# Proposals for the Speedy Settlement of the Waste and Unappropriated Lands on the Western Frontiers of the State of New-York

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PROPOSALS
for the speedy
SETTLEMENT
of the
Waste and Unappropriated
LANDS
On the Western Frontiers of the State of NEW-YORK, and for the Improvement of the Inland Navigation between ALBANY and OSWEGO.
NEW-YORK:
Printed by Samuel Loudon, at his Printing Office, No. 5, Water-Street, 1785.
PROPOSALS, &c.
IT is univerſally allow'd, that if the interior country were ſettled, that Inland Navigation would follow apace; it is alſo generally agreed, that if Inland Navigation were first accompliſhed, the ſettlement of the interior country would thereby be promoted; the following conſiderations are therefore humbly offered to the public, with a view of promoting both theſe ſalutary purpoſes at the ſame time.
Let a number of Gentlemen ſubſcribe the ſum of 13,000l. and let application be made to the Legiſlature to embody them into a Company, veſted with powers to carry on the ſaid work, to impannel Juries in order to aſcertain the damages (if any) which individuals may ſuitain in the proſecution of this buſineſs, to regulate all matters for the ​government and preſervation of the ſaid Navigation, and to take certain tolls and duties agreeable to the limitation of the ſaid law.
Let the Legiſlature be requested, to grant to the ſaid Company 250,000 acres of the waſte and unappropriated lands upon the weſtern frontiers of the State of New-York, in order partly to reimburſe the ſaid Company for the great expence of the Inland Navigation, the ſaid Company engaging to put 500 ſettlers upon the ſaid lands, within years of the ſaid grant, and alſo to compleat the Inland Navigation of the Cohoes, the little Falls, and Fort Schuyler within five years of ſaid grant, or on failure thereof to pay the State for the ſaid 250,000 acres, at the rate ſtipulated by the act, entitled, An act for the ʃettlement of the waʃte and unappropriated lands of the State of New-York.
Let theſe lands be ſurvey'd and laid out into lots of 150 acres each, and let encouragement be offered to ſober, honeſt, industrious farmers or workmen; that every perſon who ſhall work 150 days at the navigation, ſhall be entitled to one of theſe lots, together with a proper ration of proviſions for one year, commencing with his work, and at the expiration of the 150 days he ſhall be ſupplied with a number of farming utenſils, as ploughs, harrows, axes, wedges, croſs-cut ſaws, &c. to the value of Seven Pound Ten Shillings.
​It is preſumed that theſe inducements will encourage workmen to embrace the offer, for whilſt they are working at the canal they will get acquainted, and conſequently their families will be more willing to remove to back lands, than they would be to a ſettled neighbourhood in which they were unacquainted; and by means of the Inland Navigation they may be enabled to ſend their produce to market, from whence they may have returns in money or foreign commodities.
It is propoſed that the before mentioned ſum of 13,000l. ſhall be raiſed in 260 ſhares of 50 pounds each, but that every ſubſcriber ſhall have as many ſhares as he pleaſes.
That each ſubſcriber ſhall have a transferable debenture proportionable to the money ſubſcribed, upon which he or his aſſigns ſhall receive dividends of lands, or of the tolls ariſing from the ſaid navigation.
That the majority of the ſubſcribers ſhall appoint a Treaſurer or Agent, who ſhall receive and pay money, purchaſe materials, and tranſact all manner of buſineſs, (that of Engineer only excepted,) for the more effectual proſecution of the ſaid work.
​That Chriſtopher Colles will tranſact the buſineſs of Engineer, in conſideration of 5 per cent. of the lands remaining in the Company's hands, after the workmen's lots are laid out, and a like proportion of the lock duties.
That, as the propoſed deſign will be highly advantageous to the preſent ſettlers on the Mohawk River, 'tis probable they may with to encourage the ſame by ſending a workman; in ſuch caſe, the perſon he ſends must conform to the rules ſettled for the regulation of the other workmen, and if the farmer ſupply him with proviſions, he ſhall be entitled to 150 acres of land for 155 days work, but he muſt engage to put a ſettler on it.
Calculation of the Expence and Profit of the propoʃed undertaking.
