New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-07
STATEMENT NOT CONFIRMED.

STATE ENGINEER WILL MAKE NO COM
MENT on CANAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Albany Jan. 6 (SpeciaD.-state Engineer Bond
and Colonel John y. Partridge. Superintendent
Of Public Works. who are members of the Canal
Advisory Commission. declined to-day 10 say
anything about the report from New-York that
the Commission would favor the expenditure OF
S60.O00000 in improving the canals of the State
The Canal Advisory Commission. at the
quest Of General Francis Y. Greene the prest-
dent OF the Commission, has been reticeut in re-
gard 10 the nature of the report which its mem
bers would make. and therefore doubt is felt il
anything absolutely accurate about the recon-
mendations 1t viii make has become known.
Of course. any one was at liberty to make a
guess in view Of the common knowledge that
Mayor T. ". Lyman OF Buffalo one of the
members of the Commission, had two years
ago, before ne became a member of the Commits
sion, recommended the construction Of barge
canal which would cost in the neigh borhood of
S60,0OO00O Whether or not he had brought
over his associates 10 his views was unknown.
and is still belle ed here to be unknown. Gen
eral Greene at a meeting in Buffalo, when some
such big estimate made as So. 100000 for
making the canal improvements. made this sig
nifcent inquiry.
Would the people vote in favor OF expending
S6OOOO0OO upon the canals?
Three or four propositions have been before
the Canal Advisory Committee for the improve
ment Of the canals, and II is suspected that
some Of them will be in the report, thus giving
to the Legislature and the people several alter
native methods for improving the canals or
abandoning them. One Of these propositions
provides for the completion OF the canal i'm
provenent begun with 100000 It was esti-
mated that this Improvement could be COM
pleted for at least S15O0000O which would
bring up the cost OF this Improvement to S24-
100000
A large proportion OF the men who attended
the conference Of advocates of canal improve
ments at Utica in October last were supporters
OF this 100000 plan OF improvement. Some
in attendance at the canal conference however,
suggested that the canal locks be widened and
that no attempt be made al present to go on
with the work OF deepening the canals as pro-
y1ded under the $9,UOO,OO0 improvement act.
Lock widening, they thought, might cost less
than any other method OF improvement Others
still favored the construction of q barge canal,
with fourteen feet depth Of channel in the canal.
The committee has visited Canada and learned
about its recent canal improvements, which
threaten to divert z vast amount Of American
grain from Buffalo 10 Montreal.
II also had an extensive survey made OF the
Erie Canal TO learn II II would be wise 70 at
tempt TO carry II around the cities Of Utica and
Syracuse and change its route from Rochester
TO Syracuse. An investigation has also been
made as to the amount Of water available in the
Adirondack woods 10 supply the channel OF an
enlarged canal
The peoples consent would have 10 be OBJ
tanned at the polls for any large expenditure
the canals. and it is doubtful II the leaders OF
TO any such test this year, when President
is to be elected.