New-York tribune., 1896-11-20
IMPROVING THE CANALS.

Ry an emphatic vote the people OF this state
Mt the election in 1Sb5 expressed their approval
of the proposition to spend large sum OF money
for canal improvements. OF the 1.lI49l' citl-
zens who cast their ballots for the head OF the
State ticket 956O51 voted also on the canal
proposition and the plan 10 expend S?ooO.V'm
in deepening the canals and enlargng locks was
ndorsed by majority of 243,50o. There can DE
no misunderstanding OF the meaning of this YER
dict In favor of increasing the capacity OF these
artificial waterways. 10 which so much OF the
commercial primacy Of this city has been Que
Having stamped this scheme with their unquah
fed approval, the people of the state VIII De
glad to learn that partial plans for the improve
,nent of the canals have been perfected ana the
contracts let. and that work under the contracts
will soon be begun. Not all Of the $9OOooOo
authorized Is to be used at cnce. although In the
opinion of good judges the work necessary 10
he done will in the end require still larger ex-
penditure
The first thing done in preparing for this
work was to make a survey OF the three canals
selected for Improvement and $oOOOO was
spent for this purpose. An intelligent OASIS
for proceeding having thus been established
spcchcations were drawn and contracts TO the
amount of So. 500 600 have been awarded Every
precaution has been employed TO prevent the
reckless use of the large sum OF money provided
for this purpose one of the requirements OF the
law being that all the work should be awarded
to the lowest bidders Work under the contracts
IS TO begin as soon as the season for canal navl-
CATION closes, and 1t Is expected that it will be
theoretically prosecuted during the winter
months. so as 10 interfere as little as possible
with the use Of the canals next season. With
the deepening OF the canals and the contem-
plated enlargement Of locks the capacity OF
canal-boats will be increased. and II Is hoped
also that means Of propelling them more rapid
" will become available. We notice, though.
that State Engineer Adams has faint expecta-
tions that an electric system can be successfully
employed The experiments made some time
ago were not altogether encouraging, but even
If the trolley cannot be used for canalboats II
is possible that electric storage may solve the
problem. The suggestion Is also put forward
that compressed air, promising motive power
at the present time, may prove to be what Is
needed In canaboat traction.
important advantages are to be looked FOR
from the outlay on which the State has entered
not without thoughtful considerations; else were
the expenditure Of this great sum the height OF
folly. Whether the advantages will warrant SC
liberal a policy seems as yet an open question
The increase of nearly 80 per cent III the capacity
of canal-boats which Is expected to follow the
improvements cannot but be Of decided benefit
10 the boatmen; but these people would do wei
10 take to heart the remark Of the State Engineer
that they should organize and hunt for busi
ness" in the same way that the railroads do
The State has consented to spend 100000 on
the canals and the policy Is has adopted may