The sun., 1903-04-07
multiply them by these figures. ws

multiply them by these figures. ws hnd
the following:
The canals earned. ee7k.91t1o
AZ cost 70 the bostmen Of ............. sv.Siosi
fav1ao fo paoduSs SsTes %sieh the STAT: paid
In other words, for every dollar Of cost
paid by the traffic the State paid Ss.oo, for
every dollar earned II paid Ss.Ss. and for
every dollar OF profits Il paid $500.
But we shall be told that the new and
improved canal will change all this. Let
us see.
The report Of the canal committee In
1899 stated the amount necessary to pay
interest at per cent; and form sinking
fund that will extinguish the debt In eigh-
teen years, as the Constitution requires. at
.7iO per million, or S7,s43.710 for Sioi.-
900 900. The bill in your hands provides
for this, and we cannot assume with any
certainty that l. will be changed. The
annual cost Of the new and larger canal
certainly will not be less than the present
one, so II we add to this the amount actually
expended in 1901 IL makes so ,6s3 ,45i ~
annually. But the advocates OF this bill
confidently assert that the bonds will be ex-
ing the total amount and placing the burden
upon our children and grandchildren, I'm
spite Of the fact that universal public
opinion but recently prohibited such eI-
tension.
They put the annual sum to be raised
on account Of the debt, In round figures,
at 100000. l am giving their figures
throughout, and therefore accept that.
Five millions added to the expenditure in
1901 makes ss.aos ,7H.7s as the annual cost
which must he paid out OF the State Treas.
ury. The friends Of this bill estimate that
the larger canal will attain ten millions
tonnage. That will he e,379 ,3S7 more than
were carried In 1901. They also assume
that the greater part Of this will be through
freight; therefore, We will estimate that the
average distance will be 800 miles, making
the total ton mileage 2.4se, ,sOe $50, and the
cost to the State S.34 mills per ton mile
They further estimate that the cost per
ton mile to the bostmen will he reduced
to O.52 Of a mill per ton mile, and, II we as
sumo the same profit. OILS Per ton mile
then the amount to be received for carriage
will he 087. These will give the following
figures:
The canal will earn &c sasss
For which The State win pay.,....,. ssos7I7S
For every dollar paid by the boatmen
earned the State will pay N.ss. and for
every dollar of profits the State will pay
S22.27 The widest guess for the business
of the new canal is tonnage OF twenty
millions. This will give 5,+se .o0s .050 ton
miles. reducing the cost to the State to
Isl mills per ton mile. This will give:
AZ cost to ihe bos,men OIL ......,.. 3sssls2is
The State viii pay as oefore........,. s.sos7ai7S
For every dollar that the canal earns
the State will then pay only C rs. for every
dollar OF cost to the trafiic the state will
pay only $3.50. for every dollar OF profits
any one who can figure an advantage to the
state Of New York out Of either Of these
results, it would be interesting to understand
the mathematics used.
But these figures; though they are ex-
actly what the canal men themselves give,
are untrustworthy and untrue. Only those
which show what the State will pay can be
depended upon. and We protest:
Sixtt-Because there never will be any
such increase OF traffic and there never Will
be any such decrease Of cost. All canal
transportation everywhere in the world is
unprofitable in comparison with improved
railway transportation such as We have In
America. The thousand-ton barge is known
oessfui &C. use. Vessels Of less than 1000 tons
have been found Improbable on the free
water of the lakes. There are thousand
ton vessels on the Hudson River which pay.
but they are built on a model as different as
high decks, one above another. and they
carry their loads entirely above the water
line The thousand-ton barge carries two
thirds Of it's load below the wateriine. The
submerged section will occupy more than
20 per cent. Of the entire section OF the canal,
and no vessel can be economically propelled
within 40 circumscribcd . waterway.
The largest steamer on the Hudson
River, the Adirondack. with its four decks
and its enormous capacity for freight and
passengers, only draws eight feet OF water.
The thousand ton barge will draw ten and
actually cannot navigate the Hudson River
until tho channel Is dredged out.
Seventh-Because the history Of the canal
In crowded with estimates and predictions
that were not Trustworthy. Not one OF
the proposed improvements has been COM
pleted within the promised cost, not one
of them has produced the promised results.
We are told that the canals have been
neglected. but within the last twenty
years more money has been expended on
alleged betterments than has been charged
to the construction account Of any operat-
ing railway in the State, and every dollar
of II has been wasted. 50. We have every
reason to believe, will be the vast sum
which this bill proposes to take from the
people.
The responsibility remains with your
eelf The Constitution requires that an
answer be given to the question, Shall
this bill pass. and ought the same TO receive
the sanction of the people2' II is for you
TO answer that question. Respectfully sub
mitted. JOHN /. PLArr.
PouoHKEErsIs. April 4. 1908.