New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-24

construction into the fressury. Costing on'y S''F''
392 10 their net revenues for the 6rt twenty yesls
over and above the expense Of superntendsnee, TO
pairs, collections, &c, were 4is, 964,7s6 53-A sum
more than sufficient to pay the whole ooet OF eonsfac
tioD ard the interest At the low rate at which most e
The money wa borrowed-resuts astonishing to those
familiar only with the mis-estiuatee vscllation, pre-
CT s.tination fraud aud pc ,ulston Of late years.
Il 10 worth While here TO note how tneee results
were attained.
l. Commissioners were rot busy In editing news
papers, marshalipg squads 10 political parties, or
tcbenng to secure the appointment to or continu-
srce Of friends in lucrative places, or constantly
tempted from the discharge Of public duty by import
ant ard perpexing private affairs; but they were
Commissioners in fact, devo,irg all their time, all
their energies and attention, to the great public
charge with which they were in.rusted.
O. EDgins ering, as science, then, fortunately
IN s infancy. Academies were not then turning out
annually host Of youngsters fancypg themselves
the masters Of knowledge which can only be acquired
BY practical experience; younger Of party favor
ties had not begun to be pamed of upon this branch
Of the public service for support and Instead Of the
army Of youngsters, knowing ipri'ely less than the
,hrewd and INSCRIPTIONS contractors whose work
they nominslly supervise and control, but who are
really too frequently under the complete control and
influence Of the contractors themselves not only to
The manner Of doing work, but the measurements and
compensation, we had matured intellect, practical
knowledge, and an honest watchfuluess the pro-
crossing work.
This entitl the people Of the western part
Of the State at whose urgent enreaty the work was
begun (who consented to taxes on salt and steamboat
passepgers the mott Of which they paid and to law
for King the lands along the lice of the Canal If the
revenues should fail to pay the debit to such tariff
Of tolls should prove for expenses of superintend.
ence cole ctions and repairs, and yield reasonable
borus the State for the hazard by the work.
But lateral canal, we're wanted by different localities
the, were made and their cost fastened upon the we'll
pay ing Erie To this the western people cheerfdry
as.erted Ard was not now time for a reduction Of
tolls
But Dew necessity was supposed to have arisen.
The Erie Canal not large enough for it's steadily
il cressng tunnage and somewhat hasty aud il-con-
i6ered pas Of enlargement was recommended by the
Commissioners and sanctioned by the Legislature in
1885, ard from this policy has resulted all the financial
difficulty, past, present aud future, Of the Safe.
L. is bsroly worth while to inquire what party in the
pat bee been the most succesfu in producing the ne.
ces-es of the several suspensions of the work OF En-
larg, nett which has MADE or tried to make canal
patronsge canal contracts, or canal oaDe, the most
subservn mt to party ends. retrospect would show
that an immeIse amount Of Ingenuity has been ex.
Tended in contrivirg How Not to do IT," instead Of
conrivpg for prompt completion of work which
when once begun should have been completed at as
.aly period possible, both on account of the loss
of interest upon the money expended and the derange
trent of the navis alton -unavoidsby TO be produced
But the more important question is, shall toe work.
now within few millions Of completion be again sus-
pended, or allowed TO drag along under influences OPP
poted to s~ completion. There are powerfalinfuences
against the speedy completion this work the longer
it cen BE- delayed, and the Erie Canal kept in about
the same navt able order it has been FIR this season,
he better possibly for localities, the better GER
family f some stocks not above par; and the
better as they probably imagine, for an army OF 60
called engineers aid = certain ciass of contractors.
To one or two future numbers intend to pursue the
question whether the csras, rather the Erie Canal
hall be sold. 1t is Of consequence to the reader
whether am for or opposed 10 q sale. l'shal try
,airly to array some arguments both sides of the
question. Be