New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-26
THE CANAL COMMISSION.
INDICATIONS THAT 1T rs OUTLINING 10
REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE
THE QUESTION OF LARGE CANAL TRANSFORM
TON coMPAN1Es-PRoPosAL TO CONSOLE
DATE THE OFFICES OF STATE ENdi-
Nrrp AND STPERINTENDENI

r,ox co,pAS1Es-PRoPosAL TO CONSOLE
DATE THE OFFICES OF STATE ENdi-
NEER AND SUPERINTENDENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS
Albany. June % (speciaD.-state Engineer
Rond. who is a member Of the Canal AuNiSO''
Commission. stated to-day that Tor "i'ie q"
least the members OF the Commission "ouiu nv
give any more hearings upon the proposi''oii ~
enlarge still further the canals OF the stae' n"'
Secretary Fairlie would be at Work arrahsi"e
the valuab BILE statistical ard documentary l"io'
,ration already gathered The work of the
Commission. therefore would probably not DE
conducted in public again before the last part vi
August BY that time Frank S. WitherDee' VINO
Is one OF the members OF the Commission VIII
have returned from Europe with information
regarding the operation and success OF hon-
success of the canals of that continent.
BIG TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES
The members Of the Advisory Commission ap-
pear to be already outlining their report 10 'ne
Legislature. judging from various lnulcauon'
Thus Francis V. Greene. the president vi '"e
Commission. made particular inquiry III ''e
Buffalo hearing to the wisdom OF repe"'i"e
the State law which forbids the organization
OF canal transportation companies with g'ea'-
or capital than $4,000 The avowed OBJECT ol
this law Is TO prevent the monopolza''o" Vi
canal traffic by some great canal company.
Erastus Wiman two years ago sought 10 repeai
+, having in view the organization or Dig
canal Transportation company. But ueheia'
Greene to his evident surprise. learned AT the
Buffalo hearing that an Ohio canal transpo''a-
ton company, with a capital OF HI'o'""' was
already running canal boats from Cleveianu 10
Buffalo and thence through the Erie Oahai W
tho IIudson River and New-York. Further.
that a canal transportation company VI any
amount of capital could now be organized under
the laws of New-Jersey George n. Raymohu'
a capitalist of Buffalo, said to the Commissions
OTHER STATES GET THE BENEFIT.
"Other States get the benefit Of the tax on the
organization of canal transportation companies,
owing to New-Yorks law limiting the capital
OF such companies to $4,000
I'm that case" said General Greene why do
you not organize a big canal trahspor'a'io"
company under the laws Of other States!
Because" answered Mr.. Raymond, "at pres
ent there isn't sufficient money temptation to
do so. There will be. however. II YOU enlarge
the locks OF the canals and deepen thein
Another proposition which the Canal AuN
Commission Is considering Is that OF consoluat-
ing the offices OF State Engineer and Superit-
tendent of Public Works. Major Ihofnas w
Symons OF Buffalo. one Of the members OF tne
Commission. has already spoken IN iavor OF inns
suggestion, arguing that there should not De a
division of authority between the two canai ON
Gals mentioned: one attending to the engineer
ing and the other to the operation ana main
tenance of the canals Major Symons mas also
suggested that such a consolidation Of the two
offices might be an important step toward IN
ducing the people TO give their consent once
more to a large appropriation for the enlarge
ment OF the States canals.
To NSOTIDATION.
Considerable opposition, however. has already
been expressed to this proposal TO merge the
offices Of State Engineer and Of Superintendent Of
Public Works into one office, the argument De
ing made that the people believe one Of these
offices Is a check upon the other and that puphc
expenditures in behalf OF the State upon the
canals would largely increase II one man had
charge of them 1t is pointed out that the SUI
perintendent OF Public Works is appointed by
the Governor and confirmed by the Senate
whereas the state Engineer is elected directly
by the people The superintendent OF PUBIC
Works is therefore. in a measure beyond the
reach of the people. Those who favor the con
solidation plan generally argue that the ONCE OF
State Engineer should be abolished ana all ms
duties be conferred upon the superintendent OF
Public Works. They therefore support the
theory that an officer not chosen directly by the
people should have charge OF the vast yearly
canal expenditure 40
expenditure Of SlJ0000D0 additional for the
completion Of canal improvements to a man
named by the Governor rather tnan one ma, h',i,eu
nv themselves?' This was question asked 10
day by prominent Republican. He continued
1T may be said that George W: AIdrldge' the
former superintendent OF Public WORKS anu
CamDbell w Adams the former state Engineer,
mismanaged the canal work That may nave
been true; there may have been too many po-
ltical appointments. hut no one can say there
was collision between the two men on the con-
trary their differences over the method OF man.
aging the work were we'll known
BOTH OFFICIALS NEEDED.
1t is difficult indeed to how the services
Of either of the State officers could be dispensed
with at present Colonel John n. Partridge, the
SUPERINTENDENT of Public Works, frankly
acknowledged that he has all the state work
which he desires On the other hand. State En-
gineer Bond has just had added TO his other
duties that Of supervising the operations OF the
new Good Roads Bureau Of the state Engineer
Department. He also, In conjunction WIN lhe
United States engineers. has charge or the topo-
graphical survey of the State. Further, he is a
member Of the Forest Preserve Board, whlch
exDends upward Of SJ0O,OOJ yearly In the pur-
chase OF Adirondack lands. Lately he has had 10
take charge more directly than ever before OF
the construction and maintenance or nVe nun
dred bridges OF the State crossing the Erie
Canal between Albany and Buffalo: Then ne is
a member OF the Land Board, which has charge
of all the lands OF the State under water. Lastly,
he is a member OF the Canal Board. OF the BOARD
of State Canvassers Of the state Board or
Health and Of the State Board OF Equalization
OF Assessments.
CONSTITUTIONAL DIFFICULTIES.
One strong objection TO any suggestion OF
abolishing either the office OF State Engineer or
of Superintendent OF Public Works Is that both
are named by the Constitution and therefore II
would be necessary to amend the Constitution
to do away with either Of them. The present
Senate and that elected in 1900 would have to
act upon the proposition before II could reach
the neople in the fall OF 1901. and 1t would not
he until the beginning OF 1902 that either office
could be put out OF existence. In the mean time
canal Improvement would have TO walt.
The eminent Republican already quoted ex-
messed his doubt as 10 whether the people
would consent to the abolition OF the ONCE OF
- m q NJ