New-York tribune., 1900-05-16
A LARGER CANAL DISCUSSED.
c. c. SHAYNE OPPOSES THE EXPENDI-
TURE RECOMMENDED BY THE COM
MITTEE-OTHERS SPEAK.

A meeting of several commercial bodies of this
city interested In the development OF the Erie
Canal held yesterday in the Produce Exchange
Building The organizations represented were the
New-York Board of Trade and Transportation, the
Merchants Association the Wholesale Lumber
Dealers Association. the Maritime Association OF
the Port OF New-York. the Cotton Exchange the
Canal Boat Owners and Commercial Association
of the State, the Canal Forwarders' Association
the Mercantile Exchange. the Manufacturers As
sccaton. the North Side Board of Trade, the
Staten Island Chamber Of Commerce. the Whole
sale Grocers Association and the Oil, Varnish and
Paint Club.
H. B. Hebert of the New-York Produce Ex-
change, was elected chairman. and Frank S. Gard
secretary. Mr.. Hebert said that the meeting
called for the purpose of formulating plan
of cooperation under the control of the different
organizations of the city. and for the organizing
of campaign Of education on the subject OF I'M
proving the Erie Canal.
A resolution adopted providing for perna-
nent organization to be known as the canal AS
ISOLATION of Greater New-York, the object OF this
association being 10 impress upon the people OF the
city Of New-York the commercial necessity of the
improved canal.
John D. Herman, formerly president OF the state
Commerce Commission, called attention to tables
of statistics of the imports and exports OF grain
from the port since 1873. He said that the immense
falling off In the amount of grain received and
consequently In the amount shipped to foreign
ports. because not cent had been expended
for the improvement of the canal since 1893.
Captain Charles Campbell. chairman Of the Ma
rine Industrial League. invited to speak, and
he said
This port needs more grain for shipment We
have facilities for Wharfage that are equalled by
other In the world. 1t is true that the wharf
age charges on the island of Manhattan are almost
prohibitive but the additions that have been made
to our city within the last few years offer oppor-
tunties for wharfage that cannot be overcrowd ded
We have Queens Brooklyn and Staten Island. If
had adequate facilities for carrying grain
through the canal this point could find docks
enough to supply the demand. More than that, we
can get iron and steel that is taken to other
cities, and that would start shpyards that could
compete with the greatest In the country.
Several letters were read advocating movement
to get the people Interested Among them was a
letter from c. c. Shayne. president of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Board of Trade. He op
posed expenditure Of the proposed $63 1000 900,
and said the present o00oo authorized by the
people In 1895 would accomplish the results sought
for. He opposed the plan recommended by Gov
ernor Roosevelt's Canal Committee. not because
of the greater expense but because even that would
not secure a canal OF ultimate desirability.
Mr.. Shayne also argued that to build the thou
sand ton canal would be to prevent the National
Government constructing a still larger canal in
the future. He closed with the expression OF his
conviction that the business men of the city and
State would find their interests best served by ad-
vocatng the sl5,00o.O0O expenditure plan, which
would compel the railroads to cut rates and stop
discrimination against New-York.