New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-10
THE NEW-YORK CANALS.
NEED OF THEIR \IMMEDIATEs IMPROVE
MENr Blythe STATE.
THE CoNsrITUTIoNAL CONVENTION! SHOULD
AcT-wIIAT THEf DECAY OF THE

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONTENTION SHOULD
Acr-wIIAr TIEt DECAY OF THE
CANALS MOULD. MraaN.
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The Constitutional Convention Of the State OF
New-York has moro important subject before II
for consideration OF genera and direct benefit to al
of the people OF the entiu State OF New-fork than
that Of Improving :ts grsit canal system so as 10
make II adequate in size o continue 10 attract the
great grain shipments Of ,the West and Northwest
TO the port OF New York. because the canals arord
the lowest possible transportation charges.
New-York City's interest in the proper mainte-
nance and development of>the State canals is greater
than that OF any other section OF the state. IL
was the knowledge OF this fact which induced l569S4
of the voters In 1872 70 vote for frr canals. as
against a paltry S75 in' OPPOSITION The imports and
the exports Of this port. tine vast numbers Of people
who are employed in their handling and care the
homes that are mGiatan1l because OF the en-
ployment so furnished ouchi every interest OF the
city directly-the merchant, the manufacturer and
the real-estate owne-. It,is the quantities Of
grain that now come down IRE canals and the Hud-
son River to this port thar attract the ships laden
with valuable cargoes desthnd for all parts OF the
country. because here IL is known that they can
get cargoes from the Unned' States. Here. indeed
come the ships in ballast for'they are'aways sure Of
obtaining outward cargos Take from New-York City
this prestige dt will be taken way II canals
permitted to decay. and what lis the result? The
competing ports Of Philadelphia. Baltimore. Newport
News Norfolk and New Orleans. the SOUTH and
Boston. Portland. Halhux and Montreal. the
north each and all with their cheaper transit facili-
ties and port dues. will divert the grain by
and rail from the West. and the loss of these
quantities OF exports Will drive the Strips from the
port OF New-York 10 other ports that receive this
grain Statistics show thar during the season OF
canal navigation the grain shat comes TO this port
Is greater in quantity than'tha which goes to all
other ports combined ard the statistics show
that as the canals closed TO navigation.
jus: that moment competing ports are able to at
tract a larger quantity of grain than New-York re-
ceives A loss OF grain carg1es here means
responding loss Of freight destined for the tnterior
and these losses vast loss 10 thes millions
of people who will remove their homes to those
places where employment is in their severl voca-
tons. connected with handling imports and exports
to be found thereby greatly reducing the value OF
real estate.
1t was clearly shown before the Legislature last
winter that the amount Of grain that was shipped
from the city Of Buffalo TO ports outside OF New
York in 1898 would have paid in carn frefghts alone
the sum OF s6OO0OOO which would have come d.
rectly the people Of this State Moreover. cor
responding would have been receiYad for west
bound cargoes which diverted TO other routes
outside Of the State of NewYork, all of>which would
have remained In this State had thescanals been
properly improved.
No improvements have been made in the canals OF
this State except to lengthen some of the locks on
the Erie and Oswego cana.s The plan of the Erie
and Oswego canals. as they at present exist, was
projected and provided for in 1886 and completed in
1862 Thus a canaboat built in 1862 for 'the Erie and
Oswego canals capable OF usdng them 10
their fullest capacity then as now. There rs no other
change fST he has taken place
this condition of betterment admits OF competit'on
which would have been impossible had the canals OF
this State kept pace with the OF the age
This condition would be at once changed were the
of the canals provided for by the Constitutional Con-
81 mer 9S asked ha thu e and
canals be deepened TO nine feet except over perma-
es nd s they be
locks be heightened. according to plans proposed; |
sset throughout. as ALREADY partially, comsc!eted.
This work. has been estimated by both the Super;
Surveyor. will exceed in the sum OF 5000.
600; and when completed the improvement would
ducton Of SO per cent between New-York and Buff |
Whit the 1y State
Is quibblng over whether he people would support
by the public officials of Toronto. ontario. and in.
vitations extended TO commercial organizations all
that city on September Ii 70 discuss ways and
means for providing a twenty-foot channel from the
date the Western traffic without breaking bulk.
The dirscSn Of this channel isto be from the lak,s
territory entirely Yet then, are deluled people
VINO eaten at the chlmerlCdl lnea OF "A tWen-y-fOO-
channel from the lakes TO the sea. by whatever
route, in order that the upper AXE cities NAV be
made seaports. forgetting that such channel. when
completed would inaugurate the destruction Of our
magnificent feet of lake vessels and in large part
the traffic Of the Erie and Oswego and Champiain
,anals and thereby destroy the commercial SUI
premacy OF the State and port Of .NewYork-
The impertinence OF asking the people OF the
United States to join them n discussing ways and
means for such undertaking in part
,,or Canadian tnrritnr,' = ~ keeping with the
he.omenal brass which has charac terized the entire
,ealilgs Of the Canadians with Ann ricans. But
hat the great State of Necv-York is going TO CO.
operate in such a scheme, which. IL completed
means It's Commercial and financial destruction. We
mall not believe until see the proof The best
answer that New.York can send to this invitation
u the people of Toronto is for the Constitutional
Convention OF this State to provide for the i'm
movement of the Erie Oswego and Champlan
annals, In order TO retain within this state the
reat traffic which has so vastly enriched it. and
pom which It's future vitality depends.
And | most earnestly entreat you 70 give promi-
this thought, in the hope that the delegates
epresenting all parts of this State In the Constitu
onal Convention will be unit for canal improve
nent in order to preserve the State Of New-York
s II is now. In the front rank Of the Union.
ALEXANDER r SMITH,
ecretary OF the Canal Committees of the CONNER
cial Associations Of New-York.
New York. Sept. 4. 1894.