New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-08
TIE INTERIOR COMMEHCE or or
STATE.

co,nrre, ended We have had heoreticoi estin,ai
of what the Canal could do when completed az
pushed to n full capacity OF transportation, to
sure. and suttcieDty rose-colored at that but If I'll
actual capacity OF the Canal to carry its BURDEN
end its facili;ip. for the movement of It's cargoe,
nos ing out the practical test can settle the fact
which are dassrabse 10 know.
Fifty milli,ns Of Bushels of grain, chiefly Indis
corn and wheat GncIading -four from wheat. hay
been -eceiyed 1T Buffalo from the Western Lake
from the opening OF navigation in April Iast TO h
irst day OF November, sad an equal amount Of I'll.
stme articles has been received at Troy and Al
bany-the heads Of tde-waer on the Hudson River
by the Erie Canal, God a very considerable portion
Of them have come direct by cana-boats, without
breaking bulk, TO this city. We do not intend 10
say that tie Identical grain which arrived in Buffalo
by the lakes hiss been in all shipped through to
Troy or Albany on the canal, bat what portion OF
it has been diverted from Buffalo 10 way OF side
markets. has been resupplisd to the canal by way ..
the Oswego and other Tributary canals, making the
receipts at Underwater about the in amount and
tupnage AZ arrived at Buffalo by the lakes.
II IL yet too early to say what actual amount Of
grain will be transported TO the end of the naviga5le
OF the lakes and canals but reckoning it at
month more or until she LIT Of Decemher-and with
AN average season il will hold out tnatwe may put
the whole amount q grain ttour from wheat III
cludedl 1T CO,00O,0O0 bushels. Jhat is 20,0O0,COO
bushels more than WAS transported lest year, 1860,
tie heaviest grsin-year for the canals ever before
his Is bu. the ransr ortacn Of single article dorm
he Canal, not enume rating the enormous quantities
If other agricultural products, beside those Of the
forest aud mines, chiefly lumber, iron and coal, aud
NJ f,eigit- OF uerchandise, -alt, and other heavy
mate.il, y hich compose more or leos Of the eturn
cagg0c- 81 tie boats.
All this lmnage, be il understood, is moved on the
ngfnisbed canal, with average drai, 10 tie boat
81 five and lnf feet of water in It's channel, the
laree.t boats taking ahont 600 bushels OF wheat
or 100 bushels Of corn only. Another year, we
trust will give seven feet of water in the completed
boats, thus enlargi their tunDaee TO 5000 bushels
Of wheat eac., with scarcely more OF propeiimg
power and Ia rifiing added to their movement.
We have time, nor have We the data al hand, now
% 20 into accurate estimate of The full capacity OF
tie Canal 10 lie movement Of tunnage to tde-water
when the enlargement shall be completed but allow
ing for even double the tnnnage now moved, there
il yeserred capacity, with come not expensive iu-
provemens, which one year may render effective,
that will increase the tunnage OF our present largest
boats fully oae-third, at little more expense 10 the
freivhter or boat-owner. The chief improvement to
which we alude is AN extension of the length Of the
locks from 90 as they now are, to 1870 feet which, in
the estimate Of competent contractors, can be done
49,. l.. half az hill al IA less
.um than h- they offer to give security Tor the per-
Torrance Of the work
Ii may he too early just now to sugs' ST still tnr-
TIER expenditure by the state on "ork which las
already cos n great deal too much, for reasons easy
to explain; lut in a poyiNg work Ike tins snch
tnain. additional expenditure 10 accomplish largely
e-ulis would scarce be called bad poioy ID
any privnle enfcrpr,e Of importance. We hope TO
see s subject fully ret forth in the reports OF the
Canal Department TO the Legislature the coming
Winter.
There are other i,ema Of canal management which
need thorough reform and although plausible enough
IN their present practice over that Of tho pas show
decidedly evil results We now alude 10 the con-
frsc, syrtem of canal repairs, lock.ending &C., By
which great delny is suffered by the boats and an
absolute ysem Of bribery has to be submitted 10 on
the part Of boaimen to the contractors and lock
tenders in order to hurry along aud make their pas
"a. e. within reasonable time. We admit that the
contract system is the beet where the chief end Of
the pubhc rood is obtained and It Is evident TINT
hare, gain bas been made by the State III the contract
rcla.r system the old one Of employing corps
d partisan superiutendents with their hundreds OF
thousands of equally partisan subordinaies IN DAVID
ling over their jobs and wasting the pubic money
Yet we fear that willie the State 10 saving at the
suicpo, il may be losing at the bung," as no set OF
contractors will make a repair long as the work
will hold together during the life OF their contract
and in the end the heavy repairs which the State will
be oldi.ed 90 make will couRtel balance all II has
saved by the cheaper method.
Another item connected with the financial system
Of the canals should be taken in hand and thoroughly
examined by the next Legislature. Our Constitu-
tiou Convention of 1916 moved thereto by the Sill
nerscononico ideas of Michael Hoffman, Controller
Flagg. and their associates of that day-we enough,
we grant in the face of the outrageous canal swhdies
Of that period, ami its lately previous years-h"'ea
the payueut o. the canal debts TO the short time Oh
.iyhteen wears after their contraction. That policy
LIS compelled the people of the State to pay heavy
animal tax ever snee TO meet the interest and eX-
ng,iish portion of the principal, according to the
terms Of tie Constitution, III tho absence OF sur
fcieut canal revenue to meet those demands. Io
DAY tie interest we admit tho policy to be u sound
one; but why we, in the face Of an increasing rev,
enue. rapidly growing trade, and an unOoonde0
State credit, the people who have accomplished the
yre,, work Of enlsrging the canals for the b,ne d
those who are to use hem in all future lime snou"
be compelled to put our hands in our pockets ana pa!
for tnis work there can be 10 valid reason VuI GU