The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-11
THE NEW YORK CANALS.
Report Of the Auditor of the Canal Department.

u.PuS FovoHuos OIL tnc CANALS TOT lhSJ
ras surplus revenue has been set apart. in &C.
coroance with the provisions oil article OF the
SulutlOn, TO sinking fund under section q
TOLLS FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR.
Tolls collected for fiscal year OF 1872 So O50 1928
Tolls collected for fiscal year OF lS7l. 2sl3 6s6
Increase OF 1872. ..................... S246e42
CANAL AND GENERAL FUND DEBT
The canal debt September 30 1872 was $11 1885, $50
The general fund debt September 80
ioo., was. 3,9SS, 500
Total canal and general fund debt go. SIS, 1856, FOG
Total balance in sinking funds. 4,237 $40
Total canal and general fund debt after
applying sinking funds. ............. $11, l47, $50
CANAL DEBT.
Stocks amounting to 81. 257, 900 were paid on the
LIST OF July last. The policy inaugurated in 1869 OF
paying that portion OF the State debt that was
contracted before the passage OF the Legal Tender
act by Congress- in coin. has been adhered TO- An
other portion Of the canal debt, amounting to
$S47, 500, natures January 1, 1873.
TOLLS, &C.
The Auditor dwes at length on the subject OF
tolls and the efforts which have been made to
withdraw the commerce which naturally belongs
to the channels OF this State for transportation 1t
is but common justice that the canals should be
sei-supportlng and that so far as consistent with
other interests and other rights they should pay
the debt incurred in their construction. This
right Is recognized and sacredly established by the
constitution Of 1848. But as the canals were con-
Structed for commerce rather than for revenue
the latter muse be subordinate to other consdera-
lions and tolls should be adjusted so as to
attract and not repel freight seeking Transports
tiOn Neither should the State exact from the
carrier an undue proportion Of his earnings by way
reasonable compensation for the means employed
and for his services There can be in the nature
OF things no fixed and absolute standard OF tolls,
but they must be adjusted from year to year and
from time to time to meet the various CirCum-'
stances and conditions.
The tolls at their present rate assuming that the
tonnage Is not decreased, will yield annually at
least ST. over and above the cost OF superin
tendence and repairs. which will extinguish the
easily be increased by bringing the cost of the
superintendent and repairs within proper limits
REPAIRS AND sUPERINTENDENCE.
me cost OF repairs and superintendent of the
canals lOr the last fiscal year has amounted to
$1.S76676 81. Various causes are mentioned under
this head as having contributed to waste and ex-
travagance in the administration of this branch OF
the canal service and thorough revision of the
whole system OF canal repairs Is recommended.
OWNERSHIP OF THE CANALS.
suggestions have been made that the canals
should be transferred to the federal government.
ownership IN the canals and yield up their control
and management to the federal government or any
private corporation is not probable They were
constructed upon system perfected In the early
history Of the State, with view to the develop
ment of its great resources and commercial advan-
tages, and have INDICATED the wisdom and sound
policy of their projectors. Having unaided and
without embarrassment, when its resources and
wealth were undeveloped, expended many millions
In the construction OF the canals the State Is not
In condition to ask another government or a pri.
yate corporation to relieve 1t from the compare
lively triiling portion OF the canal debt, yet to be
redeemed and which the revenues of the canals
will, with the tolls at the present low rates, extin
guish in less than fourteen years. II taxation were
necessary to cancel the debt (which can never be
the case) tax OF seven and one-half mills upon
the dollar would discharge II in q single year. The
debt furnishes no ground for the abandoning OF the
RI 10 nj tof IN pr,x- atn
ton.
STEAM ON THE CANALS.
This subject Is considered in the report at length,
and concludes as follows 1.-THE act has had the
effect anticipated. 1t has called into action the
inventive genius ana mechanical skin OF the citi-
doubted that the result Of the experiment now he
ing made, and the inventions and devices which
are being put to the test Will go far towards the
realization OF the desires Of the friends of the ca
nails. without anticipating the action OF the re-
port OF the very able commission, charged with
testing and examining the several processes and
inventions which shall be submitted to them, it Is
proper to say that recent experiments have been
OF character satisfactorily to show that the ap-
plicati0n Of steam as "a motive power for the pro-
pusiOn OF boats Is feasible, and that 1t can be ap-
piled without seriously interfering with the tow.
age OF the boats or damaging the banks or walls of
the canals. and 80 az to secure a much greater
speed than has been attained hitherto"
LATERAL CANALS
The expenditures for the ordinary repairs and
collection OF tolls OF the lateral canals for the last
fiscal year exceeded their income by $577,ls1,
and Champlan canals. The total deficiencies thus
drawn from the tolls Of the Erie and Champlain
canals since 1910 to maintain their works now ag-
gregate s9,0ls,6s7, or nearly the amount OF the
present canal debt, after applying the balance in
the sinking funds. These deficiencies do Aot include
the sums expended for extraordinary repairs and
raised by taxation.
THE BUSINESS SEASON OF 1872.
After considering the subjects oil Ordinary Re-
pairs ''New Reservoirs and the "Cana Between
Buffalo and Black Rock. &C., the report concludes
as feews:-
I'D to the time of the breaking out of the disease
among the horses the tolls collected were in ex-
cess OF those received at corresponding date in
1871. The epidemic commenced at u time when
the canals were taxed to their utmost capacity
with freight and continued until the close OF navl-
cation. The loss to the State in tolls resulting
from this cause was undoubtedly large. The
season of navigation just closed was about twenty
days shorter than that OF the previous year; yet
the receipts will nearly II not quite, equal those OF
the season OF 1871.
Two breaks occurred on section OF the Erie
Canal carly in the seas0n-One at Big Nose, near
Spraker's, and the other at Port Jackson. They
were promptly repaired. Other breaches have
occurred on the different canals but OF much less
magnitude and causing no serious delays to navi-
CATION.
The day fixed by the Canal Commissioners for
closing the canals was the 9Th Of December. out the
cold weather interrupted navigation more or less
few days prior to that time. Nearly all the boats
however, safely reached their destination.