New-York tribune., 1903-02-11
INQUIRY INTO CANAL COST.
Assembly Wants More Information-Plan
TO Revive Tolls.

aIhar- Feb 10 1SpeciaD.-The Assembly passed
this morning, after long debate. the resolution
offered by James 7. Rogers. the Republican leader.
asking State Engineer Bond certain questions
Esrding the improvement OF the canals Of the State
The chief Of these questions whether his esti
mate made IN 1900 Of the cost OF constructing
barge canal along the line Of the present Erie and
osVego canals. and the deepening Of the Champlain
Canal II an average depth of seven feet. which
So oOo oea. would cover the cost Of the said
work under present prices Of material and labor
state officials, was stated last night, esti-
that the cost Of the work mentioned would be
t7o5 9ot ep This is increase Of S 10000 the
estin ated cost of the work in 1900 and naturally,
* felt that there ought TO be investigation Of
the subject of the cost Of certain canal work be-
fore the legislature is called upon act upon the
canal Improvement bills, which only appropriate
Ss2 eg0o9a
There is nothing that Governor Odell has more
insisted upon in his chats with the members OF the
legislature than thar every fact bearing upon the
cost Of canal improvements should be made known
- the people Of the State. A mistake was made
when an improvement Of the canals begun
with only g o0eo0 in 1885, when. is known.
the work would cost SIS GO coo. Clearly the Gov
ernor IS resolved that there shall be mistake in
the estimates to te cost Of the barge canal and
the enhancement Of the Chsmplain Canal
The Democratic members OF the Assembly, after
considering the resolution asking the State Engi-
for information overnight. decided to support
it. and II passed, therefore, by d unanimous
vote the Republicans already favoring it. There
was slight battle. however. over amendment
% the bill offered by Assern5lymsn Prince. Demo
cfat providing that the estimate 10 the cost
Of the canal improvement should be based upon
the ocst Of Improvement performed under the
Eight Hour law and the prevailing rate Of
wases-
WHY" said Speaker Nixon, the State law al
ready compels estimates 10 be made under the
Eight Hour Law.
8- Prince nevertheless pressed his amendment
and it was defeated by a vote OF 30 ayes to 81
some Democrats having said the resolution was
not passed By the Republicans In good faith. As
semblvmaa Hornidge. Democrat. said: Why, this
resolution calls for figures and data absolutely
necessary in order that may vote intelligently
ID Stare Republicans. because they don't fancy
canal Improvement. Will treat unfairly on this
floor te representations OF many hundred thousand
Republicans Of NeW-fork City who do favor canals.
Essenblymsr Morgan declared that the reso-
luton offered in good faith. The resolution
then passed
assenablynan tsraef Of Essex County, said to-
dsv that he would introduce concurrent resolution
next week proposing constitutional aInenofne1t
10 permit levying Of toll on goods shipped by
way Of the proposed 1.0tt0-ton barge canal The IN
terest charges contribution to the barge canal
sinking fund together with the cost Of maintenance.
le estimated will aggregate nearly s60J00eo year.
sum should be paid by the shippers and that a
toll of 20 cents a thousand tons would produce on
: basis Of million tons year, sz,vt0g9 Up 10
1873 toll Of . tents levied on the canals Inc
oil was abolished constitutional an1enoment
z E. Norris, presiden. OF the Stale Grange. VINO