The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-02-12

in attendance is near 500; very large num-
Der, considering the state of the roads and the
extreme inclemency Of the weather.
THE DEBT-MAKlNG PARTY.
The Globe sometime ago, with its accustomed
regard for truth--that regard which we SO clearly
showed the other day governs the editor--under-
took to show that all the debts of the States as well
as the public debt Of the United States, had been
enacted by the Wings, and that the Wing party
were therefore "the debt-making party" We
proved the fasity Of this at the time, but had not
the facts in regard to the public debt of the State
of New York, though we then stated that that
debt had been created by the hocofoco party
themselves, as the public debt of almost every
State in the Union and Of the United States had
BEEN The following statement from the Albany
Evening Journal bears US out as regards New
York:
EXPENSE OF ENLARGING THE ERIE
CANAL.
We have shown, by extracts from docume n,s
to be found in the legislative journals, bearing
the signatures of State officers, that the Erie Ca
nal enlargement was authorized by law recon-
mended by Governor Marcy and enacted by
Van Buren, Legislature. We have shown, by
the same documents, that the dimensions of the
enlarged canal were fixed by Van Buren, canal
board, and that the work was commenced and
progressed under the auspices Of Van Buren,
canal board and Van Buren, canal commissioners.
We have shown, from the same documents, that
Governor Marcy and Van Buren, canal board
apprised the Legislature that the public inter-
ests required the completion of the enlarged Ca
nal sooner than was contemplated by the law of
1885," We have shown, from the same autho-
rites, that the Van Buren, canal commissioners
informed the Legislature in 1888 that their con-
tracts and arrangements would ensure the COM
pletion of the enlarged canal, from Albany to Buff
falo, in the year 1915.
We now propose, by taking another leaf from
the report Of Van Buren, canal board, to show
how much, in the estimation of that board, the en-
largement of the Erie Canal would cost
In the report made by the canal board to the
Legislature on the Doth of January, 1886, before
referred to, it is said, at page 5, "the aggregate
of the estimates, including the cost of a double
set of life locks the whole line is, for the lar
gest canal, sls4l6,l50 II, equal to $A,204 81
per mile.
This estimate was for canal OF seven feet
depth Of water, and seventy feet width of surface,
the dimensions decided on by the board for the
enlarged canal. aa
$50 far as these estimates have been tested
oy putting the same kind of work on which they
were made under the contract, they have been
found to be remarkably correct
Having in this report the authority of Governor
Bouck, Comptroller Fagg, Commissioner EARL,
and other Slate officers, for believing that the
Erie Canal could be enlarged for l2,4I6, $50 IL,
the Legislature and the people embarked freely
and cordially in the enterprise. This estimate, It
will be seen by the extract above from the report
OF the canal board, was made in 1886, and upon
being "tested'' in 1897, was " found to be re-
markable correct" Most nn fortunately for the
State, however, both the estimates and the tests
have proved disastrously incorrect and delusive.
The fourteen miles of canal which was enlarged
under the Immediate superintendent of Governor
Bouck, instead of the $34,204 81 per mile," as
estimated, cost nearly 100000 per mile; and il
is ascertaned, by corrected estimates and relia-
bic tests, that the enlargement, instead of Ahe
$l2,4l6,l5O II, the sum reported to two success
sve legislatures, will cost $s24,000OOO.
And now for the moral. Gov. Bouck Comp
troler Flagg, Commissioner Earll &c, are now
administering the State Government. The Erie
Canal enlargement was authorized and CON-
menced, upon an official assurance from these
funcnonarles that the enlargement was demand
ed by our increasing trade and commerce that
the public interests would be promoted thereby
and that the whole expense OF such enlargement
would he $l2,4l6,l50 II. And after more than
FOURTEEN MILLIONS of dollars have been expend-
ed upon work which the canal board informed
the Legislature could be completed for less than
twelve millions and half we have report
from the commissioners OF the canal fund which
contains this extraordinary avowal:
"All these facts most concusively demonstrate,
that it was not only unnecessary, but in the
highest degree improvid-nt to increase The State
debt a single dollar for the purpose Of enlarging
fhn Erie md hat II, . ~ =
time the SLIGH TEST NECESSITY FOR. Co
ING ON With THE ENLARGEMENT. or
doing any thing more than to keep the canal in
good repair. @ a
All Of which is respectfully submitted.
II Mff A. G. FLAGG, fff8sH
lfi Mgil5s ta s. YOUNG Il siat afat
GEO. P. BARKER, 1877
ft-N ~ THOS. HARRINGTON,
NATHL JONES"