New-York tribune., 1872-03-26
THE CROOKED LAKE CANAIs-A USELESS EX
PENSE.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In O recent editorial you advise 4" that
II there be any canal part Of canal which business has
deserted not hesitate to close it," Such one is the
Crooked Lake Canai connecting Crooked and Seneca
Lakes and which In its present condition is hardly nayi
gable 1t s eight miles in length has as locks, and over
one.ha Of these require immediate rebuilding fnvov-
ing the State in an additional expense OF 70O0O VIII
the present business of this canal warrant such expend
ture The Crooked Lake Canal wascompeted in 1884, at
cost OF There has since been expended upon IL
for REPAIRS expenses and rebuilding Of locks s0 5s Va
Add TO this $4,000 the probable cost OF II locks,
and we have total cost OF 81 900 of this eight miles
canal Adding interest on excess OF expenditure over
that income will bring the cost to nearly 100000 per
mile What returns has the State received to Offset this
enormous expenditure The tolls the canal from
completion 10 Jan. /, 1872, are sH,275 10, and the
income received by the State from this canal as
a feeder to the Erie Canal for tho past Is
years s on an average. only about 5000 annually,
against sio55 annual expense Does this payi Before
there was any outlet by railroad for this section Of
country the annual average Of tolls was ,67I since.
they have only $685. and for the four years last
past, 1909. thus showing decrease OF business that
would be fatal TO any private enterprise and suggesting
immediate bankruptcy. Judging OF the future by the
past do not these figures show the folly OF longer keep
ing In operation such canals IL may be asked, will not
tne anahapn h ias NSt with raroad eomSunication
with best markets of the country We now have,
and another railroad being built. Further railroad
can be built on the % t canal rom penn 10 1a
the locks and the public have better transportation
In this shippers will find for their warehouses;
and cars instead Of boats will carry their grain 10 mar
ket Producers will much more, for their
products at the depols as on boats as Is
here every Previous to the construction Of the
Crooked Lake Canal there was no outlet by
canal or railroad south of the head waters
Of Crooked Lake. In building this canal and
openng water transportation 20 miles to HammOnds-
port and "a miles the west brch to Branchport 1t
was intended open outlet t0t the country south
10 the Genesee and Allegheny Rivers Since then there
has been built the Genesee Canal the Erie Railroad and
the Corning Bath and Genesee Railroad, the last run
ming within eight miles OF the head waters OF Crooked
Lake creating other and nearer outlets 10 market eav
inc no this canal but the produce from the
shore Of Crooked and the shipments at Penn YAM
Later there built the Canandsgua and Elmra Rail-
road passing through Penn YAM taking still more OF the
produce and leaving but very small amount Of busi-
ness 10 be by this canal "A 10 has become neces-
sty of the State curts expenses the people ask that
this eeoh upon the State Treasury be removed and the
water used In It's navigation be turned into is original
channel u
Penn Tan. N. T.. March H. 11l