher". It also includes a transcript of the recordings. The letter is here. https://ia800606.us.archive.org/22/items/W0bmuHowardtexHarveyW0bmu/19990403_letter_from_macalee_hime_ab5ty.pdf

The last recorded archive of the Queen Bee Net web page is here. https://web.archive.org/web/19990204024557/http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/vine/82/

Many of the Queen Bee Net members were (are) members of CFO.

73

DR

N1EA