The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-20

alca Tor canal improvements within the last Ave
years.
rates far too costy~on me Ere canal for
For taking out the wall benches iosso IS
Total. 7sa sA IS
1t Is impossible, in the limited time which the
ex'gcncy allows, to thoroughly investigate tho
vast mass o. various outays which have cost the
ing at once the tolls ana appropriations, sense
OF now small share Of thls ourC ensome taxation
has attained any real utility and now much OF 1t
has been wasted in unnecessary work or In the
extravagant execution OF improvements in tnem
selves useful, and a clear perception OF the nam
sources OF the evils OF administration and OF re-
forms attatnabe oY legislation without change
recommend specific and Affirmative measures OF
redress.
1t Is not merely IN the general laxity and
demoralizatlon OF of1iclal and political lie tnat we
interest which fattens on abuses OF puollc ex-
pendlture Is intelligent, energetic and persistent.
IN the organlz llon and the doings OF both poti-
cal parties. seeks TO control Nominations rewards
ana prnlSn r e9emes and IL begins to
influence upon puolic officers soon as they are
eeS t ree vas d mass 81 ns are sc0
ana III Their workshops, and cannot easily, and
do not IN ,ast make business Of politics. u
often practically unrepresented. II Is only when
they are aroused and organized, aud can find rep
resentatives whom they trust, that they project
themselves and Overwhelm all resistance. Use
less works IN the speciOus CARO- OF improvements
are undertaken, because OF the indifference
OF the public officers the inerrness OF the
taxpayers, the interchangeable efforts OF an in
nuence seeking a benefit Tor IT'S locality, which
costs 1t an insignificant share OF the burden ini-
posed on the people, or the eager activity Of the
without reference to the utility OF the work.
Verucal walls are made to provide wharves for
private individuals. and bridges where no public
interest requires them. Fictitious improvements
are contrlved 10 supply profitable jOOs. Work of
real utility is made to cost greatly more than It's
| -
In making these observations do not leav. out
OF view those honest citizens who, while employed
only fair and just return for their labor, skill
ana capital. But In framing laws we must guard
against the influence OF sell-intereSt upon the
minds OF honest men.
ORDINARY EXPENSES AND REPAIRS.
renew the recommendation IN respect to the
canals which the recent amendments OF the con-
stitution empowered the Legislature to ''sell.
manner OF their disposition remains undeter-
mined ''nO expenditures should be made on those
probaDle iutaren In order to carry out ' this
policy the appropriations lor ordinary expenses
ed me for the eana
the constitution requires to he retained; and
should be reouced to the lowest practicable
amount.
In respect TO ordinary expenses and repairs to
the canals which are to be retained as the prop
erty OIL the state, recur to the suggestion which
l had the honor to submit in the annual mes
sage:-
Ordinary repairs should BE- serutnized with view to
sible results from the outlay
In the present state OF the prices of materials
and the wages OF labor, II the public officers can
be inspired Win resolute purpose to MAKE every
expenditure Tor these OBJECTS effective, there ought
TO DE no dif1iculty in reducing the appropriations
from one-quarter TO 0ne-third below the amount
provided for last year.
The present standard OF repair ana efficiency
must be iully nialntained.
Everything OF good administration consists in
the SELECTION OF the most necessary and useful OBJ
ects OF expenditure. and in securing the greatest
effectiveness In the application Of labor and the
most advanta2e ous purchase OF materials.
Ii a determination to accomplish TITS result and
sense o. accountability can be dirused through.
out the agents employed IN the public service. this
object Will be easily and certainly attained.
APPROPRIATIONS FOE EXTRAORDINARY REPAIRS.
me wisdom o. aostaining from all new work.
except that which IS not only useful but absolutely
scrutlnized with jealous care
Inc aggregate ought TO he Kept within $500, 900,
and as much below tnat maximum as possible. A
thorough retrencnment In ordinary ana extraor-
binary repairs VIII enable the state to remit Tor
the present year, as compared with the last, to
the ooafman and transporters, from s5oO.O0 TO
to our over burdened taxpayers. ID re tuct,on OF
taxes, TO the extent OF more than sl75o,OOc.
denons and Inc deeneniny a o. b 70 s pr1per
winch is by lar the most useful Improvement con.
tempated, can be deferred till next year, after It's
present cOndltoD shall be accurately ascertaned,
and then be proceeded with gradually there is
little else winch cannot Walt.
Justice to the people ana to the canals demands
that all extraordinary repairs beyond what
clearly necessary to efficient navigation should be
|
snow that every Improvement proposed Is really
necessary and that tue wo K is to De conducted
under Iar lettings ana contracts and Is to be ialth
fully executed.
At the opening or navlgat ion the present season
the double locks VIII be completed. The capacity
OF the Erie Canal to 60 an aggregate business viii
tonnage Ii has ever had.
| The removal OF the wall benches will be so
nearly completed that the advantages OF that
change VIII D, practically secured.
On september 30 1874, there remained OF wall
benches "a 4sloo miles on the towing path side, OF
which II 25-l0o miles are contracted To be re.
moved, and AZ 9l-l00 on the BERN side, OF wDcn
50-lCo are contracted to be removed, leaving
II 23lo0 miles on tue towing pain side and 80 Al 100
mies on the BERN side, where the obs !rucsion Is
much less lmportant, or equivalent IN all TO 26
cent OF the whole length OF the canal
The engineers estimate OF the cost OF removing
the remaining wal: benches was IN January, 1874,
made by the Legislature oi 1874, when VIII be
available Tor expenditure during the present year.
As the only effect o. the wall benches now re-
Inauing Is tnas they contract the canal at Its bot
tom from flity-six feet to iorty-twO ieet, ana In
forming section four feet aoovc the bottom of
the waterway-tGus lessenIng the bony o. water
the length OF the cHannel md put one-nitn OF that
on the towing pain side the inconvenience OF
their existence, to this limited extent, Is not very
great or emergent.
now 10 IMPROVE The CANAL
In my judgment u lar more important improve
ment OF the Erie Canal wouId be Effected by
thorough system OF ordinary cpairs which should
give tine waterway Its proper and lawful dmen.
SONS; and by progressively deepening 1t, wher-
ever reasonably practicable, from seven to
eight leet. AS tue object would he merely TO en-
abe the submerged section OF the poat 10 move
IN larger area or water, that the displaced
mud could pass the boat IN a larger space IL
would not be necessary To alter the culvcrts or
other structures. or TO carry the walls OF the ca nal
below the present Dotrom and the benefit would
be realized IN each portion OF the canal Improv ed,
without reference 90 any other part Oi the chan
mel, which should remain unchanged. In facilitate
ing the movement OF the BOAT ana uuicKenng ITS
speed 1t would increase the amount OF service
rendered III given tlnc, ana would thereby
aim nish every element OF the cost OF transDorta-
tiou. ~ would benefit the boatmcn and carriers
/ more. even, laan one cent husnei remission OF
tolls. lt would he o. more real utiIlty to nayga-
ton tnan i've or ten tines IT'S cost expended IN
the average manner OF su-culicd improvements on
the public WORKS. But IL is too simple 100 pracli.
caily useful to enlist tee tmaeInauOu OF projectors
nm a.