New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-22

Western DiriStOn COMMISSIONER rug
Ordinary repairs. tiO9OUO
| Extraordinary repairs. 2ISOCO
| Ceruncates .....s.'.s.ss..''''''''' NV'VVV
Ms6 rSIaI salaries &c. on ali divisions 2e5 GOO
Total expenditures. ...................sa ,i56OoO
And the amount expended for repairs, ordinary ana
extraordinary for salaries upon these canals for the
calendar year. s2S4OOOO exhibit 40 monstrous as
to nsgnfcance the charges against all former
| administrations The Commissioner Of the Eastern
Division may claim that from his expenditures should
be deducted SSOOO debts created by tse former CON-
missioner but il take into consideration the liability
for work in progress the expenses will be sweled n-
stead Of reduced. The Commissioners may plead that
technically considered, portion of the amount charged
to ordinary might be charged 20 extraordinary repairs
but still there tciH remain the fact phtch no explanation
can obHerate that the round sum Of $,OOOOO, ne ehe
receipts these canals for ne calendar year. has oeen
spent tearing not a dollar for sinking o,ds or 10 pay
| The interest upon ne canal debt, Uhite deficiency
erStS in the form Of a floating indeotedness' Ana
vet in statement published in TIE Ereling Journal,
few days since. the Commissioner OF the Eastern d.
vision says: AS a matter OF necessity from want OF
fu nds repairs which prudence and economy demanded
should be DONE were left undone" WheD ask are the
repairs OF the Division likely to be completedf In the
same communication he says that the Legislature as
signed him 500 900 repairs for the fiscal year ending
October J. 1879 and that only s510J of that appropra-
ton remains the last half of the present year The
Commissioner sends broadcast this statement, and yet
upon investigation find that if the tables in the Aud
tors office correct his appropriation Is entirely ex'
hausted
You will find that the expenditure upon the Eastern
Division Is about 81 100000 lie cannot put in the plea
that he found the canal IN bad order For years the
disbursements upon that division of the canal have been
so great attract the attention OF the people OF the
entire State. In fact, the late Commissioner alluded
with pride 10 fact that in 1871 he had expended only
in reached u The Dies
! ent Commissioner cannot CLAIM any Improvement upon
these CURES True he is somewhat below the standard
of 1870 but IN judging him and his expenditures we
have of course allow for that previous improvement,
which from the amount expended we infer, must have
GOV cred towing path of marble canal bottomed IN
cement lock gates of steel and Commissioner In brass
| And vet Sir, the Commissioners appears before the
legislature for an appropriation, and i'll making hs
estimates of the amount required, assumes a. oasis
canal in bad condition; and even upon that basis,
prominent portions his estimates are eXtraVagaht
Mr.. Chairman. when, year SINCE the Commissioner
appeared before you only 100000 was asked Tor the
Eastern Division: the Commissioner publicly pro-
nounced that amount sufficient. and 1t was with such
promises and exhibitions Of economy in his demands
that he led present Canal Board into their one great
mistake, a their first meeting-the approval
az this time Of plans and estimates for the enlargement
Of portions Of the Champlain Canal. Mr.. Chairman, it
is unnecessary FOR TO enlarge upon the disburse-
ment of $9OO,OOO upon the Middle, and SjO,OOO
upon the Western Divisions exclusive OF salaries They
show Tor themselves. The Commissioners each month
pprove the eliminates OF he superintendent they can
no shift upon the superintendent the responsibility
And yet we witness upon the pauper canals which yield
light returns expenditures sufficient TO warrant com
mission decide the sanity OF their management
ENORMOUS SUNS SIMPLY THROWN AWAY
In 1871 the Superntendents above spent upon three
sections of the Genesee Valley Canal s1s2OOc and this
| last calendar year they expended upon this pauper
| onoIS and il bpinp a the
amount received for tolls S25OO including the pay
ments made the Rochester office. canal which has
already ordinary and extraordinary repairs, since
the State more than its entire receipts
The canals have fixed income. The toll-sheet OF 1870
is adopted the tosheet OF 1873 The amount received
last year 100000. You cannot any this
year. Every boat In USE every ton carried that
was possible carry More boats have been destroyed
of late years than have been built You cannot this
year the tonnage The carrying capacity OF the
lakes will admit Of it freghts doubled on the lakes
last year, What is wanted is not so much high tolls,
nor large appropriations but fixed policy and economy
Then boats will be built and tonnage increased thereby
but with this continual talk Of change builders dis
couraged and the number Of boats decreases instead Of
increasing The canals have been kept III for less
than $500 per me and 81 oOe now is amply sufficient As
for the coming fiscal year. but light expenditures are
necessary their almost perfect condition being admitted
What we want is economical management and that we
are not likely have unless this Legislature adds the
able cautious and noOrrupble Auditor to the Contract
ing Board and by Withholding to proper extent ap-
preparations compels the Commissioners to stop their
extravaganza The appropriation OF 1872 made possible
the continuation OF large expenditures.
Who was responsible for those appropriatonsf The
Legislature OF 1872 appropriated large amonnt for the
canal debt and interest," which was necessary millions
more for deficiencies which was proper, then passed
numerous bills for bridges etc, then reappropriaed
large amount for variety OF objects which was extra
oil % that
the condition of the canal necessated it, or reckless OF
the funds Of the State, because they paid no
taxes, they appropriated nearly s3,5OO,OOO for re-
pairs exceeding by 100000 the entire receipt
OF the whole year from tolls. But, sir legislatures do
not appropriate without being asked Who 80 shrewd
/ as TO divide these millions into separate bills,
knowing that the same amount demanded In one
appropriation would have reused the independent
press y the entire state IL Is evident that that
eraey calculated TO make last year one OF great eX-
So III and 70 renders their repetition nnnecessary in
1873 And yet they before your Committee and ask
100000 You know what that means at this stage Of
the session IL the demand OF hundreds Of thousands
more TO satisfy localities and additional the
Commissions What time TO waste the money OF the
neopel Vast local State aud national debts farmers
holding their farms at fair prices. yet no customers and
their begGary income insufficient for the extrayagant
peted by Unusual taxes; mehants and manufacturers
with dull trade leaning the banks giving long credits
and unable collect; banks extended 20 the utmost
while continues cease flo OF importaOns regard
less of the several hundred millions of balance aceumu
lated against u.s. settle which the country must pass
through the throes OF hnaDcia reyuson Is this the
time 10 Increase expenses
For the bad management OF the past do not arraign
any one political party. The responsibility for the CON
dtOn the canal finances rests upon the Republican
and Democrat parties alike. Deficiencies sent over by
the Republicans upon the Democrats, literally increased,
were sent back upon the Republicans IN turn The Canal
Ring rules and II knows no politics. IL peneraes ana
controls all parties am not Sir unaware OF Its power
N builds men up aud throws them down at Will. It's
subtle influence felt In all legislation. To oppose II IL
10 invite political destruction Tho great body OF cor
rnpfioD ON the canals itA hundred heads each