Grain elevators once towered in Atlantic Basin, as can be seen in the etching published in Harper's Magazine in 1871.  They transfered grain from ship to warehouse or ship to ship, and stored grain withing themselves. Canal boats traveled down the Erie Canal to the Atlantic Basin with cargoes of grain from inland farms. The elevators then redistributed the grain to large ocean going vessels and to other vehicles for local use. Elevators had large storage capacities and were used to store the grain until there was a demand.