, 1870-04-18
4 FEEE CANAL THROUGH NEW YORK.

FEE CANAL THROUGH NEW YORK.
Tt State Er"i.:ee- Of the State of New
York. il lis reV.rt for 1sC?, shows tlat
tiHri:l:, the seven months of canal uaviga-
tisp. tLe tas:1s morcI moro freight than
ri n, railroads in The State combined
Is".vi das;ng the year Though ono OF
Tic three great eastward rni1way routes lies
}1.r,aIi:!1 T.:4ntylva1ia, and is, therefore, not
inc!uaed in tbs summary, ne Cannot he
tai::-Aeu i'll saying that the annual tonnage
slic.i Pas &, through the Erie caanl. not
outstanding she decline IN canal freishts
th.rust, the competition of the railroads,
s:ssa "n:*ls the ainaunt Of freight carried
ly: Ill its railroad competitors combined
Il Is s falailiar sta:.ment of the relative
i!.lt r1ta,se u ''CGrton.s ditch, ~ compared
with I'll ether means Of transportation, to
A4y that its actual tonnage Of freight car-
ri.7l exceeds the aggregate tonnage of the
slips, American snd foreign, engaged in
uur furei,;1 c,'Enerce. though the latter is
ii statement of capacity only. New York
- Las l.etn thoroughly aroused of late to tho
importance Of retaining the hold which tho
=. Esiv Canal .4as gisea her upon the conn.,
!. ,acrvc III tic West Cn,l the operation of
p lie Enc Canal Philadelphia xas the
:. r.,l-nEc,:.an city ot America in ropu1a-
:, Lon. l., ael} us in other respects.
i .'t'iia,rn's n:sch," and ats enlargement,
:.'is". s..es Folly. lave given al least third
. ,,tt l., l.rteent population to New York. and
l>s ttis mtg s't r ea1s her crown rs the iul-
E:..l ri;y. Sns Gu The state, rs whole,
:; ccE,ysN:..:: If the investment
). II, Engineer re;,u1ts that the Erie Canal
, tbs .os ;he Sta:e, for original construction,
over sl:.hA.un: for interest on
e''Es:'s1c.io7 ,ceouu., :6:'. non, ,ooo; and, Tor
1.:e esst II Maintenance, and interest there
J pa. .ve. S,;1.oao. 900, making its
! ::'s'''' e"si. ss accurately given, $,l4a, 4;s-
: S'e:::,s: 0a .i.c other hand, the Erie 1tas
=, rsr' in itiis aver ss..,ttlO, ,ofn, aud,
i. rs iE'escs: ou tails, over S94,ooo ,ooo
i. $-Slyint; e tot:l income Of S1s1, s2s,-
I. ssG'.s'- TIM Itt profit to the State Treas
= 1Es trcna thc construction Of tho Eric Canal
ufef S2a,U01,Uvu. Besides the
Eric, the casnlr!ain and Osweco Canals
!, 9svc >!=t' fully paid tho cost Of ,hei. con-
r ssrEcsien end maintenance, besides adding
i ...utly to tie tas-Asse property and rs,,aae.
:, i.,e capacities Of their region. Au1aiass
: = tacee. system of ''latc1als,' got.
: III up through local influences
,, IN apparent eaor. to bring the canal te
, :. ..,c door of every farmer in Western New
Jerk. have proved, 8, least 70 the Treasury
! practically worthless The loss to the Stat,
n the Gcncssce, Crooked Lake, Chcmnng
- :,yr,A, CLenangu, Oneida improvement
?..,lack River end others. amounts to abou
:. ts,'rslcN'. Grouping together the thre'
;yi1.s Trunks aal Ill their non-rayin4
;: :hn,aries, the aggregate gross cost Of tn
=. lo'c 10 tie State in expenses and interes
s been ssl0, ,na9. 5o..- II: while the return
i, tolls .4t,d interest have been s.oe, ,Gla,
F. sos, leaving the net cost to the State Q
e:.'r entire canal system op1y S7,i13,9s7.e
4 ,,e tolls Of a few years, It continued
+ suld repay this balance also, 1easing ,h'
:: na1s net profit to the treasury to tn
.',.tert Of their entire value. Several prop
;.ious- however, are now pending, look
to tic release of the canals from th
1 Is Necessary to pay this tri1ing re1nain
* ot their debt, or. rather, to release 0
+: Erie from the tolls necessary to pay Of
-; debt due on the t'hteheh and barnyar'
~ sa,s" above mentioned. This is an nc
, :sipple justice. Erie, nsinly thnoug'
Ut tolls on Western produce, hss paid fo