New-York tribune., 1901-03-16
25,0OO,OOO PLAN FAVORED.
THE GOVERNOR ADVISES COMPLETION
OF CANAL. IMPROVEMENT
ALREADY BEGUN.

Albany. March II (speciaD.-As was antci-
pated. Governor Oden in the message which he
submitted to the legislature to-day regarding
the various plans for improving the canals of
the State favors the completion of the Sey
mour plan sometimes known as the $9o0o00O
plan" and opposes the adoption of the plan for
a barge canal. canal for canal boats Is thus
favored, and not one for big barges.
The Seymour plan provided for a deepening
Of the Erie and the Oswego canals to an average
depth of nine feet, and Of the Champlain canal
to average depth Of seven feet. Governor
OdeD in the last month has studied thoroughly
the reports which have been made in the last
few years by various commissions upon canal
improvements. as we'll the statistics of trade.
and decided $ a business man in favor of the
more modest proposal to complete the. work
authorized by the people al the polls in 1870
and begun in 1896 with S90ooO00 That $1,000
600 was exhausted before the work was
pleted and there are large portions of the Erie.
the Oswego and the Champlain canals in an
unimproved condition. Practically the entire
50. 600 O00 would he thrown away unless the
work is completed. for parts of each one of the
canals mentioned have the required depth of
water and others have not. so that canal boats
have no greater depth of water for the naviga-
ton Of the canals as a whole than they had be
fore the work OF Improvement was begun, in
1896.
Governor Oder points out in his message that
the cost Of completing the Seymour plan of i'm
provement would be So. 1924. which, in obedt-
ence to the command of the constitution, would
be paid in eighteen years at a rate Of Sl596Sib
a year. This yearly tax of S1,396,Si6 would be
small compared with that which would he i'm
posed yearly if the barge canal plan should be
adopted. one OF these plans. for the construc-
tion of a barge canal along the route of the
present Erie Canal. with the Improvement Of
the Oswego and Champlain canals also involved
would bring upon the State a total expenditure
OF S97 1o7 206 t. or a total yearly charge of
81 800 1S9 Even though the length of tho pro
posed barge canal should he decreased by hav
ing IL shortened by the Of Lake Ontario
part of the way between the Hudson River and
Lake Erie through the construction of barge
canal merely from Buffalo to Lake Ontario, and
then from Lake ontario to the Hudson River
the total cost of such enterprise would he
SG9479514 which would require yearly
penditure by the taxpayers for eighteen years Of
So S59, ,915.
The Governor clearly indicates his belief that
the canals can carry freight at a less rate than
the railroads. but he points out that the barge
canal proposed large it would he. would
fore the question of competition with the Ca
madam canals would still be unsolved." He
therefore was brought to the conclusion that lin
the proposed improvement for one thousand ton
barges the advantages to be derived not
commensurate with the expense involved
The Governor also points out that New-YOrk
City is suffering from terminal charges. and
gives the opinion that the canal problem is more
local than International: that the State of New
York is more concerned to prevent disCrimina
tions against it's citizens on freight rates than
to enter into competition with foreign power
sage by saying that the question: however, is
that should he submitted to the people. and
where large proportion OF the citizens of
the State desire affirmative action there would
seem to he reason why the legislature should
delay submitting the matter for approval or dis
approval He adds
| therefore recommend that the question of
improving the canals along the line of the act
of 1895 he submitted to the people at the
ing election. in the belief that it will meet with
greater approval that the expenditures can he
more easily met and that 1t will serve all the
purposes for which the canal originally de
signed
II looked to-day though the legislature
would adopt the Governors recommendation
and submit to the people at the polls this fall
the proposition for canal improvement sug-
gested by him.