New-York tribune., 1885-01-28
THE CANALS OF THE STATE.
SUGGESTIONS BY THE STATE ENGINEER AND soh'
vEYOR REGARDING THIN.

/
| ALBANY. Jan. 27.-State Engineer and Sur
in his annual report the Legislature points
out that the business state canals has been sead
decreasing since 1850. when 1t amounted to 64o'
tons Since then it has been NJ follows: 1881
! 5I79,102; 1882 5,467.423; 1883, o'ooi'o'o ;
| 1884, 5.0O94ss. In 1871 the tonnage
was G. 467 sss; in 1872 G.67S,37O; in 1873 736i7s2'
With these EXCEPTIONS the business of 1850 has never
been equaed the increase having been steady from
1865 when it was 4,72965i tons. Meantime the rail-
road traffic competing lines had grown from 3ooooio
tons In 1865 to JO3063 In 1888. In 1884 was ony
22l23 s95. The amount of freight moved In 1854 py
canal was divided as follows; Products OF the forest
67l 700 TONS products OF agriculture l26i231 tons
products OF manufacture, 2O5,O06 tons merchandise
300 $50 tons other articles, l563059 tons Mr. sweet
adds:
Not only has the volume OF canal freight diminished
but the of freight have boen unpiecedeheHy 10"
during the last In both these respects however,
the canal business suffers in common with the railroads
which compete for the freights ana 10
whose warfare among one another may o'
attributed the lowest freight tariff ever knowp'
IL must be borne in mind that the average hanl OF ran
freights much shorter than those by canal the former
ON the through NewYork lines considerably less
than 200 miles, while the canal fIeigtS. being mostly
through are long, that table OF gross
tonnage does fairly represent the comparative pus
ness of the and favor the railroads to the extent
OF about fifty per cent These statistics thouRh they
SlO
position as freight carrier which it held twenty years
ago indicate uniformity and persistence in the volume
of its business illustrating forciby the Importance OF
water carriage when consider that during TINS period
the development Of railway transportation mas aDSorpeu
the skill and Of the engineering
profession the best executive and administrative TALENT
aud so much of the capital of the country while the
canal has remained unnproved aud unchanged as to us
structure its equipment and its modes OF operation
The water supply has steadily diminished along the
canals awakening anxiety Mr.. Sweet therefore, THINKS
that the OF the Superintendent OF Pup
lie Works for the erection OF one or more reservoirs Oh
the upper Hudson to under the control of the state
should be carried without delay. The general condi
ton Of the pershable structures. has been fully main
famed il not improved. Complaint Is made that tue
strict requirements under which the west shore roa"
was allowed for eleven miles close To the Erie
Canal have not been compiled with. The Albany DaSih
having fallen into and threatening to become
nusance Mr. Sweet advises appropriation TO nave IL
cleaned out Tie pronounces It's sanitary cohditioh
"disgracefuL" -
.sThere are two methods OF improving the Erie Canal
Mr. Sweet says. and in opinion only two worthy Oh
consideration The first is to increase its depth one OF
two feet by such deepening of the channel ana raising oi
the banks as consistent with maintaining the integrity
of it's present structures and TO lenghen the locks 10
facilitate the OF steam by permitting Doats 10 oe
locked in pairs. This system OF improvement wond gave
the aana3e result for the boats now in use ana 10
The second method enlarge IL 10 such an extent as
TO make available for the steamers navigating the Iahes
class vessels Of large tonnage aud moderate power
and speed which are rapidly dispacng all other mer-
chant marine for freight traffic ON the lakes
and on the ocean" The latter scheme IA
favored by Mr.. Sweet nov. and he reiter-
aes following expression made to the American 30
ciety Of Civil Engineers last June The canal should be
at least eighteen feet deep and 100 feet wide nj bottom
and It's locks should be 450 feet long and sixty ieet
wide. The successful operation OF the canal
thus enlarged requires that 1t should receive
its water from the lake and discharge IL into
the Hudson ON account Of the insuflcency OF water
tributary to route to supply 1t. Hhs and various
Geographical and economic considerations render
radical change in parts of the route aud profile oil the
old canal essential These changes are entirely pracu
cable and involve no very serious difficulties"
This scheme is sidered in detail and ITS importance
to the commerce OF New-York Is strongly urged Ar
Sweet says:
"In the enlarged canal making due allowance Tor re-
duced speed IN the channel aud for lock deten
tions the propeller would make the trip from Buffalo to
New-York In as short a time she requires between
Chicago Buffalo, and thus deliver her iI0s Chi
cago to Newly in less time and at less cost than can
realization would sabsh the commerce Of New on
an enduring basis 10 be shaken by any develop
meut OF trade combination Of circumstances that
M w IN nos