New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-30
ri KER' s,
9Th Ave., Cor. 22d street.
FOR CANAL IMPROVEMENT.
A MASs-MEETING IN COOPER UNION.

MAYOR STRONG THE PRESIDING OFFICER
SPEECHES BY SIMON sTERNE EX-MAYoRs
HEWITT AND EDISON AND A NUMBER OF
orHERs-A LARGE CROWD PRESENT
The large hall OF Cooper Union was filed Literally
TO OVERLOOKING last night with an Intelligent audi
ence In which were many women, at the mass
meeting held 10 discuss and urge improvements Tor
the state canals Men OF all professions ana oil al
POLITICAL faiths there listening ihtenus 10 TIC
sneakers who favored strongly the measure pro-
ing for the issuance of bonds, not exceeu'he Tue
amount of 10000. for the Improvement OF the
Erie Canal. the Champlain Cah'ii' anu t"e ""'e'
Canal 40 -.
, number OF orga atoms marched with pahus
O, music TO the hail. and, entering interrupted
Mavor Strong and other speakers. VINO sometimes
tried TO make their voices heard ABOVE the otaSsS
strs.ns from the bands. One explanation oil lhe
.oaerca ~ tho crowd was that number OF politi-
col organiza lions made their appearance ior the
sake OF gaining political capital from the oc0aS'oi
This was shown by the distribution after the meet
tho =, tickets bearing the portraits OF certain caho
dates. c.. s,o,
Tanner" Mayor strong. leaning on the arm OF Tu
.rd q O'Rren the president OF the DOCK Board
nnesred on the platform. The audience heartily
chaered and applauded the Mayor who bowed ana
smiled In recognition of the compliment.
CALLED TO ORDER.
Mr.. OBrIen then called the meeting to order say
ing in part:
We have to discuss most In }bs neope Of
NE c,,v namely how to Improve transporta-
lion facilities? one OF the most important trans
erfui in its beneficial effects upon This port that
which first gave this city us commrrc,a sInre II
The I.re Canal The importance Of this canal 70
the OF the city Is not measured 10y the the
fact that during season Of navigation u makes
a lower freight rate 10 this port than can De mage
To anv other port by any competing route. IL
natural terminal is here 1t must bring It's traffic
mere an now p IRON to expend 100000 in mprov
Ing the canals of this State so that they VIII De
s more powerful factor In retanns s our Of Money
relatively the prize at stake and to the sum ex-
pended BY competitors to win 1t.
Consider for moment that the commercial SUI
premacy not alone of this Nation. but Of the whole
The frs: Acct o; steam cana!-boats was put in
commission the Erie Canal this sumner The
ton as Il has been In ocean and lake nayga-
but there can be little doubt that the cheapest Of
all OF propulsion Is electricity. ana that an
plan, WIN ss r maintain Tny spd
improve It's canals
THE MAYOR AS CHAIRMAN.
Then Commissioner OBrien introduced Mayor
Strong the band doomed out. Hail to the Chief"
and there was cappng OF hands. After Mayor
Strong had stopped bowling in response. he said:
1t is an agreeable change 10 be called to preside
at this time owe meeting not political in charac-
ter and doubly agreeable Is the invitation because
II is called for purpose connected win the ma
terial prosperity OF this city.
HIRE the Mayor was interrupted by music from
the obtrusive band OF some club entering at the
back OF the hail. The band was persuaded to cease
playing and the Mayor proceeded:
our object in coming here is to emphasize the fact
that we are willing to have an issue OF 10000
worth of bonds TO lmpr9ye tne eanas o Wnen snf
market II is to-day. and nothing mas con
trfbuted so much 20 its advancement as the Erie
Canal.
Hare another band broke in upon the Mayors
eIoouence He said he would not detain the
audience any longer with his remarks. and sat
down Then the lst Of the vice-presidents was
read In part There were 34i OF them among them
being many well-known men.
letter Of regret from Hugh J. Grant was read
in which Mr.. Grant said:
man as a citizen Of the United States, am heart
lily in favor of the expenditure OF whatever SUR
they ought do. Thus their value would be trebed
al least They have regulated traffic rates through
o or t' 70 the state Of newborn They have made
the city OF Buffalo rich, and have given II such
They have helped more largely than any other
factor 70 make New-York the metropolis it is. and
TO endow It with the possibility OF governing the
commercial world in the future
letter from Seth Low was received. in which
he said ne heartily in favor Of the proposed i'm
provement
The Mayor in introducing Simon Sterne. said he
hoped doubling Thomases' would leave the hall
convinced that EewYork is alive to her own in
terests