New-York tribune., 1901-02-11
SURVEY FOR BARGE CANAL
GovrRNoR 0DELL To SEND SPECIAL
MESSAGE To LEGISLATURE
OK THE SURIFCT.

Albany. Feb 10 CSpeciaD.-Governor odell will
submit 10 the members Of the Legislature with
q special message on the canal Improvement
probleno this week the report Of state Engineer
Tond as 10 the result of his survey Of the states
canals 70 learn what would he the cost - con
structing = barge canal from Buffalo n Cohoes.
and Of improving the oswego and the Champlain
canals Governor OdeU has received this report
from the State Engineer. but viii not make IL
public until after consultation with Nv Bond
II is presumed that the report viii come into the
hands of the Legislature on TUESDAY
The Canal Advisory Commission Of Governor
Roosevelt of which General Francis Y Greene
of Ner-York was president, and which had as
members Senator George f Green, of BinG-
bsnton: John y Scatcherd and Major Thomas
" Symons Of Buffalo. Frank s Witherhee. or
New York. State Engineer Bond and Colonel
John y Partridge the Superintendent of Public
Works on Tanusrv :. 1900 unanimously passed
q resolution 81 a meeting held in New-Nork that
n would recommend 10 the Governor that the
Erie Canal should be enlarged 70 accommodate
boats not less than $50 feet in length, p feet in
width and 10 feet drsught at an estimated cost
of SIS. So. .66s. and that the improvement OF
7eaS on the Oswego and Champlain canals
should be completed a. an estimated cost ot
So 642 100" Thus the total estimated cost Of
the ir7n-oveneats suggested by the Canal Ad-
,,sorv Commission was sci .536.7Ss. and the
plan. from tn well known propensity n canal
work 10 exceed estimates of the cost. has gen
orally been known as the S62.ooao"o canal I'm
provement plan
THF, STATE ENGINEERS SURVEY
The LEGISLATURE Of 1900 appropriated S2o@ooo
for the use Of the state Engineer in making his
survey. Just completed. He hired large body
Of engineers and also had the aid Of an ad-
zisorv board Of eminent engineers The mem
hers Of this Advisory Board were ex-Stste En-
eineer Elnathan Sweet. Of Albany; George Nor
rison and Professor Burr. Of New-York and
Alfred Noble. OF Chicago, the last three named
heing members of the Isthnian Canal Commis-
sion and Major Syrnons of Buffalo. This Ad
visorv Board has frequently met in Albany and
held conferences with state Engineer Bond. In
the week lust past its members we're here IN
consulfation with the State Engineer. II -
stated on good authority thar state Engineer
Bond. Notwithstanding his arduous task. has
made his survey without exceeding the S2Ne"
given him and that. indeed he is $4,000 within
that limit
Chapter XII of the Laws of 1900 under which
she survey lust completed was made. provided
that the surveys for the Erie Canals improve
ynent should be for 4 canal OF such dimensions
as would give that canal a sufficient size 70
carry and lock through boats 80 feet i'm length,
% feet in width and Of 10 feet draught with a
cargo approxirnately of 1000 tons each. The
surveys for the Oswego Canal were 10 be for a
canal having a depth Of not less than nine feet
of water The surveys Tor the 1hamIialh tahal @
were 10 be for canal 81 not less than seven
feet Of water The acU specifically provided Tor
a survey Of q different line for the Erie canal al
various points in the State than II now iakes.
Thus there was he survey for taking the
canal around Rochester, north OF syracuse, ana
outside OF the limits of Utica. There was 70 be
q survey Of a route for the Erie Canal from
S1vds- ,r VVavne County along the Seneca River
20 The Oneida River. and thence into Oneida
Lake whose waters are 10 be used II such a
rlan is carried out. From Oneida Lake the new
route for the Erie Canal would follow Wood
Greek 20 the present line ~ rhe canal near New
LONDON.
AN ESTIMATE OF THE COST
The act further directed that the surveys Of
.be Fri. Canal between Rome and Cohoes should
rot only no made by way OF the present route
~ the canal hut also by way OF the Mohawk
River the suggestion having been made that
the Mohawk River could be used
Since the survey begun State Engineer
Bond has requested and Obtained permission
from the Canal Board TO survey a route for the
Erie Canal from Lockport 10 Lake Ontario, with
the design Of learning what would be the cost
Of such a branch OF the Erie. II such a plan
should be adopted canal barges would leave the
Erie Canal al Lockport and, passing through
the branch canal would enter Lake Ontario, and
thence be tOwed along Lake Ontario TO Oswego
where they would enter barge canal 10 he
constructed under such plan from OsWego "a
Cohoes. such a plan for having barges 60
along Lake Ontario" said Senator Hi, OF Buff
falo, Friday, would be impracticable because
OF the high prevailing winds that lake:
harges could not survive the rough seas"
state Engineer Bond is keeping the cost OF
the sos.eooOOO barge canal as disclosed by his
survey, secret, and there have been variou,
rurnors about IT. One was that barge cana
carried along the present route OF the Erie Cana
from Buffalo TO Cohoes would cost SIS 600 600
hut thaf by the Oswego route. from Lockport q
Lake Ontario and from Oswego 10 Cohoes IN,
cost would be S5i.Oeo,o00. II has also been re
ported that the cost OF improving the Osveg,
and Champlein canals would be Ss000 600 in
stead % So 6s2 100.