New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-08
BIG CANAL. FIGURES.
j. NELSON TUBS ESTIMATES TOTAL
COST OF IMPROVEMENT $21, OO0. 000

CANAL COMMISSION LIsrENs TO soMp INTEREST
ING FACTS IN RELATION 10 PRO
| POSED WORK.
Albany July (SpeciaD-J Nelson Tubos. M
executive officer of the Department OF Public
Works IN charge OF the 100000 canal improve
ment wolk gave some very interesting evidonc'
before the Canal Commission to-day. II was es
pecially Of interest because II was the final testi
mony the Commission will take previous to begin
ming work upon Its report to tho Governor. due on
August l.
The Canal Commission is especially desirous OF
learning the probable cost OF completing the cana
Improvement and since Mr.. Tubbs is an eminent
engineer and for eighteen years was either resi-
dent or a division engineer OF the Erie Canal his
evidence sought upon this matter.
Mr. Blackmar the counsel OF the Commission
said to him: "AIr Tubbs. can you give the Commits
sion an idea OF the condition OF the canal previous
to the beginning OF the improvement work?
WALLS AND BOTTOMS IN BAD CONDITION.
Mr. Tubhs answered The vertical and slope
walls were in a bad condition. The bottoms OF All
the canals were full Of silt. This silt was TWO ana
n half feet deep on the berme-bank side or the
canals The culverts were, many OF them OF
composite kind and much decayed Inc
waste weirs were shattered and leaky
without n great deal OF repair. how much
longer would the canals have continued navisao'e!
~ think" replied Mr. Tubbs. gravcly. that IN
ten wears the canals would have been IN an I'M
navigabc state The canal had ceased 20 DC /"
factor in the commerce Of the state -
Would deepening the canals have saved thefh
mo: because the walls and structures also had TO
be replaced"
Suppose the present plans for canal improve
ment should be carried out. would not more eN-
pendtures be necessarily inquired A fos'e' his
gins OF the Commission.
Il have very little respect for the present piahS'
answered Mr.. Tubbs frankly. .. 49,, ,,.
THAT is just what want TO know. SAID hr.
S SbIe s1s Seyonl the gc OF completing tals
work OF canal improvement
Il can guess" said Mr Tuh5s
Let US have your guest" aid Mr.. Blackmann.
TOTAL WORK WILL COST s:i"o."1
Mr. Tubbs pulled some papers out OF his pocket
and said: Il have made estimate as TO what IL
Will cost 10 do the anal work In thorough fashion
There are needed improvements on i1s miles on the
BERN bank of the Erie Canal. 33S mics OF slope ana
vertical wall on the owpnih side % the same cailaI
and twelve and one-half miles OK vertical wall on
the BERN bank and three-oights OF the slope wall
must be rebuilt The remainder o: all slope walls
need underpinning; twenty-five miles o, rock must
tho Erie Canal must be concreted: ten miles must
have Tiles: iwcnty-hv aqu' aucis must d." re.
built twenty ont Of sevoniy-six waste ",lrs mus
be renewed 100 bridges out @, 60 must b" raised
ana have underp.nnne. singl" rocks must D"
port and hydraulic lif-iocks At cohoes. TIE bail.
Ing and draining vii cost $500 40. tn" MAKING ~
a new towpafh tl3N.0D. tlop" walls. Gloon,
andcrunni g. $500 and removal az rock. Nll5-
90 That makes 81 s.30F Then there Is ten mica
OF the prism 10 Dee puiiicd AZ iiino' three miles 10
be concrctc.i $1,000. ten miles ~ tr.pe-lapshe"'
billing sopi 80. twenty-five new aqu"lurts. !..'"'
vast wc.rs $al 90: cIyerts. '2.H'n. bridges
undcrpnncd $500 locks unIerpnn"d sls'c"l;
three new lock- t-n3'-p. Iockpoit Pneumatic locks
!GN on and Coho.- Ntt-lork s.! .iul yr
What are your totals" said Nj ClNon.
II think tho % improving the Erie" an
swered Mr. Tubbs will y" i5.i'po'n That Of I'm
proving the Champlair AID oswcgp $500 aud
the cost % "uein"errg $1,000 That makes TIE
total cost 81 oJuoop.'
Beyond ne s. ocoro already expended" IN
quircd Mr. Citation.
NO sir. include tho taeoro Nv estimate IS
that $1,000 ~ additional Nil be required mink
with $1,000 ~ more can put o." canals In
tol,rably good condition I thiak would guarau-
tee a respectable job with that amour. - money
II were State engineer would not recommend
any less
STATE ENGINFERS ESTIMATE $4,000
State Engineer Adams estimates that the total
additional cost above the s. 900 ~ Will be only :! eo
90 or a total cost for IT," Improvement - S60oco.
as compared with tho 81 o. 80 estimate ~ Mr..
Tubfs There 4. thus the small difference OF 8 co..
0O0 in the estimates Of these gentlemen.
NJ Clinton asked Mr. Tubh@ a significant Quss-
lion after he had submitted hts estimates
Docs your estimate include land damages" h"
asked
No cir It does not" replied Mr. Tubhs
The lard damages VIII certainly amount TO
several hundred thousand dollars