The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-22
THE CANALS.
ANSWER or THE CANAL BOARD TO THE PROF.
osrTIoN TO DEEPEN THE WATER WAY.

ANSWER OF THE CANAL BOARD TO THE PROP.
osrTIoS TO DEEPEN THE WATER WAY.
ALBANY, April 81, 1870.
Tho following Is the communication sent TO the
Senate by the Canal Commissioners to-day on the SUBJ
jcct OF canal eniargcment-
To TIL. HONORABLE THE SENATE or THE STATE or NEw
In response to the resolution adopted BY your honor
able body on the 18th day Of April 1876 OF which The
following Is copy
recomnended the initiation Of scheme en-
largng the Erie lanai At the expense Of the Of
one-hal eght raising the banks to a.
commence the work therefore '~'A y s-'oo -
repor, to the senate earliest d.ie practicable
rstrhe condition o. the Erie other enlarged or par
adaptation Erie, oswego. cayags Seneca canals
and the capacity several canals accommodate the
business hitherto offering 70 them respectively.
materially enhance the Erie Canal or ssnstly
TArd-An approximate estimate q the cost Of the pro
Canal and the probable time which will be required for its
whether snch Improvement If tho shall be
made BY depressing the bottom Of the canal below the orig
,re ss locks the osrs Of the aquedacts and the
bed cuvers. would essentially benefit
r;,fIAn approximate estimate OF tho cost Of the I'M
poyement. i il shall include the adaptation Of all tbs
locks, aqueducts AMI cuvers 20 the increased depth q
Improvement made. will improve navigation cheaper
az WITH the expense thereof also
depth Of water by raising the surface six Or twelve
Duets wcs feeders and misunderstanding in both
Of s co e
Sirth Whether the emitting down o. the prm will not
effect Of the proposed change on the present water
Str;,t Whether Commissioners spprchend any diff
fcuty opening the canals early day for tho coming
year with the their Command from ths ordinary
% a a o % sd
extraordinary appropriations to his
EigLfA--whcther SIS 1000 any addition the
M n 20 Ss
condition Of the canals and whether the knowledge this
and their together with The present sniase
required upon the subject
The undersigned Board of Canal Commissioners re-.
specially report upon each Of the matters referred
the resolution the order In which they therein APP
First-The Board regard the following extract from
the last annual report Of the Commissioner for the
Eastern DIVISION which prepared some time after
the close oil navigation last fall, a reply the nrst
inquiry-"A season of unparalleled good navigation,
and largely reduced cost within the period for
which the present Commissioner Is responsible, IL the
best evidence OF tho proprcty Of the adopted by
the Commissioner in this trying emergency.'' Tho
unanimous testimony OF those transactifg bust
ness tho canals Is that they have had
an uncxampled season OF good navigation, and that
the history Of the canals have they suffered
so little from detention and delays from any all
causes. 1t is believed that the statement above
quoted will apply with equal force and truth TO the
Middle and Western divisions There is no difficulty
III navigating any Of the canals mentioned, except the
Champlan, with boats drawing six feet OF water and
carrying a4O tons The Board is Of the opinion that
all Of the canals mentioned in the resolutions, except
ing, perhaps the Champan in its present condition,
capable OF accommodating more than double tho
tonnage Of 1875 or OF any previous year.
Second-ln the judgment of the Commissioners
effect which will materially enhance the utility of the
Erie Canal sensiby cheaper transportation can be
produced by the expenditure OF the sums named In the
the resolutions Tho addition Of foot in depth OF
through the length Of the Erie Canal would fac
tate the movement Of laden boats but the expenditure
proposed would be so triiling that appreciable
cheapening OF transportation would result
Tird-The Board, relying upon such data as they
find IN the reports Of the Commissioners aud the
engineers Of past years and the OF work of like
character during the process Of the enlargement
well as upon careful estimates of the cost of such work.
is OF the opinion that the of the proposed
mcnts applied to the entire length of the Erie Canal
would be not less than $4500,0 900,
F0urth-Such Improvement would benefit navigation,
stated in the answer to the second inquiry
extent by reducing the resistance through the enlarged
waterway but with nitro ss aqueducts and culverts
remaining inches foot the proposed canal
bottom it Is evident boats could have no Increased
draught and the obstrucons, bars dams caused by
mitre slls aqueducs and culvers would SO often
that the gain would be small to leave substan
tal benefit resulting to be derived from the proposed
iIfh-The adaptation Of all the locks aqueducts aud
to the proposed increase OF depth only
accomplished by tho reconstruction Of all these struc-
lures from Albany to Lockpor the cost Of which
not be estimated from any data at hand 1t would
be large TO exclude 1t from serious consideration
II is the opinion of the Board that loot additional
depth OF water over the present bottom, mitre stills,
aqueducs and cuverts may DO obtained without mate
canal by raising the banks bridges and at OF
not more than $2,000,000. In regard ia
land lam damages ,S growing out Of the proposed
considerable portion OF the Erie Canal passes through
porous material. or sol! which was originally pudded
or has been lined with watertight earth and the de-
post OF sediment for years, and before the bot
tom and banks became sodifed apd the pores filled
with sediment the leaking and pcrcoaton great
damage TO adjoining lands and buildings. The pro-
posed work would necessarily to a great
tent produce injuries for which the State would
he called upon 10 make compensation. The
amount Of such compensation cannot be estimated.
Again the disturbance Of lining or pudding on high
embankments or over culverts other structures
the prism Of the canal Is liable lead results
disastrous Breaks and the consequent obstruction Of
navigation as well as damages TO adjoining property
are among tho results likely to follow An estimate Of
the cost of the work Of reducing the PRISM may easily
DO made, but no estimate can be made OF the conse-
quences
.Sirth-Thc Board cannot but regard reducing the
prism below the foundation of the existing walls ~
likely produce slides and disturbances Of tho walls
in many places. The effect of tho proposed change
upon the water supply would be ths:-0f course II
would require more water for the greater depth and the
quantity required TO maintain 1t be somewhat in
creased and In addition sufficient to overcome the loss
OF water by percoaton and waste through the bottom
would be considerable, and might In protracted
drought be productive Of serious difficulty IN naviga
tion.
SerenH-Ine Board does not apprehcnd any dtnculty
In opening the canals at early day for the coming
season and maintaining navigation quito good last
year with the customary amount heretofore appropr
ated for ordinary repairs.
Eighh-The Board does not deem 1t necessary thai
an appropriation o. $4,000, or any sum IN addition "a
the usual appropriations, be made in order to deter
mine the real condition Of the canals
All Of which Is respectfully submitted
Adm THAYER,
G. A. WALRATH,
JAMES JACKSON, Jr.,
Board OF Canal Commissioners