The sun., 1903-05-23
CANAL A COMPETITOR
now THE LATE ABRAM 3. HEWITT
CHANGED HIS MIND.
His Last Opinions Overlooked by the Canal
Advocates, who Now quote His Views
OF lS0S-NO Further Expense Was
Justified, lie Wrote . Year Later.

One OF the authorities quoted at length
in the literature sent out by the Canal Asso-
citation OF Greater New York in its campaign
for the $lOl, ,OOO, 600 expenditure is the late
Abram S. Hewitt What Mr.. Hewitt said
in 1898 impressed the canal advocates.
What Mr. Hewitt said in 1899 seems TO have
escaped them.
As ex-Mayor Hewitt was recognized as
sound business man and q close student Of
economic questions. the Roosevelt Canal
Committee of which Gen. Francis V. Greene
was chairman. asked him for his views on
canal enlargement. This was when the
waste of the 81 1900 900 appropriation could
no longer be concealed and when the sug-
geston had been made that another Sl5,-
900 600 should be voted to carry out the
first plan.
Mr.. Hewitt had worked hard for the
&o,OOO,OOO proposition, He had been
brought up In the school of politics which
taught that the prosperity of the State
was created by the canals and could not
be maintained unless they we're kept in a
condition OF perfect efficiency.
In letter to Gen. Greene Mr.. Hewitt
explained his change Of mind. He said:
Anew condition has appeared In the great
reduction OF the cost of tran sporta tion by
the railways which compete with the canal
for business This reduction is due to sew
and the lower cost OF steel rails, the in er ca Sc
in the train load and the economy Of fuel in
hauling the train. No one could have believed
II possible for the cost of railroad tran spor Ia =
tion to be reduced to three mills per ton mile.
This figure has undoubtedly been reached,
and there seems to be good reason .. to expect
down to two mills per ton mile.
Unless therefore the maintenance of the
porta ton by rail- at this low cost there is no
lon ger any reason why the people Of New York
should bear the burden of ma ntainmg free
waterway from the lakes to the ocean, Ny
| knowledge OF the subject inclines me to be-
! lieve that We have reached permanent era
| Of low cost OF transportation hy rail | doubt
whether the rate can ever be dvan ced hey on d
| the present limits beCa use such an advance
in the cost Of transportation would restri let
The export OF "u wheh ~ i.
in altogether a new light and although I am
! reluctant to come to the conclusion that the
canals have lost their ussruln ess I onfess
| frankly that the argument for their cor. :.
| tinued ma ntenance Is greatly weakened. II n ot
| | confess | am somewhat surprised at the
| conclusions | have reached against all my
preconceived ideas and contrary 70 my in
nent memorial OF the great men by whose
! foresight and sarcltices it was originally
constructed.
| remember. however, that when the canal
was proposed John Stevens Of iioboken. in
= his remarkable address 70 the Legislature.
F.; predicted that il It should be constructed;
the time would come when its channel
would be used as d roadbcd for future
: railways This prediction seems about TO
! be realized in effect If not in letter. The rails
/ may not he laid upon the bed Of the canal
F.. but along its banks. In sight of it's channel
, double lines of railway are already in exist
! enca In fact the Developments Of the last
q, quarter of \ century have been so surprising
and the progress in mechanical INVENTIONS
so marvellous that a veritabl le revolution in
: the modes OF doing bushes has taken place
which shows itself in the vast aggrsgatio
: Of capital devoted to industrial undertakings
+ stretching out into every branch OF human
/ concern.
My con nclusion. therefore, ia that there seems
at present to be no justification for the eS-
penditure OF any considerable sum of money
by the people Of this State for the enlarge
ment OF the existing canals Whether IN the
future the State shall part with the canals
and rescue any portion OF its Investment from
the wreckage is question which do not
think it necessary to disCnss AZ ;hls time
Mr.. Hewitt could not -" any ground
for spending Sl5.OOO.Oo on the canals.
What would he have Thought Of the propO-
sition to spend SlO1, 900. .O0n:
1t must be admitted. however, chat the
late Mr.. Hewitt had no interes, in the up
building of the Odell machine