The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-14
FLOODS MAKE BARGE CANAL.
OBJECT LESSON AGAINST TIE
S1O1,OOO,OO DITCH.
Erie Canal and Mohawk River Flow To-
gether-TOwpath Submerged for 80
Miies-Damagcs VIII Require . Week
to Repair After the Flood Subsidies.

ALBANY, Oct. IA barge canal exists
on the Erie between Cohoes and Rome,
q distance Of 100 miles, SO far as depth OF
water and width are concerned. This
condition is due to the recent floods, which
furnish the best object lesson that could
be advanced gainst sinking SOL 900 900 in
the proposed barge canal ditch, in view
Of the fact that eminent engineers so far
have been unable to suggest any plan
Of moderate cost to control these Hood
waters which have been Of more frequent
occurrence Of late years. 1t will be week
at least before the breaks in the canal can
be repaired to permit the resumption Of
navigation and 1t may be longer,
Not in the memory Of any Of those con-
nected with the State Department Of
Public Works has any storm resulted In 80
much damage to the canals and their
structures as that which began last Thursday
and has continued with slight Interruptions
to the present time. The storm area in
Guided all Of the Champlain Canal, tho
eastern and middle divisions Of the Erie,
the Black River Canal, the Cayuga and
Seneca Canal and q portion Of the Oswego
River.
As soon as the character Of the storm
was made known, Superintendent Of Public
Works Boyd directed employees at all points
to be on guard to open all waste weirs and
In every other way do what was possible
TO keep down the levels and protect the
banks from floods, This prompt action
undoubtedly resulted in saving many
structures, both on the eastern and middle
divisions
The extent Of the damage on the middle
division Is confined largely to the wash
ing away Of the towpath. the filing
up Of bitches and the weakening OF some
bridges and other structures, but few open
breaks having occurred. On the eastern
division serious damage was done at sew
eral places. The Erie Canal parallels tho
Mohawk River from Cohoes to Rome and
for at least two-thirds OF the distance be-
tween Schenectady and Utica the canal
Is only separated from the river by tho
towpath embankmant. The rising Of
the water in the Mohawk to an unpreoe-
dented height resulted in submerging tho
canal towpath SO that for more than
fifty miles it was actually under water.
At some points the depth Of water over the
towpath varied from five to ten feet. Not
until the foods subside will it be possible
to determine the full extent of damage.
Only three open breaks have been de-
tected thus far. One OF these is in the
city Of Amsterdam, where the towpath
for distance of $50 feet down to the Gull
vert masonry work has been carried away.
One other break occurred at a point one
mile east Of Amsterdam, where 200 feet
OF towpath was carried out. down to
within two feet of the prism Of the canal.
The third and most serious break occurred
in the bank of the feeder at upper Mohawk
aqueduct. There Is also much damage
done the so called Schoharie Creek and
Rocky Rift feeders. but the extent cannot
be ascertained until the floods subside.
On the Champlain Canal the tow
path was washed away at three different
points, but the repair forces were kept
at work and open breaks were prevented.
1t was only by the greatest activity that
the dam in the Mohawk River at Cohoes
was prevented from going out. Discovery
was made Saturday morning that the bank
Of the Waterford side next to the dam, Just
above the wing wall. was being cut into
by the rushing waters. A force OF
mon. teams and boats was set at work
and kept engaged until noon yesterday.
by which time it was thought the danger
was over.
supt. Boyd has directed the employ
ment OF as large a force at every point where
there is need Of making repairs as can be
worked to good advantage and has di-
rected that the work be pushed day and
ninht.