The sun., 1897-07-04
An ERIE CANAL MONUMENT
Syracuse Wants to Honor the Memory OF
Judge Joshua Forman and Jnmes Geddes.

byreouHe Wants to Honor the Memory or
Judge Joshua Forman and James Geddes.
movement is under way at Syracuse to
bring about the erection Of a monument there,
In 1900. the seventy.fifth anniversary of the
completion of the Erie Canal, to commemorate
that event and honor two Syracusans, joshua
Forman and James Geddes, who were active
supporters of the canal project from it's be-
ginning, and aided materially in efIecting its
accomplishment. Do Witt Clinton is not
counted out by the present syracusans and one
suggestion as to the proposed monument Is
that 1t shall group these three men,
There has been tradition that Gouverneur
Morris, standing at the Battery with his face
to the West, once said: I'VE must tap Lake
Erie" and that from this remark grew the Erie
Canal. Syracuse says that Judge Joshua For
man was the father Of the canal There Is NO
questioning the service of either Judge For
man or Mr.. Geddes to the enterprise. Mr.
Geddes who removed from Pennsylvania to
Onondaga county in 1894. when a young man.
ana engaged in the salt industry, eagerly advo-
Gated a canal. Judge Forman is spoken OF as
the founder Of Syracuse, but the only material
way in which his name ia kept before the citi-
zens is in small park named after him on GEN
esee street, the old Genesce turnpike or State
in the Legislature framed the joint resolution
under which the preliminary survey for the
canal was carried out. and he pressed the reso-
luton to Its passage, Dean George F. Comfort
Of the College OF Fine Arts of Syracuse Uni
versity says that Judge Forman was the real
protector OF the canal and offers to submit doc.
umentary proof of the statement. Mr.. Geddes
was the eng incer who made the first survey
for tho canal. He was appointed TO this work
in 1903. Clinton's work for the canal was be-
gun some years later. Geddes was made en-.
gineer OF the canal in 1916, and 1t was in 1877
that Clinton undertook his vigorous campaign
in behaH OF the work, and carried the project
and bis own ambitions to accomplishment
ment is that the State shall make an appropria-
tton for a monument and 1t is the intention to
have the matter brought up at the next scs-
sion Of the Legislature In the public press
the Syracusans call upon neighboring cities
along the line Of tho canal TO Join in the de-
| and assert that in view OF the sums expended
! by New ork State in commemorative the VIC
tories OF her people in arms 1t would be fitting
| now that she make II liberal appropriation to
| show gratitude for the achievements OF her peo-
| pie in peaceful progress: Aside from Syra-
| cuse being the home Of Geddes and Formnn.
| the claim is put forth that it is the proper site
| for the monument not only by reason OF its geo
| graphical location but also because the duties
| and freights on the salt shipped from the
the whole first cost OF constructing the canal,
| something more than ST,oOO,OOO. New
| York city has reaped more advantage from
| the Erie Canal than any other city or part of
| the State" says Prof Comfort, ''and 1t would be
but just II seems to mo. FOR the press of New
| the other hand, Syracuse has never benefited
| from this canal as Buffalo and New York have,
| scarcely as Rochester and Albany have, and
| which has done more than any other one
| thing to make New York the Empire State
| and New York city the commercial emporium
a n