At the COHOES.
| 4$\scriptstyle {\frac {1}{4}}$ miles canal, at 500l. per mile, | £. 2250 |
| Hill over the Great Fall, | 1000 |
| 20 locks, at 100l. each, | 2000 |
| Aqueducts and contingent expenses, | 750 |
| 6000 ||
At the LITTLE FALLS.
| One mile canal, | 1000 |
| 6 locks, at 100l. each, | 600 |
| Aqueducts and contingent expenses, | 1400 |
| 3000 ||
At FORT SCHUYLER.
| 1$\scriptstyle {\frac {1}{4}}$ miles canal, at 1000l. per mile, | £. 1250 |
| 2 locks, at 200l. each, | 400 |
| Overfalls, &c., | 350 |
| 2000 ||
| To improving ſome of the Rifts, | 2000 |
| 13,000 ||
Intereſt of 13,000l. at 6 per cent is 780l. per annum.
Of the ANNUAL INCOME.
Admitting only 120 tons of goods to paſs this navigation weekly, at 6ʃ. per ton for 26 weeks, is 936l.
This article is not over-rated, for before the war 600 batteaux paſſed annually between the Wood Creek and the Mohawk River, this makes 1200 tons per annum; and certainly if the navigation were improved the trade would be conſiderable more than triple.
Of the Number of MEN necessary to accomplish this NAVIGATION.
470 labourers working, each 150 days, and 30 carpenters, and other workmen, making in all 500 men.
Of the Quantity of LAND
| For 500 workmen at 150 acres each, | 75,000 acres. |
| To be reſerved by the Company, | 175,000 acres. |
| In all | 250,000 acres. |
Of the MONEY to be Advanced
| For rations for 500 men for 365 days, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | £. 9125 |
| at 1ʃ. per ration, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | £. 9125 |
| Tools, ropes, &c., | | £. 3875 |
| 13,000 |||
Of the total ADVANTAGES of this DESIGN to the COMPANY.
When the deſſign is accomplith'd, the Company will be poſſeſs'd of 175,000 acres of land, of this the Engineer will claim 5 per cent. that is 8750 acres for his trouble, after this deduction there will remain 166,250 acres in the hands of the Company, which, conſidering the ſettlement and improvement of the contiguous lands, and the benefit of the navigation, may be reaſonably rated at 10ʃ. per acre, this makes 83,126l. from which deducting the original expence as before ſtated of 13,000l. there remains to the Company the clear profit of 70,000l. beſides the income of the lock duties, which at the end of five years may be ​reaſonably valued at 1200l. per annum, from which deducting 5 per cent. for the Engineer, leaves the clear income of 1140l. per annum.
Calculation of the preſent expence of tranſportation of 50 tons of goods from Albany to Wood-Creek.
| From Albany to Schenactady, 20ʃ. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | £. 50 0 0 |
| per ton, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | £. 50 0 0 |
| From Schenactady to Fort Schuyler, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 300 0 0 |
| 6l. per ton, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 300 0 0 |
| From Fort Schuyler to Wood- | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 25 0 0 |
| Creek, 10ʃ. per ton, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 25 0 0 |
| Total expence of tranſportation of | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 375 0 0 |
| 50 tons of goods from | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 375 0 0 |
| Albany to Wood-Creek, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 375 0 0 |
Expence of tranſportation of 50 tons of goods with a barge of 50 tons, on a Barge Navigation.
| Three men, at 12ʃ. per day, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 16 0 0 |
| and two horſes, at 5ʃ. per day, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 16 0 0 |
| for 7 days, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 16 0 0 |
| Lock duties 7ʃ6 per ton, which | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 18 15 0 |
| is only 5 per cent. of the | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 18 15 0 |
| preſent expence of tranſportation | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 18 15 0 |
| Total expense of tranſportaiton of | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 34 17 0 |
| 50 tons along the Navigation | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 34 17 0 |
| Gained to the community by the | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 340 3 0 |
| tranſportation of 50 tons of | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 340 3 0 |
| goods, | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 340 3 0 |
​If now 300 tons of goods ſhould paſs this navigation weekly for 26 weeks, the community will gain annually, . . . £. 53,000
The lock duties would be annually, 2,925
Granting now that the Navigation from Albany to Wood-Creck ſhould cost 30,000l. the lock duties will raiſe 9 3-4 per cent at the end of five years, and conſiderably more afterward.
From the foregoing calculations the importance of the propoſed deſign will appear ſufficiently evident, by this the internal trade will be increaſed—by this alſo the foreign trade will be promoted—by this the country will be ſettled—by this the frontiers will be ſecured—by this a variety of articles, as maſts, yards, and ſhip-timber may be brought to New-York, which will not bear the expence of land carriage, and which notwithstanding will be a very conſiderable remittance to Europe—by this in time of war proviſions and military ſtores may be moved with facility in ſufficient quantity to anſwer any emergency, and by this in time of peace all the neceſſaries, conveniences, and if we pleaſe the luxuries of life, may be diſtributed to the remoteſt parts of the Great Lakes which ſo beautifully diverſify the face of this extenſive continent, and to the finalleſt branches of the numerous rivers which ſhoot from theſe Lakes upon every point of the compaſs.
