Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-09

hoyeTnor Dix, in his message TO The Ne"
York Legislature, renews his warning Of
last year against special and multiplied
and hasty legislation, especially AT the close
Of the session. He slludes to the profigate
management Of some of the New York rail-
roads. and recommends that the appliea-
ton of The fands belonging to railroad COM
panies to objects other than those Tor when
they we've incorporated, and the use OF these
funds ia any manner by the managers Tor
private profit he made crimes punishable
by imprisonment. Further legislation Tor
the better regulation of trust companies Is
recommended, and law that no director
or officer Of .a1ings bank shall be diree-
tor az officer of any bank of discount
one # the most important passages IN
the me- - is that relating 10 the transpor-
tatian problem, which we copy below. 1t
will be seen that the Governor anticipates
the building of the Caughnawaga Canal,
within a lew years
1t Is not probable that any competing
water communication can ever interfere
with Us materially, unless it be by The river
ST. Lawrence, which is reached by mean oil
two short canals below all distractions, thus
affording a cheap and speedy connection
with the ports of Lake Michigan. Ihese
two canals viii probably be enlarged within
a few years, so as to admit OF the passage Of
vessels carrying eargoes of 900 tons, at
lower cost Of transportation than we can
afford. unless our canal locks can be 50
heightened As to pass boats OF greater
capacity. or unless the cost Of carrying can
be reduced by using steam as motive
power. and lessening the time now required
for transit from the lakes to tide water In
one respect the route to the ocean by the
st. Lawrence will always contend at DIS
advantage with ours. The port OF New
York is open at all seasons. The ports in
the 81. Lawrence are closed during SIX
months Of the year, and during these months
Ouebe, and Montreal can only reach the
ocean by several hundred miles OF railroad.
IlaIl the locks on the Erie Canal were
doubled. As they will be shortly. and the
nriem were made 10 conform II the pre-
scrihed Dimensions, its capacity would, no
doubt. be sufficient to perform all the ser
vice required Of it for several years 10 come
The expediency of constructing a ship
canal t. unite the waters of the Hudson
and Lake Erie has recently given rise to
auch discussion. At the present time. with
heavy burdens of taxation on the people OF
the State, in the prevailing arrangement of
business. and when We should economic
our means hy every practical measure Of
retrenchmcnt, it would be idle to take
any step toward the initiation of an en-
terprise IF such magnitude and likely to in
volye an enormous expenditure. Should ii
be practicable At any future day to under
take ID, | trust it may he with our own
mean and without the embarrassment of a
cspartnrr-hip with the federal government,
Such q cooperation was suggested when
the Erie Canal was projected bat 1t was
on fall consideration renowned with the
declaration on the part of the executive OF
the State that our reso urces were fully ade-
qnate to the accomplishment Of the work
without e1traneous aid.
In the mean time, with our canals fully
completed for the transportation of bulky
article, and with our great railroad line
for those which are Of lighter weight and
more easily handled, there need be no fear
that We shall be sufferers from the partici-
patton of our neighhors IN the business Of
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