New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-14
| of making transfers from previous years the
CANAL IMPROVEMENTS.

IA bill Is pending in the Legislature which pro.
yides for lengthening ono OF the important
locks on the Erie Canal. 1t meets WIN some
opnosition. It Is characterized rs ian entering
WEDGE the argument being that to consent 10
enlarge this lock is to inaugurate policy that
NAV result in the frightening OF all the locks.
! Those who talk in this way point to the fact
that making the canals free cost the State
Good deal of money, and claim that the burden
| from this source ought not to be increased
through the adoption by the Legislature OF any
enlargement or improvement scheme.
The answer IL that il 1t was worth while 70
mako the canals free, it is worth while to take
| good care of them. 1t is not taking good care
of them to refuse to lengthen locks, if it can be
demonstrated that their efficiency will be greatly
promoted by so doing. Those who have given
| most attention TO the canals favor the scheme
| They believe that If the locks were enlarged so
that two boats could be served at the same time,
a saving of two days would be effected on the
trim between Buffalo and New-York. But
nobody now proposes to enlarge all the locks.
II is simply proposed to enlarge this one at Utica
by way of experiment. If the result Is not
satisfactory, the opponents OF canal improve
! ments will be furnished with potent argument
against doing anything further in this direction
The bill under consideration passed both houses
last year, but died IN the Governors hands. In
his message he had taken ground against all
PROPOSITIONS and schemes for the enlargement
of the canals or the expenditure OF large sums
u of money in their alteration" until the eject
of the abolition Of tolls was fully apparent.
But since in his message of this year the Cover
nor expresses the opinion that the exhibit OF the
canal business for the season fully justities
the remission of tolls, it is fair to assume that II
the bill passes again he will sign it.
II is frequently said that the law of private
business ought to be the law Of public business.
1t is sound principle and furnishes cogent
reason for taking care of the canals. II they
| were owned by individuals who desired to make
| them worthy competitors of the railroads they
certainly would not be allowed to remain in the
condition in which bOatmen now report them.
They would be put in complete order in all that
is implied in the term of enlargement and
Improvement In his last annual report the
State Engineer says it should be remembered
that since the date of the completion OF the
enlargement in 1862, when the canals are
supposed to have been in their best condition,
q they have been steadily deteriorating, as
appropriations by the Legislature have never
"been enough to keep them in complete repair
and barely sufficient to meet those emergencies
acaused by breaks, floods, ETC., so often
encountered in canal navigation" This is
consideration too often lost sight of in the
current canal discussion. 1t is nearly quarter
of century since the canals were put in
thorough repair. The spirit that induced the
people to vote to make the canals free will
demand that nothing shall be left undOne that
is calculated to promote their usefulness.