Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-20
EXTENSION OF THE oHENANGo CANAL

The Chenango Canal, leading from Utica
to Bipghamton, distance of ninety.segen
miles, has proved TO be an Improbable in
vestment for the State so far as revenues
are concerned The work was authorized
III 1888, and completed in 1886, at cost
for construction of about two millions and
a half. The friends of the measure have
always urged that that the reason why the
Canal run the State in debt was, that it's
Southern terminus failed to reach the mar
ket contemplated when the enterprise was
| projected. 1t was claimed that if the Ca
nal should be extended to the Pennsylva-
MIA State line, so as to make a connection
with Coal fields of that State by water,
the business of the route would not only
be largely increased, but that great bene-
, fits would accrue to the people of the State
| frrui the consequent cheapening of the
price ol coal in all the markets accessible
| by water communication.
There statements were urged upon the
attention of the Legislature from time to
time, and in 1859 an appropriation was
made to defray the expense of survey of
the proposed line. State Engineer RICH
MoND confded this task to Hon o. w
CHHDs, one of the ablest Engineers in the
country, and a gentleman entirely convers-
ant with our Canal policy from long years
of patient study and service, and the re-
suit Of his labors was communicated to
the Senate in 1860. He estimated the cost
of the Extension at $4,000, and his re-
port demonstrated to the Legislature that
the project was feasible, and that the ad-
ditionat tonnage the route would bring to
the Canals already in existence, would rem
der its construction desirable. These con-
siderations, together with the fact that it
would tend to destroy the formation of
Coal mOnopOlies by individuals or compa-
MES, induced the State to authorize the
commencement of the work.
Canal Commissioner WRIGHT favored the
work on the ground that the Chenango
Canal was in an unfinished state until it
was extended to reach the Coal mines, and
Commissioner BRUCE, his successor, has
been among its warmest advocates from
the start The route laid down by Mr..
CHILDs was substantially adopted by State
Engineer TAYLOR, and an appropriation was
made for the commencement OF the work
The Extension is forty miles in length,
and runs along the south bank of the Sus-
quehanna river from Binghamton to the
Pennsylvania State line at Athens. At
that point connection will be made with
the North Branch Canal, channel that
now leads into the heart of the Coal mines
of Pennsylvania. When the work is com
pleted boats may load at the mines, and
travel without transhipment to any point
now accessible by means of our admira-
BILE system of internal water communica-
ton. About three-quarters of the work is
now under contract, and is being rapidly
pushed forward to completion What re-
mains to be done will probably be placed
under contract the present winter, and we
are informed by BYRON NJ HANKS, ESQ,
the Resident Engineer in charge, that the
whole enterprise can be completed, and the
Canal open for business by the first of May,
1868.
The high prices of labor and material
will increase the original estimated cost
of the work. The sum of $850,000 has al
ready been appropriated, 100000 of which
has been expended.
Thus it will be seen, that while the State
Of New York has contributed hundreds Of
millions of dollars to the National Treas
ury, and has incurred an immense State
debt in aid Of the War, she is at the same
time pushing forward her system of inter
nal improvements and opening up new fa-
cilities for the cheap transportation of the
staple articles of ptiOn.-Abany
ArguS.