New-York tribune., 1871-07-12
TIE STATE REWARD FOR MOTOR FOX
CANAL-BOATS.

measure had been fairly vanquished in argument
required many speeches by Gov. Clinton and his frend
to convince their feowczens OF the truth OF their po
sitions and then the people OF the state OF Ne"
York for long while hestated to authorize the expend
ure of such large sums Of money the enterprise de
manded To-day the commercial prosperity OF New
York CITY Is to be attributed 10 the foresight OF DE Wit
Clinton and the projectors Of the Erie Canal But this Il
the day OF rapid transit and the Erie Canal must be pu
in a position to compete with railroads. To DO this sue
cessfuly steam must be introduced ana now III snail Dt
done to double the present rate OF speed and not was
the banks, IS the problem of the hour AS one Of tho
means OF solving this problem, the following Dill ha'
been passed by the Legislature
sKcrios B. Mcclellan HOao seymour Er,s'n Pros
& Ser DsS "a P Ss @ M wrh spd John D. F.y are hereby
sDPOse % 70 1 S ,abes t to nd n f S puo
which caoc electricity other motor than animal power
may be 'cc, and rG, used and SPP mi A ~ PSDsSSn SiS no u,
said Commissioners Al such time OF times during the season Of canal nay
rressy required to reject all such inventions or de
devices .ba fny and Satisfactorily meet the rsquireeH Of
devices 70 be tested and ti At their own proper ohSe
tee parties offering The sme FOR trial Sgna That the Boa, shan 70
propulsion boat enabled transport and shah .eiua
& az DO" NAV ~. the s % ee made bT aid boat shall
average of three miles hour without injury 20
the their structures Fourth That the boat be readily
Machinery Fs; That The simplicity, economy durability he
invention device must be elements Of Il: worth and ] ps M
present and lastly that iSs shall De ia
capacity the canals Any Of propulsion
which does not interfere IN any aaHei With the present
sg on the eana and & al 9eL P S w1 M os S
construed sppy the system known the Belgian system or to sny
mode propulsion BY steam engines or Otherwise upon either BANK o e
Src No such test b, be made If the same any
hinder delay the passage Of boats navigating the canals under
tle herein ippoinie sha upon such exam
and provided The section ohelie
ana determine at .H time that one or more nyfnoP, 81 deyce
full and satisfactory practical profitable adaptation to the Of
within meaning Of tbs act it shall then, and not other
wise be their he duty to grant unto the owner & o. owners Of such
certificates under their hand, such Commissioners that they
owner, Of the invention or device Which he Judgment c II,
mentioned il be sos they giant ceTcsio
he known ~ OeS % & s" 1S1 S s Se SgSe S S d which
shall Cerie No b end to the owners Of the
Sie Thsh Osss ssn be R5oTS as Cefsose No.
snS i bsIsn fnSs aS HY ,s as and caS when
from sny cause in msy &c he the appuci
on Of the remaining Commss ssoners, by The Governor
ing In M the 5000 be determined by the said Board shall
be pad Of which be awarded to the person or persons
propoo the awarded the holders OF said certificates pro
s s eTsa Ssh sn s s ' h P S the Teis
the Controller out Of any moneys in the treasury not o'he" s'
Upon The rooca By hs owner or owner, W & or bis S o. Their ,s
Of @ act the GSnr1s BE- '1 M dsw .a % slI @ nos
dors payable to the sad said uvenon device
bis o! their out S 81 amy %G IN , T 5y. T Gs.n no, ne S
BY said Commissioners two certificates shall hve been granted and
the i Treasurer for the sun Of thvye thousand dollars PAYABLE
Of certificate No and aid Controller shall also
Tsyabe to the owner or owners Of certificate No
s N g%sh % dp i % sa Trprn mon e saii Tssgrer for the
Sa'ss @ s % E te SBe or owners Of certsoaie No
one Of 4i5O payable to Of certificate
No q and 5000 payable to the owner or owners Of certificate
sEc If on or before tie srt d,y Of November 1872 tie COmm.
henbeo named shall due eIsmnaton hnd and deter
mine bst the aid invention successfully operated
the caus and been will be largely adopted motor said
pfopao1 then and in such case iS shan giant further certificate
warrant uon The treasurer Of tie state for the further sun 5000
payable 10 the sd owners Of the said device bis or their At
Of tie granting BY said Commissioners Of hsh
certificate stated in section ~ Of t act then and IN that case the
sum Of S3l0o ~ th' ee'on 'a De oel soas ana
paid to the owners Of The d ehea IN TIE proportion and IN the
To accomplish the object of the bill 1t Is necessary first
to satisfy the community that the trial viii be fairly and
honOrably conducted, and that the award Of the Com
mission Will be made entirely merit as it complies
with the requirements laid down In the BILL An exami-
nation OF the sixth requirement discloses the surprising
fact that the Belgian system is specially, by name,
cuded from competition. This is the remarkable
when it is known that this plan is the only which
has been thoroughly tried in Europe and which has
ceived the approval Of many of the first European
gineers II has been adopted by several canal compa-
nies in France, Belgium, and Holland. As result. the
cost per tun per mile carrying goods has been
ratey determined which is not believe. the case with
any other system. Therefore explanation should be
made to the for carefully excluding this sys-
TEN by law from 1.-THE proposed trial by the New York
State Commission.
At the experiments which were made in Belgium the
Governments OF England France. Prussia, Austria wur
temberg, Holland and Belgium, sent special engineers
the Suez Canal Company and steam navigation compa
MES from the Danube, the Elbe, the Rhine and the
Rhone were represented. In our own country one Of
the largest coamning and carrying companies have
perimented with this system their own line, and
other is contemplating the introduction Of it in its
works. am that the typographical character Of
our State is somewhat different from that Of the CONT
mental states which have adopted the Belgian system
but certain notifications might be introduced by which
that system might be applied to the Erie Canal If the
very terms OF the bill did not prevent inventors from
taking the subject into consideration. Then again. to
many minds tractionengine the banks OF the canal
seems to be most natural substitute for the horse
power now in But the bill does not permit the Com
missoners TO examine into this question. will moi
here discuss the difficulties objections to these ideas
but DO insist on the right of those who entertain them
TO full and impartial hearing. The friends Of the mar
row gauge railroad on the towpath. with their locomo
tive engine as towingpower, are likewise debarred
from being heard
To speak plainly inventors think they perceive no
ltical job and many of them have determined not Ia
compete for the 100000 at ALL They say The trial "
not be conclusive nor will the field OF Investigation be
sufficiently broad do not know what the framers of
the bill had in yew but the tax payers OF the state who
have realized the necessity Of improving our inland
navigation, wapt full, fair, and competitive examina
tOn OF all systems devices for the purpose The friends
OF the bill point to the very prominent gentlemen named
rs Commissioners, and notably 10 George B. Mcclellan
and Horatio Seymour But Ii Is not known that these
gentlemen will serve In fact IL Is than hned that
they will not serve. THIS may be also said OF some
other members of the Commission whose names were
included 10 guarantee the measure In ease these mem
bers decline TO serve, the bill provides that any
may be lled, application OF the remaining Commits
siOners by the Governor" viii this be satisfactory In
the pubc The Importance OF this subject the state
and the desire from all quarters that this trial should de-
eide the question, or at least take step toward decis
ion, makes II necessary, above all things, that
this competition should be free and that no
fayoritism any other motive than justice and
the public good should influence n decision The people
OF this state not the only In this