​Providence indeed appears to favor this deſign, for the Allegany mountains which paſs thro' all the States, ſeem to die away as they approach the Mohawk-River, and the ground between the upper parts of this river and Wood-Creek is perfectly level, as if deſignedly to permit us to paſs thro' this channel into this extenſive inland country.
It is with great deſigns as with the fortunes of private men, we can form no notion of them either from common report, or from a hefty or ſuperficial view; if we will really know any thing, ſo as to reaſon with any tolerable certainty concerning either, it is neceſſary to enter into a ſtrict and particular examination; to be acquainted with what we have, is the firſt and most neceſſary step to making a right uſe of it, and to have an adequate and juſt notion of the value of our natural prerogative is the next; for not to know the value, is in ſome degree to loſe the poſſeſſion; and not to improve it, is the natural and deſtructive conſequence of ſuch a forgetful indolence.———There appears conſtantly a forwardneſs to look abroad, and a backwardneſs of attention at home, to a variety of matters, which 'tis highly probable we may be in poſſeſſion of, but for want of this attention, permit to lie dormant, uncultivated, and unimproved.———The rougheſt countries have their riches as well as the faireſt; though perhaps they may coſt more trouble to bring ​them to that perfection, which they may amply pay in the end; and when any proper well-concerted deſign is propoſed, it will be found neceſſary, that the Public ſhould take it under their protection, when it once appears it may be advantageous, without waiting till it becomes ſo, and thereby conſigning to poſterity the profits we ſo much need, and by timely attention may reap ourſelves.—There is a critical conjuncture in moſt undertakings, when the finalleſt unforeſeen diſcouragement ſinks them at leaſt for that age, as the lighteſt additional aſſiſtance would have ſet them afloat.
It appears therefore highly neceſſary for us to make a ſtrict examination of the matter now under conſideration—the amazing extent of the five great Lakes to which the propoſed navigation will communicate, will be found to have five times as much coaſt as all England, and the country water'd by the numerous rivers which fall into theſe Lakes, full ſeven or eight times as great as that valuable Iſland.———If the fertility of the ſoil be the object of our attention, we will find it at an average equal to Britain.—Of late years the policy of that Iſland has been to promote Inland Navigation, and the advantages gain'd both by the public and individuals, have been attended with ſuch happy conſequences, that it is interſected in all manner of directions, ​by theſe valuable water-ways, by which the inhabitants receive reciprocally the comfort of their reſpective poſſeſſions, whether flowing from the bounty of Providence, or the effects of induſtry: and by an exchange of commodities, render partial and particular improvements, the ſource of univerſal abundance.
It appears highly expedient at this time to promote this undertaking, as the Britiſh may, and now are, endeavoring to draw the trade of the inland country towards Quebec; and it is an indubitable fact, that trade is like water, when it once paſſes in any particular channel, it is not eaſily diverted or drawn away into another.
From what has been advanced it muſt appear, that the propoſed deſign is of conſiderable public as well as private advantage, and a very judicious writer informs us, that the greateſt ſecret of true policy, is to direct the ſtimulus of private intereſt to public purpoſes.
The ſubſcriber, agreeable to a joint reſolution of both Houſes of the Legiſlature, having been enabled to take an accurate ſurvey of the principal obſtructions upon the Mohawk-River, as far as Wood-Creek, and being confident of the practicability of ​the propoſed deſign, agreeable to the foregoing calculations, is deſirous of ſhewing the drafts and explaining the fame to any gentlemen who are willing to engage in the ſaid undertaking.
Chriſtopher Colles.
New-York, Lower-Battery, No. 2.
⁂ P. S. There is great reaſon to believe, that in the proſecution of the canal at the Cobres, it may be rendered convenient for Shad, Herring and other ſalt-water fiſh to go up that river in the proper ſeaſon, it is likewiſe conjectured that the Mohawk as well as the Hudson Rivers may be plentifully ſtored with Salmon from the Oneida Lakes.
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A
SERMON
PREACHED AT THE
Morning Lecture in Exon,
March the 8th, 1710/11,
Being the Day of
Her Majeſty's
Happy Acceſſion to the Throne.
By THOMAS BISHOP.
Publiſh'd at the Requeſt of ſeveral of the Auditors.
EXON: Printed by Sam. Farley, in the Year 1711.