New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
FOR A NEW CANAL SYSTEM
STATE ENGINEER BOND WOULD UTILIZE
LAKES AND RIVERS.
SAVING OF 100000 WOULD BE EFFECTED o.
CANAL COMMISSIONS FIGURES.

SAN iaNp DF St,V'ytN NOOlsD De 4
CANAL COMMISSIONS FIGURES.
Albany. Feb. GA new system OF State canals.
the boats to be by eecGicity and to De LOO les
long by 5 feet wide. with drausht OF 10 rect ana
10 travel in fleets going from Albany to Buffalo IN
less than three days Is the plan presented by State
Engineer Bond and board of engineers to Gov
ernor odell The system Is TO be built for S'o"""
less than proposed by the Canal Commission ap-
Iointed by Governor Roosevelt. The canals VIII be
able 10 carry 100000 tons freight in season OF
seven months. The estimates are: For building an
Erie barge canal on the route favored by state
Engineer Bond sis0O0.rO; for deepening the Osweso
Canal nine feet S5sO2s: for deepening the Cham-
plain Canal to six feet S472OOo total cost OF Cahdi
Improvement SIS 331 O26.
These the figures in round numbers presented
by State Engineer Bond to Governor Oden They
figures that are surprising because II has been
intimated that the figures Of the Canal Commission
of So. 100000 would be far exceeded when careful
survey is made. The figures for the Erie Canal are
ssooSeco less than those of the Commission, while
the figures for the Champlain Canal are three times
the amount asked for by the Commission.
The report submitted by Mr. Bond 10 the Cow
is indorsed to its cost far as ii relates
10 the proposed canal BILL by George 5. Greene Of
New-York City: George W. Wisner, of Detroit; Ed
ward =. North Of New-York City; Professor Pal
C. Ricketts,. OF Troy j. Nelson Tubbs. of Roch-
ester: Elnathan Sweet of Albany; T. c. Lentze. of
Albany. and David ]. Howell. OF Washington.
ESTIMATES FOR THE ROUTES
The State Engineer In his report. says:
The estimate Of $40 is for canal fe OF 7 sifs
and i5o feet length The canal as planned and esti
mated for BY these routes Is seai ddeIn vp m eVs
OF passing two beats at once with recent improve,
s 4 anS %Sds sSr PS s a h into
and out OF the locks. operate the gates and valves
eRannes ha efsiR the minimum Width is 200
anG sass oeks OF ne are fehai ad W
qured. and in the canal sections guard gates are
Sc that any section can oe shut OF b ior re9as ~ 1r
vided wherever required.
In the navigation of the proposed canals. only
been considered consequently the towing path viii
thing Of the past The 1e es5s eG{se 2Se ths he
spar buoys anchored TO the bottom Of the river
equipped with four lights on the lock proper
and one on each approach: Besides these inean-
4 large expenditure for water supply not con-
provided the estimate. The question OF
ing the plans provision is made for safely and sure
ly all times in the dryest passing 100000
conserving ali existing water power and protecting
corporate and municipal interests.
STEEL LOCKS NOT TO BE INTRODUCED.
In his communication TO the Governor the State
Engineer says that. after consultation with Board
Of experts. he decides adopt steel lift locks
at Lockport and Cohoes but 10 the ordinary
type of masonry locks. lie says:
Much higher lifts will be made with the
locks than anything heretofore attempted on the
more than anything Els. kept former e9gihsers
been thoroughly overcome by the sOidly built
gate in use on the Canadian canals that AT the
build lock with 20 80 feet lift.
ALONG THE FAVORED ROUTE.
The route favored by NJ Bond in his report for
the canal from Albany 20 Buffalo and for which he
gives his figures OF $4,000, is from Waterford to
cohoes Falls. thence through the Mohawk River
To ReNford Flats and Little Falls. crossing the
N,w-Nork central road four miles east OF Genesee-
-. Utics running north Of Utica and recrossng
the New-York Central about two miles west OF
Oriskany, passing south OF Rome TO Fort Bull;
thence down Wood Greek 10 Oneida Lake and
going 1875 miles in deep water through the lake;
thence following the Oneida River, with the excep
ton OF two large bends west OF Brewerton. 20
Three River Point. thence up the Seneca River TO
the outlet of OuOndaga Lake: continuing west from
the outlet along the Seneca River through Bald
wnsyflc 10 and through the State ditch AZ Jacks
point west of Savannah and parallelns the New
Junction With present Erie Canal. IS miles east
Of clyde, with change OF ABOUT fSS tett near
Lyons. thence along the present Erie Canal, with
the exception OF about one-half mile AZ Newark. 20
Maced"n; thence following the present line of the
thence across the country south OF Rochester until
Here it crosses in pool formed by a dam in the
Genesee River; and. keeping 10 the west OF The
outskirts Of Rochester. joins the present Erie
Canal again about one mile east OF South Greece.
To provide Rochester with a harbcr on this route
mile or In other words. 90 the mouth Of the pres
eut feeder. This feeder enlarged 10 proper diTen-
sions would then furnish harbor FOR Rochester.
The entire distance To be travelled this addi-
uona piece Of canal l. about two and threequarter
miles from there following the line Of the pres
ehl cahdI 70 point near Medina. " mere there -
a change IN alignment OF some @50 feet crossing
the Oak Orchard Greek, about Leo feet 70 the
norm "i the present location; from thefe 10 Lock
port. following substantially the present location;
one or two changes TOnaWanda Creek from
Tonawanda TO the Niagara River and continuing
on the river 10 the soop lock NJ Black HaThor
and thence through said harbor and the Erie Canal
20 the city Of Buffalo.
The State Engineer gives two other routes. ore
OF them taking IN the OsweSo River and Lake on
tarip Instead Of the Seneca River AS above. and
another modification Of the present Erie Canal.
both or thtse are declared not only more eNpen-
sive but II constructed would cost the State
great deal more for maintenance ana involve open
lake navigation from Oswego 10 the mouth Of the
Niagara River. and would require n stronger stvi..
Of barge than for the interior routes and would be
more 2 srolGSt To detention from storms
The river route Possesses great advantages over
the canal route. First OF all viewed as an enrnsrr
ing proposition. the canal will he in its proper
place not on side hill location whore great loss
tenance Will be decidedly reduced"
ADVANTAGE To CITIES
The great advantages To he gained by the cities
along the new canal said Mr.. Bond are as follows:
Cohoes- Eliminates the winding canal from the
centre OF the town. where IL has long been detri-
ment to property owners by the proposed dam
~ Msl'st ~ W S"ipdhys plant
VIII be Increased by about Is feet. 10 will make
thriving towns OF both North Side and Waterford
on account Of the additional traffic II will bring
Schenectady-The present canal can be filled 4,
and the bridges abandoned, while the new water
ling freight
AIMS terdam-The advantage of having the canal
pass through the centre OF the city. Here the old
canal can be filed In. at Schenectady. and the