New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-08
TO REVIVE CANAL TRAFFIC,
IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS FROM THE
STATE ENGINEER
HE RELIEVES THE ERIE CANAL SHOULD BE NINE
FEET DEEP IN ALI. PLACES. AND THAT BIG
TRANSFORMATIONS COMPANIES SHOULD
BE ENCOURAGED
frroMrHE REGULAR CORRESPONDENTS or THE TRIBUNE

frRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
Albany Feb 7-campbeli ". Adams. the state
Engineer will submit his annual report 10 mo
Legislature Tomorrow night. IL Is or more IMAM
ordinary interest, In II he tells OF the progress
OF the work OF improving the canals OF the state
and suggests n method Of charging the cnnai com-
mercc. 49,.
The chief canal TO be improved under the @""'-
900 Improvement scheme IL. OF course inc ERE
Tho commerce OF the Oswego Canal Is light That
of the Champlan would be larger " the canai were
deeper All OF Mr. Adams's estimates. as an on
cineer are in the direction or securing the d''Pen-
ing Of the Erie. The enlargement OF the oS"ee'
and the Champain canals 10 an equal d"gr% WIN
the Erie he evidently thinks should he deferred
The State Engineer IL heartily In favor OF giving
announcement to corporations or individuals 10
use the Erie Canal II Is for this reason Iha' NJ
speaks favorablv or the scheme OF Mr. PlllHDury,
the great -four manufacturer OF M'nneapohs' an"
Erastus Wman, to organize canal transpor'hooh
company and have nour shipped from Duluth
through the Great Lakes and then through the
Erie Canal 10 the Hudson River and on TO Liver
pool The bill now before the Legislature permit
ting the organization OF big canal transportation
companies evidently has his support.
Information is given the Legislature by MI
Adams in his report as to the progress OF the
80 10000 improvement. Up 10 the present time
twelve contracts have been awarded on the eastern
division OF the Erie Canal seventeen on the middle
division and five the western division, making
ihirty-four contracts In all These contracts pro-
vide for the improvement OF fourteen miles OF the
Oswego Caral sixteen miles OF the Champlain
Canal and OF ninety-eight miles of tho Erie canal
The total estimated cost OF this work was 1'loNZ
bu. the contractors put In lower bids. and the cost
will be only S.02S.I?o.
The State Engineer said yesterday: II feel graf
inea at this showing. which would seem To prove
that the preliminary estimates OF this Department
,,,,fn IL
are satisfied from the work they have already
done that they will not lose any money. but rather
make some and therefore they viii be willing TO
continue the work at the present low rates IL IL
believed that n much greater amount or WORK In
canal Improvement can be done than 1t was orig
nally estimated could be done with certain
amount of money"
Mr. Adams Is keenly DESTROYS that the WORK
should be done cheaply. as he IL apprehensNe
that the 100000 Will not he quite sufficient TO
complete the work on the Erie. Everything that
can be dispensed with IL being abandoned Os-
wego and Champlain Canal work. in n large meas
ure. will be deferred. and the central thought VIII
be TO deepen the Erie Canal Regarding the canal
improvement work Mr.. Adams says:
There seems 10 be popular opinion IN 'he
minds OF many OF citizens that no improve
| ments TO our existing canal system less radical
| than the building OF n ship canal Will enable us
! to regain and control the enormous freight 'ramc
Of the Northwest, to which our geographical loca-
| ton and resources would seem TO entitle u.s. In
| this opinion / have never shared. III we are 10
regain and control this business. as all believe we
| should and can. II gems 10 me 10 be OF the hrst
| importance that should adopt a remedy that
be supplied quickly and at conservative cost
| That we have such remedy at hand by i'm
| proving our present canals the maximum pcssi-
BILE extent without radically changing their routes
or structures Is my earnest belief but IL IL Also
| my duty to state that this cannot be done and IS
| not contemplated under the present so-caiIed
| 'nne-m million dollar improvement.
Mr.. Adams then says that the mine million dol
| lar Improvement law does not direct that the en-
| tire Erie Canal shall be deepened from seven 70
| nine feet OF water. but that It provides for only
eight feet of mitre sills aqueducts Gull
and other permanent structures though. OF
course n greater depth Is not prohibited. This
Improvement would only admit OF one foot greater
| draught of boats than at present. and TINS would
add only fifty to the present cargo OF 80 tons
| OF the principal freghts now carried MI Adams
| recommends that. as nearly all OF the structures
| mentioned could easily be arranged Tor nine feet
| of water such Improvement should follow or be
| made a part OF the nine mion-dollar improve
| ment and he recommends that some comparatively
! slight changes be made In the locks and their
| gates so as to admit OF lengthening the present
boats from IS feet to ll5 feet. This would en-
| able the boats to carry paying load OF 4lp TONS.