New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-14
DECLINE OF THE CANALS.
sr.p1rcr DISCUSSED BY THE sUPERIN-
TENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
yr .nvrsrs THE STATE TO PUT LIMIT ON
TERMINAL CHARGES AND TO fbh"ii
RIG TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES
TO BE FORMED.


TO BE FORMED.
Albany Fo,, I3--G. w Aldridge. Superintendent
OF Public Works In his annual report places wv
total expenditures for ordinary repairs ana op.. <
ing expenses OF the canals for the year AZ S''o
oos a. The number ~ boats which navigated the
Eria Canal during the last season was zoZ'' Vi
which liz carried grain
Mr. Adridge says the season was ho' -
porous one for boatmen, and that rates -,
low that many boatmen preferred 10 we 'p 49,
bo,,s He instances as reasons for this s'a'e Vi
affairs the rapid deterioration Of the canals ou''"e
sevoraI Years previous 10 the beginning OF inc gen
eral Improvement work. the little or no lH'p'o
nent which has been made IN caha'-oo o.
methods Of traction on the canals III 'he '''. ~.
wears and the excessive terminal cha's'' -.
harbors OF Buffalo and New-York lie deals WI"
49, $780, o,os,ion a, length. and charges the Sc
cauod elevator combine with being Responsive
for the failure Of the State 70 reap the oe"ei,''
commercially which were expected 20 ,o"0" '
aha ndonuent OF the toll system On thi' S''70
he says: .or, ~
while am not prepared to go TO the 49,
advocating q scheme whereby the State 'La
enter the field as active competitor VI ,os
,-o,o- Trust I believe the abuses OF the so-c"I'e
combire have reached such point IN tne'l Gu -,
upon our commercial interests mat the 90
he justified in taking extreme measures 10 49,, 4,
continuance Of tho abuses impossipie' ""'"' "
abolished
c,ored her artificial waterways free TO those WV
r.,,oota then, for commercial purposes, she nLo 50
hoovin1 that such action would tend TO restore ~
rho canals their one-tme greatness A'"'' -,
dent with the abolition OF the toll system '"e ~
vator Trust was conceived, ana oy us s""et
oorree ,he benefit which IL had oeeh e"pe',,"
o,,,d result 10 boa tmen and forwarders was NUM-
fed
cr,rr HAS REDUCED OTHER CHARGES
mi s.o.o has assumed IN many instances 70
49,, In be,veen the people and the feW VINO nave
hoen charged Nth practising eNtoruo' up" ~
naople do no. refer 20 the enort on Inv P -
tho State 20 place law upon the
declaring combinations or capNal i''ee'' -
rother ~ the effort 10 fix the maximum rates
which may be charged for commodities OF serN'e9'
Tho dying bv statute OF legal rate per mile
which may be charged by a given railroau COM
many the price per 1,ooD feet for ilumiha'hs sa'
and other like legislation may be instahce"' m
basis upon which the State assumes 10 P''Ne 80
leaning statutes upon her books is that such COM
mics and corporations receive permission 10 Ni''
s,roo, IRON, the state While the Elevator trust
MAY he able 10 plead Independent source Oh oe-
ing and contend that 1t holds no corporate eA's'.
erce vet the fact remains that its existence ana
IFS profits as well are the result OF INC ''"'
uherality in maintaining free waterways
"Of what avail is it for the state 70 MAINTAIN
free waterways If private greed shall De per'n''eu
20 buiId a Chinese Wall at either end OF these
waterways and say 20 the boatmen ana sh'ppeia'
Yield US price or go forth ana navigate WIN
empty boats? ,,..
Mr. Aldriige recommends that the Legislature
amend TIE law OF 1855 tina. the state throus"
the Canal Board. the rec )mmendauoh oi ''Ie
SUPERINTENDENT OF Pubic Works, shall nave a''hoi-
itv 10 fix the terminal charges which sna oe Ies-
ie1 or collected by elevator ana storage conPe -
II believe this would be better solul'o.l -.
rrobgam he saws Than for the State to undertaKe
on it's account the construclio y, RufrsIo and
n
New-YorE.
CAPITAL READY TO ENTER THE FIELD
The superntendeat also favors the removal o.
the so 600 limit which now governs the iorn VI
cans, transportation companies. WIKI d Id" 90
eating 70 the State the right 10 control terminal
charges he thinks. the fear when mas opeia'e' ~
marshal the influence OF boatmen against the p'opo
s,tion ~ allow increases OF CAPITA oy uahspoi'a-
lion companies would be eliminated He says num-
her OF capitalists stand ready 10 lnxes. ~ m nod
III a. Inns as soon as $4,000 pronlDltion -
moved precaution agailS' ~ -hnenfal 70 the
s,ro s ~ Commerce Mr. Aldridee recommends
that the Legislature insert IN me sion making il
,a r,f,l for them 10 fix discriminating raes ,.ro
Attention is called to the o he ne Lessls t9re xng
n,inm price Of 10 cents an hour to be paf aied
common n ,aoo law The report says the failure was
no hecarss Of any antasonism on ,he part 3s f
TX rensN,s his recommendation OF last year
ANOTHER REPLY TO ROBERTS.
NJ ,,drdoe aces into the subject o. the general
80, t,,nrovenent extensively He argues tha' the
odo,,ion Of the constitutional provision that the
.orais should remain the property OF the STATE
,orever implied a willingness on the part "a INC
oorla % irnprove the canals and keep them III
ray;gahs condition He refers 10 the Suggestion
r,,do hv Controller Roberts, after the announce
n,or, was made that the 100000 Appropriated
,o,,ld NOT accomplish all that was desired tha'
,,orL on the canals should be suspended ana the
oxis,i,r contracts abrogated. and takes the same
Ground IN relation 70 that he took In his reply
"a Nr Roberts He declares there Is not SHADOW
~ nroof that the Engineer and surveyor
ove~ made an official statement before the vote or
tho neonle rat,ving the raising OF the money 20 the
aNa,t that 80 gNOo would be sufficient for the
nrrnose in view on the contrary, he says the
Sta,e Engineer furnished his estimates 10 the con-
stitutional Convention on twelve days notice, such
estimates being founded on incomplete data, ana
called for an expenditure OF nearly S2c"c'. 4
assume" SAYS Superintendent Aldrdse,. that such
estimate was nearly correct as could nave oeen
made by any living man al the tiHhe, anu uHuet
the circumstances which then obtained
The Superintendent also takes up the suggestion
that the State has right 10 suspend lndennltelE
itself liable payment or claims Tor damages
lie saws there is clause giving him such author
liz and that there is no law authorizing the
insertion % such clause in public contracts; ana
declares that such Law. II It existed. would be
declared invalid as infringing the Constitution OF
tho United States. which declares that no state
shall pass any law impa!ring the obligations OF
contracts
TO CHOOSE NEW TRU TEES.