The New York herald., 1869-01-21
Annual Report of Van Il. Richmond. stat
Engineer, ON state canals.

Engineer, State Canals.
The annual report OF state Engineer Richmond on
the state canals has been sent into the Legislature
and contains much more than the usual amount OF
statistics ana other valuable information connected
with our public works. The total length OF arti
fetal canals and eeders in the state is Ses.f0 miles,
The total length OF navigable lakes and rivers con-
nected artincially with tho canals Is 3si miles.
making the total OF water navigation within the
state l,27i10 miles. The number OF bridges on the
canals s l,3is these bridges were placed together
their approximate length would be sixteen and
half miles. The number of locks the canals Is 5s5.
form continuous line q sixteen and irss;aQartsr
miles The toal quantity OF water recei ved into tie
Erie Canal from its numerous feeders is 2I SO. cubic
ieet per minute equal n volume to river 19S feet
wide, seven feet deep. moving with surface
velocity Of one ani quarter miles per hour.
The cost or transportation on the canals
Is dweit upon at length. The amount o.
Work done during the fiscal year 1868 S65s, sos.
IMPROVEMENTS RECOMMENDED.
would most earnestly call the attention or the
Legislature 70 the necessity or making liberal APP
preparations for the removal OF the "bench walls'
upon the Erie Canal, and the immediate construc-
tlon OF Fish Creek Feeder for furnishing an addi-
tiona supply OF water 10 the summit i0ng levelu
Both OF these improvements should, IN my opinion,
be made al the earliest practicable period. They
nave been repeatedly urged IN the annual reports
OF the Canal commissioners and my predecessors
for the past eight or nine years. would also re-
commend that, as as the surplus revenues can
be applied, the locks upon the western division be
doubled. 1he rapid increase OF tonnage from the
West win soon make this Improvement Imperative
REMOVAL or Tue WALL BENCHES
The construction OF the enlargement Of the Erie
Canal was authorized by act, chaptev 2.s. laws or
1885. The form and size OF the prism was adopted
by the Canal Board and constructed with wall
benches up to the suspension or 1912, as shown IN
diagram No. l. THIS plan was changed February
II, ls4o. by Canal Commissioners Cook. Beach and
Kinds, rs shown III diagram No. 3 dispensing with
the benches and carrying the walls TO tAe bottom of
the prism upon slopes 81 - 10 !.
The tonnage OF the Erie Canal in lSig was less
than nalf The present BuSinR4~ fht-
day the embarrassncnts 70 navigation fr0m
the bsnsh walls was seriously fet. since
then the emDalrassments have gradually increased
~ the business has augmented from the settling OF
these benches towards the centre OF the canal greatly
reducing the width at the bottom anu today there
IL less capacity than In ls4a with double the bust
ness 10 PERFORM. The canal wth bench walls Is only
Iofy,tw0 ieet vide ~ the bottom while the pro-
posed change gives n'iy-sx feet: space hat freely
admits 0f the passage of three boats abreast, while
the former VIII only pass two.
Tue removal of these benches aud substituting
plan No. with walls running to the bottom OF the
canal, would greatly increase the capacity for trans
portaiion, render navigation easier and safer, aud
There are a. present eighty miles OF canal con.
structed with bench walls, sNtyGvc miles 0f winch
~ upon the Eastern division sixteen miles upon the
Middle and three miles upon the western divi-
sion. Ihs estimated cost OF this improvement Is
81 COG. .O0o.
CUNs .RUCrIoS or FisH CREEK FEEpER--sUPPLY or
wArER TO rHE "L0NG LEvEL.u
Tic necessity for an increased supply Of
water Tor ihe Long Level has long been expe-
risnced. rnis deficiency was most seriously
ieli al Syracuse dock ~ iom rapid iockages
| ~ pass the accumulation oil boats from tie
oswego Canal, 90 Keep UP the short Levels
Wtst % iocs y, 20 supply the weigh lock and
irsi Level q Tie uswego anaL TO provide for re-
net az ths important point lhe ne Kuyfer Reservoir
was constructed, which has gwen the desired relief
az this cna " the tong Level. since It's ccnstruc.
/ ion however, the enlargement of tne oneida Lake
cana has been authorized ana VIII lie brought into
Use III 1888, Tor wlth no provision has been made
lOr ~upnN ths c41a 81 enlarged capacity ans ton
mage. Iuis together wish ,ne iet that the volume
Oi many " tie streams suupiyinyte canal are grad.
ualy diminishing ~ clearing and cuivatlng the
lands around their sources afd cAunele renders ey
sources 81 supply absolutely necessary
surveys and estimates wore made ia sff for the
CONSTRUCTION oi fsn creek feeder. The stream was
being covered ls uninterrupted forests. Gauges
lso5 Il was founa 20 yiea n sz5 cubic feet per MI
mute ana " 1850 y Was l3,5i2 making an average
Tow Vf lo,tit cubic feet per ninuie an excess Of
more than 5000 cubic feel tan n required for the
maximum aeheiency upon ha long LEVEL fncluding
the enlarged oneida Lake Caaai
Ahe estimated cost Of t.is eeuer, including land
damages ~ k5s5 NO0 based upon couatructlnQ t
eleven mites 10 length fifteen fee. ,yidc on me bot
tom, thIty-une ice AZ surface four feet deep with
descent " SIX inches per ine capable OF delivery az
the canal tnfee anies west 81 Ronie 1850 cubic feet
per minute
Taxing lDto consideration the permanency OF his
stream ~ Volume, and favorable location Tor d re-
liable and Immediate relief 10 not ony the long
level. bat 70 Lttte Fails, whore navigation Is greatly
impaired iof want q ~ Increased supply, am of
the opinion tn3f this tiptvs etnpnt s Of the arst nm.
portaBce toward improving navigation and should
be at once placed under coDiFacs.
DOUBLING TuR LOCKS UrOS rrIs wrsTrRv prvfsfnv
There are upOr lie hne ol the Trie canal nitJ
seven ovuSie, thirteen s'Dgle JOCKS and Two guard