New-York tribune., 1870-01-06

s.top 20 SIMPLY dsceoee' canal rveOue REQUIRED az tsy
became Th red ans ron we ps"p r state rom
ssss vsoasL The obEahOh Of the State pay 'he'e ~
Hence Il IS obvious that the only method by when
,he Canals can be liberated from their present ,es
BY dne or ip pbem as ,h cd rSrtnTe sufficient to DIS
charge the obligations resting upon thec ttn n' amonnt
tiOn Of tolls which will diminish the 81 and
Of The revenues will compel resort 70 N Tree INV
postpone the time when the Canals can oe n enable us
continuance of present revenues wiz nads have
10 nav OF the entire Canal debt for which bonds ab
en Seen SsR Sse m o amend % the Constitution release the
sdyanoes they have (which is styled me tous 70
the ncrc ann required 10 keep them in repairs, ,,o
II by reduction Of tolls we c8uu nae Which we
present revenues. by increased tunnage, 49, The
ronid not otherwise obtain, theD ana III 'ha' '" '
to Two wo1& SpcymeSt og has been tried repeatedly and ~
ry igstace II has been proved that redHeno y so'
bso ne present rates hGs ncrease Of t1Hn2ge conse
snent upon such reduction Althongh suthory rr m"s
been conferred upon the Canal Board with the concur %
renee OF the Legislature reduce the tolls below noe
Of 1882 IL would be impoo and contrary t 70 eI as
of the ConstutOn to exercise that power except nc
means Of Increasing ne reoenne -, ,o,o, tho rates Of
ANY material reduction Of Tolls below Ine , 70 pS
would postpone he payment V we c .t," Win new
Rod when may be brought into colnpeuuo9h 9 T w. ,I
tv t compee with them than possess. IN conse'
01ence Of our increased Indebtedness
MODE OF RETAINING THE CANALS
The views OF the Auditor this very important TOPIC
might be inferred from his decidedly uncomphmentary
remarks about the superintendent of the Canals He
decidedly outspoken this mater-diferng largely
from many Of the Canal Reiormers" Contrary to the
opinions Of many Of this class, the Auditor fayors the
preserving the canals in elective working order ont
With the important proviso that the supeIEs,1En ,E vi @
contractors aud their shall be vested WIN cohtro
hus n Ic c ~ tbe most essential features OF
canal management his statements are briefly quoted
He considers the injurious results OF the contract sys
te1 as flowing not from the plan ITSELF but from the
defective provisions for supervising the execution VI e
bad or defective system says the Auditor may,
In good he made tOeraDle success
while on the other hand, the most perfect system the
ingenuity o man can devise will prove failure IN le
hands Of incompetent dishonest men Therefore in
the consideration Of this subject two distinct PROPOSE
tous must be constantly kept IN view.
FIRST Perfect avicatOu must be maintained npon the
canals IN order TO secure any considerable amount OF
SeC5ud. Rigid economy must be observed in the care
and management o the canals In order 10 make the sur
plus revenues sufficient pay the obligations Of the
State, for which they have been pledged.
"Our existing laws as interpreted by the courts recog
u.ze two systems for conducting the repairs upon the
rauas-oue by superntendents appointed by the Canal
talIy We have many methods for conducting these
repairs as there are canal officials ntrused with the exc
THE canals divided into three general divisions
middle aud western divisions. The Canal Commissone
acting Board, assign one Of their number TO each OF
these divisions, VINO is REQUIRED by law to direct and
20 DE made such ordinary repairs he shall per.
teve to be necessary upon the division thus committed
"These main divisions are also subdivided into some
thirty superntendences or repair sections varying from
eight 10 hy-two miles in extent Previous TO 1884, all
canal repairs were made through the agency Of suPern
tendeuts appointed by the Canal Board, and amenaDle
body The cost OF these repairs had increased
rapidly from year to year that the annual expenditure
entire earnings of the canals II the contractors per
Form al they undertake, must certainly all
beyond human control II contractors do not
h their bgatiOns cannot be the fault Of the system.
