, 1866-03-01
ENLARGEM ENT OF THE ERIE
CANAL,
New York Moving to Accommo-
date Western Trade.

IleEtlHE oil tue k3uHA40 &t0AfN OIL AkAQ&$
from the Buffalo Express, 2Gtn.l
A large meeting Of the Board Of Trade was
held Saturday morning Mt the rooms Of the
Board. to take aktion in support Of the bill
recently introduced In the Legislature BY Sen
ator Bennett, for the doubling and enlarge
ment Of the single locks in the Erie Canal be-
tween Rochester and Port Byron.
President Of The Board, j. II. Fish, Esq., who
briefly slated its object, and invited Senator
Bennett to present the facts which 1t had been
called to consider.
Afr. Bennett, In concise words, explained
the character. and provisfons. of the bill now
pending In the Legislature. promising that
the supervision OF the state Engineer and
Surveyor, Mr. Goo4sel1, who fully approved
OF it, and who had prepared the es-
Inmates upon which it, financial provisions
were based. It requires the duplication Of
the remaining single locks-thirteen in num-
ber-and their enhancement to the Dimensions
Of twenty-four feet in width and two hundred
feet 10 length. Tho expense OF the work will
be covered by tax of one Liz mill upon the
taxable property Of the State-a sum utterly
lnsIyniacAnt compared with the results to
accrue to the State from tho facIhtatlon aud
cheapening Of transportation through its
TO get report from the Canal Committee Of
the Senate recommending the passage Of the
Of the Senate might be calcn-
lated upon as decidedly favorable
to our interests and the Interest Of the CANALS
made In faYor Of the Niagara Falls ship canal
sclleme-the immense combinations Of fnnu-
ence tlat Mr.. Littleiohn Is bringing to bear
in support Of bis application for charter
and warned our people Of the danger of sltc-
cess In that undertaking, unless they bestlrred
themselves to wake up the State to a perccp-
tinn and understanding OF what must be its
and to the commerce of the city OF New York,
Hon. William Williams then addressed the
meeting. He believed that the bill under
consideration, for doubling and enfarglps
locks, would meet with strenuous opposltlon
in the Assembly, and that great effort was
tain favorable report from the Canal Com
movement was made IN It's behalf. he
feared its defeat; but If Buffalo moved
unltedly and actively IN urging IT, he be-
siared that it might. be carried through.
Cnnal project, be expected TINT Nj, Little
john would get, q favorable report upon 1t
from his Committee on Commerce md Nayi-
gatian. The combination organized for Its
support was very powerful. By the project
OF the Midland Railroad, to directly connect
oswego With New York ny, I; haa aecursa
ali the counties along the line OF that p:ojcct-'
cd road Then the northern counties inter-
ested in ths Cha1nplafn Ship Canal scheme
were enlisted, and the combination
OF interests gotten up is forulidablg strong.
The point IN this matter, as he
thought, to be impressed upon the under
standing Of the people Of New York Is, that
tue purpose Of the West in seeking vessel
passage around Niagara Falls Is not to get
property to New York more cheaply By way
Of Oswego Or Lake Champiain, but to Get to
the ocean, through the st. LAWRENCE, The
question H. not Of the fate Of Buffalo COIL
ulerce, but Of the commerce Of the canals-
both Oswego and Eric-and of the Western
trade Of New York city.
Hiram Miles,, Esq, followed in an able
speech, dwelling upon the value OF the canals,
and the claim they hare upon the State.
Their revenues have more than paid their
COST and the enhancement In the v1luc Of
property which they have produced has en-
a hundred fold what they cost. If It was tho
real purpose OF tho Niagara Falls Ship
Canal scheIne to guin more advan-
ta5eous communication. with New York,
as was endeavored to be represented by the
auxiliary project Of d ship canal from the st.
Lawrence to Like Chnmplatn, let the under
taking be commenced at ttde-Water.:a The in
terests Of Buffalo in the matter was identical
with that Of the State and city Of New York,
and he did not believe that 1t would be posi-
hle to so pull the wool over the eyes Of the
people Of New York as to induce them to per-
NIT q diversion OF Western trade to Montreal
and the ocean.
E. H. Walker, Esq, presented to the meet
ing some important commercial statistics md
facts bearing upon the subject under consid.
| Grafton. The Helland Canal Is 23 mics In
length, and passes vessels of400 tons hurthen.
miles IN length, and pass vessels Of 500 tons.
On the Lakes we have a feet Of 800 vessels,
| only some go of which are small enough to
| pass through the WeEaDd Canal. When
| the Wel1and. Canal was built, It Was
planned to compete with 90 ton boats
of the latter defeated ita plan. Il, now, the
Nugara Falls Ship CaaM Is constructed, Nitt