The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13
WHOSE IDEA rs THE ERIE CANAL,
The Claims Made In Behalf or Gov. Clinton,
Gouverneur Morris. and Others.

From the Utica Herald.
A blue pitcher. in tho possession of e. p.
Powell Of Clinton has inscribed on ono side,
utica, O village in the State Of New York,
thirty years since o wildernessi now, 1924. In
forior to none In the western section of tho
State in population. wealth, commerce. enter
prise, active industry, and civil Improvement"
On the other side of tho pitcher 10 inscribed.
1.-THE great Erie Canal. Q splendid monument
OF the enterprise and resources of the State Of
New York. Indebted for its early commence
ment and rapid completion to the active ener-
giles. prominent ~tAlents. and enlightened policy
Of De Witt Clinton. late Governor Of the State"
Canslboats and locks cover the rest Of the
Is is one Of the e, very few now n , szi,, (, Iss,s Of
sSsF, De ne%'PillE t, t siint shs t iss' .a ihei / sqs slsl% %
S how Q sesat that %s'i the Erie Canal a DID hSw not anO oWc
It's conception to the Clintons. In July, 1910.
D. Do I T,st Sl,ai0n cr ysPt' .. f5GR M !. wbsrs MMllI s..
his canal This recognition Of MT. ,Geades
that that don1e Pasu n &o rpls. in vi 1903 Hsf IL a se eoni EssSSs;
De wilt Of a project that he had in his head OF
tapping Lake Eric" In order TO let the waters
F Iina OF S SsnSIsat1 to the ssom nr Ssw y making in Eb q , sh9rt
Geddes heard of this project. caught y up. and
pushed II with ali the energy OF his active mind.
In 1916 he was made engineer OF the proposed
canal, in conjunction with q French engineer,
and these two had charge OF the surveying and
supervision of the construction.
These records seem to give the original honor
Of the Erie Canal to Gouyerneur Morris. and to
Geddes as q close second. But another claim
ant appeared in 1882 in tho person Of Jesse
Hawley. Mr.. Hawley left u Will In which We
find this clause: II give to the Historical Soci-
ETY. of New York my, original essays. entitled,
Observations Of Canals, printed from October.
be the first protector OF the overland route OF
the grand Erie Canal. from Buffalo to Utica.
And l now herein declare IL for a truth,
under all the solemnity of this last doc
nment Of my life, that the idea of tapping Lake
Erie, and taking Its water across the country to
the Mohawk at Utica. was an original concep.
ton OF my own mind. which occurred to me at
Seneca Falls early in April, 1905" After COM
planning that the State had not condescended
TO acknowledge his services IN any public man
ner. he requests the Historical Society to accept
the evidences and to keep them In Its sacred
care.
subject prior to himself. Whether the project
was really originated by Gouverneur Morris or
not we cannot say. but no historic record has
as yet been presented which antedates his dis
cussion OF the matter. In 1903. 1t must be
added that II seems quite probable that the rest-
less mind Of this statesman gave birth to q prof.
ect which at tho time seemed chimerical. No
this case. for while the national Government
was appealed TO for public improvements in
every other section Of the country, the Empire
State, under the presiding care of the Clintona
alone, without national aid, created the grAndest
engineering enterprise OF the age.