New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-26
MIR. ALDRIDGE AND HIS DAM.
HE is EXPECTED TO EXERr GREAT INFLUENCE
IN SECURING THE PASSAGE OF sENA-
TOR PARsoNs's GENEsEE sToR-
AGE RESERVOIR BILL.

AGE RESERVOIR BILL
Albany. Jan. % ,speciaD-The Rochester pollti-
clans who persuaded Governor Morton to appoint
George ". Aldridge. OF that city. as SuperIntend-
ent OF Public Works. and therefore pat at the head
Of the state canal system a man OF their own
we're little concerned about obtaining 5000 ohice
for Mr.. Aldridge That triiing part OF their
scheme. What they are aiming at Is to thrust all
ttc.r arms INTO the State Treasury and pull out at
Least 10000 and possibly s. 100000 They are striv-
Ing Involve the State In the gigantic enterprise
If dammlng the Gercsee River at Mount Morris
Osicnshlv the dam is for the benefit OF the Erie
Canal. bat actually the water which 1t stores up
viii be used by the owners Of mill property In
Rochester.
n is natural for the mll-owners OF Rochester 10
desire 10 have more water for their mills, but the
taxpayers Of other counties In the state have rights
which ought to be and will be respected The canal
men Of The State will also object most strenuousiy
this saddllng OF m unnecessary expense upon
the state State Engineer Adams recently Informed
The Tribune correspondent that there was no ne
cossiiy FOR such a dam. III there was necessity.
he said the Eric Canal would not be operated year
afer year az It has been, without this proposed
dam being In existence" Superintendent Hannah.
the Democrat who will soon be superseded ~ Su-
perintenicnt 81 Public Works by Mr. Adridge
came before the Assembly Committee on Ways and
Means last year and opposed any appropriations
being made even FOR a survey for the proposed
lam. Mr.. hl1ridge favored last years bill as
Mayor of Rochester and as a member OF the citys
Executive Board and Of course VIII favor 1t as
Superintendent OF Public Works. 1t need not be
SAID that his advice head OF the Canal Depart
men, viii have great weight rnquestionably his
f,v,r,hlo attitude toward the storage reservoir
scheme Is the main reason why the Rochester pol
itici,ns wanted him appointed.
Senator Parsons. Of Rochester introduced me
storage Reservoir bill In the Senate to-day II
reads ~ follows:
For fhe pfir a
ply Of water 10 the Erie Canal and OF restoring to
the owners Of water-power on ne GeneSee hlyer
tho Superintendent 81 Public Works is hereby au-
cn1stT,rtsh dam on the cienesee River on one
The topic. 'Gencscc RIVER storage In the annual
report II tho state Engineer and Surveyor. trans
mirted to the Legislature on January % 1894 said
above the stream bed. and In such manner and Of
such ~ to be ess ps . OF ' sf se ron
.rgCed according to plans snd speccss srHhy
the precise location thereof
Sec ? The sum OF $4,000. or CD much thereof
any moneys in the treasury no. otherwise appro
sions or mi. act. 81 said sum roao or so much
thereof may be necessary. shall be paid on the
ana Specifications for said dam. and the remaining
's9 he be %ir to Se H l%t
tcndcnt OF Public Works FOR the purpose OF con,
structng said dam In whole or I'm part as provided
In this act.
Sec g. This act shall take effect Immediately.
Thus $4,000 Is appropriated az starter for the
scheme The State Engineers report for 1894 states
that a masonry dam nfty-cght feet In height
without provision for raising 1t 10 a greater height
would cost 81 200 00 AT the same site" the re-
port continues. "a masonry dam 0fty-clght feet IN
height but designed OF such section as 10 admit OF
extension to 1870 feet is estimated to cost s23iU0
The final cost OF the completed masonry dam. l5O
feet I'm height would be 1921 600"
That is what the Rochester politicians would
commit the State TO- and what they have brought
George W. Aiiridge here from Rochester To put
through the Legislature.