New-York tribune., 1869-01-15
OUR CANALS.

The ANIMAL report of the Hon. James A. Bell,
Auditor OF the Canal Department Of this State trans
mtted 10 the Legislature the 9th inst In this report
Mr. Bell congratuaes the people on the general prosper
ity which has attended the Canal Department during inc
pSs wear ard especially on tho fact that the surplus
revenues OF the canals are sufficient 10 pay the balance
OF tue canal debt Of 1886, satisfy the oibcr requirements
~ ,Le Constitution and contribute over Sf27OO0 toward
defravng tic necessary expenses Of the Government
The extinushLIent of this debt berates the caDai rev
cnues from the necessity Oh an nhuni ~, ,o r,
mediate appropriations toward the payment OF the gen
erad fund and canal enlargement debts ana dehcen'y
The financial results OF tho past year" soys Mt Beli
furnish renewed evidence that the canals VIII, WIN
fidelity aud ecou0ny. accomplish all that theIf protectors
aud early friends anticipated and desired The ay IL not
far distant when the future appropriation OF Their reye
pnTpnses may he realized" Tho Auditor discusses n.
en,h the subject Of canal repairs that irulu sSss o.,
corruption and pccuatiOn which has dgaoed me STATE
while IL has enriched corrupt Canal Officers nnu
pu,ous contractors for years past lie eltes ts
laws which have enacted concerning canal Repairs
and exhibits and compares the results undereach
time the canals were kept repair by aV
another pairs made by contract and now b0ih
TENS prevail nj the same time. at must be admitted
says the Auditor THAT neither system Is free liun hons
and that both systcms have, In measure, di'aplnru
tie reasonable expectation OF their respective friends
Superintendents have colludcd with commissioners hin
others In their purchases Their extravaganza anu nm
deity hnd sweed the cost OF repairing NE cahnis 20
fearful amounts Coniract0rS on the othcr hanu nav
banded together TO depete the Treasury thelr seres
eliminating In the lettings ~ DccemheI' 1870 anu .,I
ueiecncy resulting tho diapdated condition ol INC
The Auditor comes 10 the conclusion that the present
laws concerning repairs shoud be repeated ana rohe
thing better substituted. He says: The cNlsLhg
statutes on that subject present MS anomaly; Inc
general care and supcrutcndece u The canals are Nehte
in a Board Of Canal Commissioners anu the special
charge of division, and the repairs thereof are CIV 70
the Commissioner In charge OF that DIVISION, ho'Wlth
standing thc Canal Board appoints snperlnicndtts and
assigns them 10 certain positions on the cannls 10 90 pre-
cisey The thug. Tie Commissioner owes MS l'r
flon 10 tho peope-tho Superintendent to the Canal
Board. They will either work at cross purposes OT
cOllude to defraud the State
After comparing aud contrasting tho two systems OF
reparsby supeTiBtcndouts and hy cOnitac-l an ahlt
manner, Mr.. Eel saws: " In conclusion. the Auditor wiz
only add that hs records ~ TINS Department prove he
yond all controversy the superiority of tho contract over
the supcfiutcuicut system for Keeping the canals ~ re-
pair In confirmation OF which, he bcg- Leave u call the
attention of the Legislature 10 two or three eNraels
from the official reports of those who had the charge aId
responsibility Of managing tho canals Mt period when
both systems In operation on Contiguous Aect"S
each hnpartaily" Tho Auditor the opinions of
the Hon John T. Clark staIo Engineer In ibjj. Canal
Fitzhugh and his associates n their report
OF the year. aud Commissioner VIM ~ wright Ia
his report of s53 TO sustain his views IN this respect
According to the report of the Auditor the balance f to
canal debts the 3Oh of September hst. after applying
the sinking fund then hand applicable 10 those debts
Sl07,g1l "A. Attention called TO the VIOLATION oi
the law much tO the detrment ~ the canal revenue on
the part Of shippers uf timber aud remedy suggested
Mr. Bell argues forciby against any projects for new
canals, improvements or cnlnierinens OF present
ones which shall divert the canal from the
ment Of the canal debts provided 10y the Constitution
OF the state The receipts from the canals Tor the
past tit7.5i6 IT. cost of repairs and mainte
nance Oi67G5 92 leaving net revenue of s3eO7so 25
The estimated receipts for The present year are 2oOO
and cost repairs aud maintenance 81 600 900, leaving
net revenue Of sS2O,OOO