New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-16
CANAL NAY COST LESS.
Professor Burr Thinks Estimate of
SIOI 900 900 Is Liberal.
To the Editor OF The Tribune

might materially exceed the estimated cost Of
S101. 100000. In the consideration OF this feat
ure or the matter. especially in cases where the
most serious apprehensions have arisen. there
has been no adequate realization Of the care
taken in securing the data which the esti-
mates were made. AS a matter of fact. prob
ably no other large public work in the State
has ever been undertaken where the surveys
and examinations required for estimated cost
have been so comprehensive and so thorough IN
every respect as for the proposed barge canal.
A large ana most efficient engineering or
ganization was created in the office Of the state
Engineer and Surveyor at Albany. for the pur-
pose OF making surveys and every class OF exam
ination required in such work. A board or con-
sulting engineers and a board OF experienced
advisory engineers were created. to cooperate
with that organization and their services were
concurrent with the field and Office work OF the
engineering forces. IN addition 20 this. great
mass Of data from surveys borings and other
examinations accumulated by the United states
Deep Waterways Board along the line Of the
proposed barge canal vas MADE use OF IN oolh-
pleting the estimates OF cost.
The care and thoroughness with which these
surveys and examinations. extending over the
entire route were executed has never been ap-
preached on any preceding canal work In the
history Of the state Of New-Ycrk or any other
state in the Union. These examinations nave
included among many other things. the deter
minstion Of the kind OF material required 10 Oe
excavated throughout the entire route thus re-
moving one Of the most uncertain elements OF
q work Of such magnitude. from which usually
arises by far the greater part Of the differences
found between estimated and final costs
COST MAY BE LESS THAN ESTIMATE
After the completion of maps. plans and es-
were reviewed and revised with the utmost care
nv the Board Of Advisory Engineers and checked
bv them in all essential particulars. Under
honest and efficient administration of the work
Of construction there IS no reasonable ground
for questioning the suficiency Of the estimated
cost or for experimenting that the actual cost
viii exceed the estimated.
Among other criticisms connected with this
feature Of the barge canal matter. II has been
found. in examining the history Of the various
canal works Of the State that the actual costs of
such works have sometimes exceeded the esti-
mated cost. In drawing conclusions from nine
canal works Of the state. it has been stated that
the actual costs of those nine works have exceed
I'd 20 ner cent Of the estimated costs. In making
this comparison. however. some absolutely es-
sen+ial elements to the value Of such COM
harrison have been ignored. Such a comparison
obviously has no meaning unless II is known
among other things. whether the original plans
were changed during construction so as largely
TO increase quantities over those originally con-
ternplated. Again. It is necessary in such a
oouparfson 70 ascertain what care. II any was
exercised 81, making the preliminary surveys
and examinations TO determine the amount anu
character Of the work to be done. obviously II
.ucb surveys and examinations were superficial
or incononlete. or not thoroughly done. estimates
baead ,non them would have little or no value,
and anv comparison Of actual and estimate1
costs would be absolutely valueless when apphed
70 the estimates for the large canal ANY one
familiar with such matters knows that such
preliminary examinations. so necessary LOT 'he
requisite data for accurate estimates. were never
made with either thoroughness or accuracy IN
the earlier public works of the State Of New
York Indeed. il is only within the last fifteen
or twenty years or less. that it has been oonsid-
cred necessary 20 expend much money for the
ACQUISITION Of data for plans and estimates.
such comparisons therefore. as have been
made by MI z. p. North. where absolutely no
information whatever is given as TO the thor
ouehness OF. care Of the preliminary surveys and
examinations. have no significance whatever
They are superficial and grossly misleading.
The conditions under which IL is proposed to do
this work are radically different from those
which attended the earlier canal works Of the
state. Instead Of any apprehension that the
COSTS Of this great construction will exceed the
estimate. there are excellent reasons, based upon
,be exneriences with other similar great works
1stelv completed. for anticipating that improved
and specially designed construction plants, ad-
ministered through efficient organization, VIII
r,sLe the actual cost less than the estimate
rather than more
SHIP CANAL OUT OF THE QUESTION.
The advocates Of ship canal instead Of
barge canal have insufficient data on which to
base estimated costs Of the same reliable char
acter as those on which the costs Of the barge
canal are based. Whether such canal can be
huft upon the estimates employed in discussing
that enterprise. may he matter Of doubt until
e,rtber examinations have been made. II it be
admitted however. that the estimated costs are
Suficient for the construction, there remain
cher serious objections to the undertaking
which have often been stated, but which SIN
bear restatement-
ships built for either lake or ocean service are
81 adsrred 10 the slow and restricted naViga-
fion OF a long contracted waterway The longer
mat contracted waterway the less the earning
capacity Of a lake or ocean Vessei while navl-
gaffnr IL Hence. such q ship canal must neces-
sarilv be the shortest possible, and II such a
waterway is TO be constructed between Lake
Erie and the ocean, IL viii meVltaDiy 60 py way
- Ntort-eal and not by way of New-York City.
7. is further impraCticable TO construct ships
.,,itsbie 10 navigate both the Great Lakes and
tbe ocean in consequence OF the radically dit
Fo-ort conditions Of service involving both avi-
cation and transfer OF cargo whi-e In port
A canal which is TO benefit both the State and
- rttN If New York must be suitable to aid
IN developing industrial centres IN the interior
Of The state. as wen as the commerce OF me
mort OF New-York. and barge canal Is most
ef5rientlv adapted TO that purpose II has been
shown already that the question OF transship-
rnent both at Buffalo ana at New-hork is not
sytrinsicall Nv serious one under reasonable ter
,,ofnal regulations. II a ship canal existed be-
tween Lake Erie and Montreal one tranSship-
,,enr At that point only would be necessary. but
a canal which will benefit this State lie.
barre canal necessitates transshipment at both
- E.,~lr Ae ~ osan1 has