The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-28
HEWITT ON THE CANALS.
THE EI-MAYoR WRITES THAT THEIR
DAY IS OYER.
Railroads Have Superseded Them as Eco
nomicnl Carriers, and the Expenditure
of 915, 200 900 More Them Is Not
JnktIned-Mr. MeMitt's Latter n Surprike.

| nomicnl Carriers, and the Expenditure
| of s15, ZOO, 900 More on Them Is Not
| Justthed-Mr. Hewitts Letter n Surprise.
The Hon. Abram s. Hewitt has written a
| letter to the stale Committee on Canals re-
Rardlng tho artificial waterways OF the State
| In which lie declares that the great work OF
the canals Is done that the railroads have
superseded them as economical carriers OF
| freight and that to spend airy large sum OF
money now on the canals would be to lay a tax
on the people which would have no justihca-
ton in return benefits Mr. Hewitt bas al.
ways heretofore been IA strong friend OF the
can ais and an advocate at all times OF both
keepng them up to their highest degree OF
efficiency and OF every improvement that has
heretofore been undertaken.
Mr. Hewl.t's letter was written In answer to
| a circular letter sent to prominent men OF tho
State. In which tho committee asked for sX-
pressions OF opinion upon the following five
propositions regarding the treatment OF the
| canals:
First-To complete the present project Of en-
larging the Erie. Oswego ana Cham plain canals
ut n further cost OF Sl5 100000 Tor S24.OCO.OOO
Second To enlarge the present locks OF the
Erie Canal Mt once to a length OF $50 feet.
width Of ~ feet and depth OF ! feet making
long and ~ feet draught This project would
10 construct u DuTHe cduul CnHIluu-
ousy descending all the way to the Hudson
River from Lake Erie with q depth OF twelve
tons which can lie to wed on the lakes II desired.
The cost ot this Is approximately estimated ut
Fourth-ro construct n ship canal with a
denth Of twenty to thirty ieet suitable for lake
and ocean vessels OF 1900 to 10000 tons capac.
ity. The cost OF such ship canal depend
ing upon is size and route adopted. is esti-
mated AT from S2OOOO0.OOO to S5OoOo0OOo.
Fifth-To abandon the canals entirely. as has
IA
the property interests therein TO private indi.
vduals or CORPORATIONS on the best terms that
the property for the benefit Of the state.
Mr.. Hewtts answer follows:
l have POSTPONED making formal reply to
your letter, OF the LIST inst IN reference to the
Intended. but the della is due to the difficulty
which experience in approaching and dis
brought up in a school OF politics witch taught
| that the prosperity OF the State Of New York
maintained unless they we're Kept in q condi.
| ton Of perfect efficiency. Hence. whenever oc-
caslon has arisen have been warm ndvo-
cate Of al expenditures upon the canal PRO.
posed TO the Legislature or To the people OF the
State Of New York. | also advocated the abo-
| nails as a free waterway at the expense OF the
state. MY view was that the people OF New
penditure Of u million Of dollars required for
the operation ard maintenance OF the canals:
! think :he respl: has justified this belief. and
state has fully Qualified the Expenditures which
have been made UP to the present time; When
| the proposition was made TO still further en-
large the canals by an expenditure OF nine
millions of dollars was in favor Of the consti.
tutiona amendment. AID did what L could to
secure its adoption.
Since this expenditure was approved and
undertaken two Things have occurred which
compel a reconsiderar1n OF the whole Iues-
| ton. The first was the discovery that the es-
Innate OF nine millions, of dollars was alto
gether inadequate for the work to lie done.
| This discovery came "a great shock to the
friends q the cn anal ~ and ha1 very nronery
or dishonest men who were engaged in this
| fraudulent misrepresentation .. the facts: The
question assumed new phase when aiteen
| necessary to complete the Improvement which
was estimated originally at cost OF nine mil
the annual charge upon the people o-ths state
for maintaining the canals and for the interest
Ions OF dollars Ver annum thus doubling the
| burden which has heretofore been borne cheer
iuIly by ne people Of The state Of New York
create the additional burden OF interest, am
| inclined to believe that the citizens OF New
| York would have anlroved OF it, But In the
meantime new condition has apreared IN tho no
| by the railways which compete with the canal
| Tor business; Tht. reduction is dqe to several
lower cost t' Of steel rails, The Increase in the
| train load aud the economy Of fuel IN hauling
the train. No one could have believed It nossi-
bic for the cost OF ra road TRANSFORMATION to be
figure has Undoubtedly been reached and
| further economies will bring the cost down to
two mills rer ton per mile. a..
| Unless, therefore, the maintenance OF the
canal Is necessary to insure to the uubIic trims
| portation by rail a this low cost, there Is no
longer any reason why the people Of the state
| of New York should bear the burden OF main
ocean. Ny knowledge Of the subject incnes
me to believe that we have reached perma-
| nent era OF low cost OF trans portation by rail.
| | doubt whether the rnte can ever be advanced
| beyond the present limits hecalse such an ad-
| strict the export Of our products which Is es-
sential for the nermanent prps'erty Of the
| presented in altogether II new light. and al
though ] am reluctant to come 70 the concEu-
| ! confess frankly tina, the argument for their
| continued maintenance IS greatly weakened. II
NJ this time TO recommend the expenditure
| OF fifteen millions OF dollars, for which there
WI hs noreturn 70 the stnts except ths nossi-
porntion by rail It seems, TO nue. that the rate
Of insurance is too high and that it wi he bet
years longer. when it will become apparent
whether there IS any real indurement to spend
money for their enlargement IN order to keep
l conless l. am somewhat SURPRISED at the
sns to AL
| tion to prererve the canal as the permanept
memorial Of the great men by whose foresight
|
remember. however. that when the canal was
proposed. John Stevens Of Hohokan In. his
| remarkable address to the Legislature. pre-
dicted that If 1t should be constructed tho time
| would come when its channel would be used
| for a roadbed for future railways This pre-
| dirton seems about to- be realized In effect, II
not in letter. The, rails may not be laid upon
| thu bed OF tho canal. but along its banks and In
sight Of its channel double lines OF railway are
already in existence. In fact the develop.
ments OF the last quarter OF acentury have
| been surprising, and the progress in me-
| chnnical inventions.so marvellous. .that a veri-
| table revolution in the modes Of doing bust
ness has taken place. which shows itself in the
vast aggregations Of capital devoted to indus
trial undertakings and stretching out into
| every branch OF human concern.
Ny conclusion; therefore. is. unless l shall
| be better advised by the views which may lie
presented 10 your committee. md by the re-
| port which YOU will frame. that there seems ut
| pre-, sent 10 be 10 justification for the eXpendi-
! ture Of any considerable sum OF money by the
PEOPLE Of This state for the enlargement OF the
! existing canals. Whether in the future the
state shall part with the canals and rescue
| gnv portion of It's investment from the wreck
age is question which do not think IL neces-
! sHry to discuss at this time. because with the
| al, Of Ia t,try nj m. tpf ha