New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-19
PAVEY CANAL BILL DEBATED.
HEARING; HELD BEFORE A CLIMBER
OF COMMERCE COMMITTEE.

THE MEASURE AND GEORGE : AOhlsoN'
GENERAL. W p. cRAIGHTLl. PROFESSOR
BURR GUSTAV II. scHwAB AND
Ex-MAYoR HEWITT EXPRESS
THEIR VIEWS UPON IT.
There was an important hearing yesterday At'ss~
noon before committee OF the Chamber OF oomr
rnerce on the Pavey bill 10 remove the consutu-
,ional prohibition against the sale OF the Efio
Canal and to provide that the canal may DC Soiu
10 the Federal Government on conditions 10 De mu'
tually agreed upon between the state ana 'he ~
tion Senator Pavey explained hlT bill Davio NC
Clure said that he opposed 20 Senator raVey
arandment but al the time was not III
favor of expending money on the improvement, Oh
the caral in spots" He referred to the acuo"
Of the Governor in instiiutng an of'clai inquiry
into tho manner IN which the 100000 appropr'A-
ton expended.
Senator Pavey in his address said; me pro
rosed amendment provides that the prohioition
against the sale or lease OF the canals shai' nv
apply TO the United States The process OF ameno-
ing the Conetituton is slow. The proposed a"e"o
nent must be approved by two legislatures oe'o''
II can be submitted TO the people IL uis pr
noses amendment should not pass the Legisiatu.'
,bis vear II could not be submitted TO the peeps
before 1901 n by any chance this question shouio
go beyond that point. the adoption OF 'he ai"e'u
rnent providing for biennial sessions OF tne iNs"-
lature would then make necessary a sun 'onse.
interval OF time, once IN louT !e"''' ~V'
bodos and people Interested In the commerce OF the
s,o,e who have never before deemed II wise 10 pu1
rho state in a position 10 make conTac' OF TINS
kind with the Federal Government, pehe'e ''as
this is the proper time at which this Amendments
should be cast" .
George 6 NORTON vice-presaent OF the Ameticn"
Society OF Civil Engineers next spoke ne $50 So
,ica naced before this meeting ne saH s'i""
that the port Of NewYork has been s'eadl's io''"s
ground as compared with other Atlantic po',s VI w
EXPORT trade II New-York is 10 get back us ".a'
AMI .eon 4, permanently 1t only 30 so ny get
ting excessively low freghts between lake ports anu
ITSELF The question is what is the cheapest possoe
wav OF transporting freight from axe por's 10 -'e
York City Major Thomas W symons' corps VI
Engineers who submitted report IN lsso' SHOWS
that the results can be obtained from ""a' ~
terms barge canal. al,
This barge canal wa. also advocated by Elna-
than Sweet when State Engineer In 1851. NO es-
| Inmates have been made Of the cost out MaJo.
| Symons makes rough guess that the cost "'sli'
be about 80 10000. the cos; OF twenty-foot snip
canal with the necessary AXE channels ETC., PEI PEI.
these these matters are before us and the surveys and
estimates are being maie at least full surveys ana
| canal In the words of Major Symons, No improve
ment on oy sme nave greater direct
value than would this Improvement OF the Efis
Ger. General William P Cralghll. ex-Chief Engineer
Of the United states Arny who f9eweE The s sx
port trade OF the port OF New-rork had been
! steadily declining while that Of Boston. Baltlmore
| and Newport News had correspondngly increased
| The ninc-foot canal now proposed would De m
| adequate TO meet the requirements OF canal nav-
! ga ion. The question ar ISSUE deserves grave con.
sideration, but | am not in favor OF gong beyond
| a tweye-foot barge canal for tho present. -
| Professor william II. Burr. OF Columbia, SAID:
! 1T is a question whether this enlarged water
way should he undertaken by the state or by the
| United States Government. Doubtless IL would Dc
| a prohtab bic investment for the State. AT the
| same ,!me It is a matter Of interstate Importance
| and interest,""
| Gustav II Schwab. representing the ocean-carry-
| ing trade expressed himself favorable 10 the
| proposed Pavey amendment.
| Ex-Mayor Abram s. Hewitt said he thought II
rested with the State OF New-York 10 maintain It's
prlmacy in the Union. and that II should not call
| upon Hercules come in, for II Hercules came IN
! he would destroy the plans IL New-fork City
wanted TO maintain /. supremacy as a port let
her take off her heavy Wharfage charges when
that was done Boston Buffalo. Baltimore, New
| Orleans and Newport News would be nowhere In
the 49, =. . .
General F. c. O'Brien asked Mr. Hewitt II IT 10
| not a fact that he had said AZ one time In MS
official career that the States OF the Union had
| conspred to ruin the commerce OF the Port OK
| New-York Mr. Hewitt denied having used any
| such language. ana the chairman reminded Cen
eral O Rrien that his side had had It's say already.
| w E. Cleary, representing the Beard OF Trade
and TRANSPORTATION spoke IN opposition 70 the pro-
| posed amendment ard tho committee then az.
| iourned 10 report special meeting or tne
| Chamber Of Commerce called for Thursday next