, 1863-06-04

rates Of toll and then increased, By State authors
II, e1actions upon weete,n products, in conee-
e M s a1s 81 tie p
ern States. Was that navigation closed before
the 4th Of March, 1861. The free navigation OF
that river was sstabllshea By an act Of the rebel
Congress in February, 1861, and the 1rst hostile
gun WAS fred in Charleston harbor in April follow
lowing. Neither the fact Of obstruction nor the
anticipation Of bad any in
Whatever Of onr wealth or means, be they much
or little, or whatever Of men or material may be
reqnised to open The Father o. waterS % to TIE es
the Western States, New York does not hesitate
to give freely: when she does then she may be
actions upon he M necessities ii her ioJai neseh-
bors. This charge against the State ia unkind.
undescrved, and not justified BY the facts Of the
There may have been just causes Of complaintin
respect to the high rate Of freight charges the two
past years, and II 30, the following exhibit may
explain to what extent this State and the carriers
hare participated In these high rates.
CHARGES B1 THE BUFFALO ROUTE.
In 1861, the highest monthly freight
aycfare On wheat from Chicago
to New York, p bushel, was. -....$0.8s Q 4
Lowest %onthy o ny asssage. ~ ~ 2 s
yfeass stste snol 1oT t|!s en- "a &c In Ii bu
1867, highest monthly aycrage..... 0.34 0 4
Lowest monthly ~ aveaase'-'''''.. 9s9 9.S9 9 ]
ArssaEs 1of td9. 5e ssa s 20 s il a nsEs @
For these to1l charges New York furnished s4s
miles Of artificial navigation. The freight charges
By the oswcgo route were very nearly the same
In closing this Communication, have only to
repeat here an opinion have long entertained,
taf aesEe t. e. ta
New York canals, VIC can only do 80 by enlarging
the locks go MS to permit the passage Of vessels
nic Of steam entirely, and of anficient eapacty il to
carry 49, G0l g. 600 bushels Of wheat. ANY change
from ak ltct draft Of water, and an elevation Of
surface line Of the waters Of the canal, would be
impracticable where tho canal passes through our
cities and villages No satisfactory estimate can
be ma1e ofthe cost Of such change
The necessities OF Q reduction in the cost Of
Transit Tn Western products to the Atlantic are too
apparent to require examination or discussion;
VIC should initiate measures with view Of pro-
yGng facilities for the transport Of the increasing
pre- eddets Of tue Western and Northwestern States.
I hope and trust these gtorions objects will be
accomplished by the wisdom and forecast OF the
Convention about to assemble at Chicago
Lam very respectfully, s.,
sec1etny at Large, Chicago.
At a meeting OF tho Canal Board Of the State OF
nsM 5S dsy Ma shf n icy tae nfess@en' INC
Present-The Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller
ard Canal Commissio ioners; Secretary of State
Al5e1Ee1 State Engineer and Surveyor, Wright
The Comptroller offered the following preamble
and resolution, which were adopted:
NheFeas. The canal Board has been informed
that the Governor has. designated the Hon.
Nathaniel s. Benton, Auditor al tho Canal Depart
ment. as one Of the Delegates from this State to
Of JUNG next, for the purpose OF considering the
subject Of obtaining Increased facilities Tor trans
portatfon of produce and merchandise between
ttde.water and tho Western and Northwestern
States; and whereas it IL desirable that such Con-
yention should b. fully and accurately Informed
to the position Of the State Of New York In this
respect Of the nature and extent Of hcr publtc
which her ptople have made In the construction
of euch works, as we'll as Of their desire to coop
crate with their Western brethren In the largest
spirit Of berality consistent with Justice and the
preservation of the public faith. Therefore, be 1t
RtA4r<d, That the Auditor be requested on be-
ton to the end, that 1t may, SO far as practicable
avail tse1f Of bis long experience, his accurate
statistical knowledge in regard to the extent Of
onr public works, their cost the debt and the tax
ntion incurred In their construction their capacity,
tht extent Of their business and rcycnne the rates
OF toll and Euch other "Details as may be deemed
Important, by tho eaid convention.
CANAL DEPARTMENT L
ALBANY, May %, 1853 !
Icestlfy the foregoing to be true extract from
the 1hlnutcs Of the proceedings ofthc Canal Depart
'@'~' ~'@ ~ ~ ". Il. GounKE1,
Deputy Auditor.
CoRREcT1oN-In the proceedings in our
last issue, J. e. Werst and r. o. Mott were
reported as on the Committee Of Organiza-
tion from Maryland. 1t should have read
Minnesota.