charged 10 the iHCfcecy 0f he COMMISSIONERS or the
absence OF legal power IN Commissioners TO enforce the
conditions Of the contract With faithful supervision,
the canals can be kept IN complete naygabe condition
TOT ecftdt PeFtOd az deJ""e cost Inc management
a. u l0t
the Canal Commissioners An other control sbond be
duties each Commissioner should possess supreme power
his division We need efficient, responsible head
the one man power you please. Each Commissioner
should be authorized to appoint his own assistants at
compensation that would secure the services Of such men
- an Individual or corporation would employ for the per
And the Auditor further says on these points: ITO
ascertain the comparative cost OF keeping the canals in
Ielet 10 the expenditure repots IRON TINS ue IN ncIt
In 1901 the contract system OF 'sP"Fs Tao 10 f 49,
~ sta5 [,os tbororgbIv tested i'm sGs The repairs
" all tie canals were then under contract supernten'
not allowed 10 interfere or tamper with con-
tractors The results were-cood navigation throughout
the entire season-fcw cOuplints-unequaed tunnage-
satisfactory revenues and net gain to the treasury OF
near half million OF dollars over tle PTeceamg ear,
&" the past season "a mixed system, II II may ne |
30 cfed, has prevailed 10 certain extent supern-
teudoui nave Deen allowed 10 TAKE IossesSlOu o secos
conduct the repairs thereof against the earnest pro
tett oi 'nG o % "'1 The ie retSr Of tSt see
tnn had been let TO responsible parties from March !,
l ' Sg lS S IC"i %, f' WIe in the HANDS Of
the superintendent from April 10 July Is. three aud one
5E,.3 The contract was finally surrendered ana tho |
section TcIe 40 yf1IY compensation of S2iO OtAer m
Cut 10 convince the most nCredulou that the cost Of
ke,rrg the canals iu repair by superntendents would
win tUc present high pIlce o materials the demoraza-
ton ut uu.r and the general extravaganza incident 10
that sy cl. exceed an previous estimates: what could
We hope 90 gain 10y return this system but unlimited
, - W m ne n ,il,i ,i j5a tSe nTsseUt toll
sheet viii nor Doe sufficient 20 pay the expense OF mann
te ."te 1..o u,.' @ '0 Az, t W. iis a j
c,e Jse rates ~ toll or t1rpt'cH IS uerttabie'
1uEGEFAI CAUSE ASD REMEDY OF DEPRESSION.
Il would De- alike uUust the subject, 70 the Auditor
aud 90 the public 10 quote portion Of the remarks
concerning Tie great OF emDarrassment-tAe slow
uess and uncertainty of ranHt-and the improvements
requisite 20 render canal navigation as effective as 1t
ought be- II any readers imagine from what has been
sald that ns views are tnged with oldfogyisn they
viii uc likely change tlciJ views about hmset ana
the canal system before they close the perusa OF the an
NJ loelccro on tho 10Th inst, it is particularly proper
thar the statements and suggestions Of tie Canal Auditor
should he fairy considered by members OF tAat CoH'eh'
tou and aii WHO fratrrulze 10 ats objects;
"It may not De improper in tbs cohnecuoh 10 mlnHe
what the present rates Of toll fun and impartial
answer this question can Dc obtained by an eIamna.
uol Of the pscsrt toll sheet IL WI tIeIe De seen Inat
tc cual- are so gu6caut that considerable reve
uur can only obtained 10y large tuunagc, To Illus
Or coal The toll thereon Is but one mill per LOCO pounds
par tuc which is only G. cents on tun from Troy 10
BgfI4,o and only hall these rates on btuminous
coal delivered 40 tide water were every aruce
transported upon the canals thus brought IN reVew u
would only cOTIoboitt thc ABOVE staIeIIent ad i sm
that the tolls sutl en 20 cause any CoDsdeIaDe
diversion Of trade The same results Will be obtained
RAILWAYS connecting New-YOk with Lake Erle' ana the
canals The annua. report Ot the Auditor on the
tolls trade and tuuuage O the canals for 1865, shows hat
tolls and Carriers charges on the canals are Ohy one
NewYork Central aud less than onehah those pad on
4 don,