New-York tribune., 1900-07-08
CANAL IMPROVEMENT.
VIEWS OF A CRITIC. WHO ASSERTS THAT
THE ERIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN
DEBT To THE STATE.


have become weary of the very name of canal If
the enlargement VIII result in the great benefits
that claimed for 1t this should excite an in
terest but if it will not accomplish this its enor-
cost should equally
The Commission appointed by the Governor to
examine the subject reported in favor of the propo
sition and the Legislature has appropriated 100000
for the further survey of the work. An eNamina
ton Of the Commissions report shows that they
largely influenced by engineering considera-
lions Some of their business conclusions are sur
Prising. Among others. they repeat the often made
assertion that before the aboishment of the tolls
On the canal in 1882 the Erie Canal had paid the
State for its cost. An examination of the tables
included in the report completely refutes this state
The Sugglery OF bookkeeping has much de
cepton 10 account for. The question is, What
has the canal cost?" There is no better means for
asCertaining this than TO find what the State mas
paid for it. The figures of the Controllers office
amount TO much more than this Commission has
stated They have fit TO omit large sums thus
paid The Controllers figures for original cost,
for alterations and repairs, for general mantle
nance. for administration and for operating
penses. must he taken the best evidence in the
case These figures show cost greatly beyond al
the canal has paid.
Since the report OF the Commission was made
public there has been an organized movement to
bring about the accomplishment Of the proposed
enlargement. Among other agencies employed has
been so-caued commerce convention" recently
held at Syracuse. The call for this convention
embraced about everything in the State that could
be used-"Canal Enlargement Association Canal
Forwarders' Association" Canal and Haroor
Union "Canalboat Owners Association" and in
addition these there Retail Lumber
Dealers Association Canned Goods Packers
Association" a Retail Grocers' Union" "Furni-
ture Warehouse Association a Paint, Oil and
Varnish Club" and a Civic Association" and
others too numerous to mention But when the
president Of the State Farmers Congress pre-
sented his credentials he told he was not eig-
ible and refused seat in the convention!
The chief object Of the organization is the discus
sion of questions affecting the public welfare.
Perhaps it thought a free discussion Of the
merits OF the subject might disturb the harmony
and purpose Of the gathering.
WHY CANAL BUSINESS HAS FALLEN OFF.
What are the facts of the canal business? The
Erie Canal was begun in 1917 and was completed in
1926. AT that time there mile of railroad
IN the State. AS matter Of course the canal car
ried practically all the through freight from the
lakes TO the city Of New-York. When the railways
were completed through the length of the State
they began TO carry q litte-for long time only
very nttle-of this through freight. From that
tte the decrease in canal freights and the in
crease OF the railway freights has gone on, until,
at the date Of the last report, the canal carried
only 81 per cent of the through business, while of
the local business the canal did less than this
Every one knows or should know, why this change
has taken place. 1t has been caused by the i'm
provement in the railway service The eXigencies
Of competition between the railroads themselves
have caused them to employ the highest expert
talent TO study their problems and 10 lessen the
cost of their operations This has been going on in
all the departments Of their work, but in no other
has IL shown such striking results as in the cost of
the transportation of freight This reduction of cost
has been so great that on the New-York Central it
was less than one-third in 1899 Of what it was in
1870 IN the latter year it was 16S cents ton
mile and in the form er it but 80 Of a cent,
and now 1t is even less than this. This has been
ACCOMPLISHED by greatly improved systems in every
department. Added TO this reduction in cost has
been the lessenng of the time consumed IN transit
The through freight trains make about as
quick time the passenger trains formerly did
The saving Of time has steadily become OF greater
and greater importance in modern business. Better
service at diminished cost always attracts busi-
ness The railroads have fairly earned the increase
that has come TO them The canal could not meet
this connection and as a matter Of course had to
go under for law Of the survival Of the fttest
is inexorable.
when the Erie Canal was begun our forefathers
were cultlvatng the soil with wooden ploughs and
vvooden harrows When a citizen of own State
invented the iron plough the wooden plough was
doomed. but many farmer clung to his old I'M
plement and put in a new beam and repaired the
rnouldboard to make the old thing do its work
when it would have been better to discard It at
once. But my grandfather never told me or any
one who tried 10 reconstruct the wooden plough
so that by turning a broader and deeper furrow it
might successfully compete with its iron successor
But this is what it is proposed to do with
the canal They say let it be wider and deeper
and Il will still 90 US good service. 1t IS a mat
ter of wonder how some things that have been good
in their day, but have outlved their usefulness,
cling tenaciousIy their ebbing life. 1t has ever
been so. Biologists tell US that as the different
periods OF the earths formation have succeeded
each other some Of the animals Of the former
period have continued for longer shorter
time into the one succeeding it. Now We find the
rhinoceros and the tortoise that were suited to a
former epoch tapping into own time and
with brave endurance awaiting inexorable fate.
ALWAYS A COSTLY SERVANT.
Why has the Erie Canal such a fascination for
some minds? True, It once met the States neces-
stiles but it was always a costly servant. Very
misleading statements continually made con-
corning this. AS already stated. when add to
the money expended the interest on this amount
there never was a day when the canal was not in
debt the State. oft repeated statements to the
contrary Notwithstanding. And when in 1882 the
tolls were abolished and it decided that the
taxpayers should pay the cost OF maintenance and
operation instead of the traffic paying fl, the epi
taph Of the canal was written
The history Of the Delaware and Hudson Canal
illustrates the whole problem as 10 the relative
advantages Of canal and railway transportation.
That company had A good and easily operated canal
from the coal and iron districts Of Pennsylvania
70 the Hudson River. 1t was operated in the
thorough and economical manner Of well man.
aged corporation. and without the jobbery and
Ubiquitous canal rings" OF all sorts that fasten
upon the State work. and yet the company was
forced to procure railroad for this transportation,
and II abandoned its canal. at the same time aban-
doning an important coal business from Rondout
as e distributing point the Hudson.
in 1897. the last year for which l have seen a
fun canal report. paid in taxes S2.50 900
for canal support ana operation, not including a
dollar Of the money borrowed for enlargement
That amounted Il cents for every ton Of
freight moved the canal. Why should pay