The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-04
4 CoLLoQUY ON TIE CANAL.
QUESTIONS THAT THE VOTER
way FiIRLY ASK HIMSELF.
fear Answers Based on the Dfsnpated
career Of the Dtch-WilI the S1O1.'
O,,O, 900 Wake Governor OdeIl Pres'.
dent or What?--Answer TO Pier -.

II il a few marks on sheet OF glazed
,o,,r showing the outlines Of craft $50
,ee, long. % feet wide and with draught
Of 10 feet
O i none now In Use?
None of this type. But theorists be-
Have that such "A design might be tried
since canal transportation by other car
rers has proved to be financial failure.
o Will the State provide these expert
mental boats too?
Not under the present plan. The
canal advocates believe that some public
spirited capitalists will furnish the funds
for tina, part of the experiment when the
canal has been enlarged.
o What will he the cost OF the ,00o-ton
barges'
A. On the estimates made by the Roose-
carry the estimated tonnage of the larger
canal will cost sll 100000.
Q. What is the Erie Canal?
Il is an artificial waterway completed
IN 1920 at a cost Of $1,000, 900. 1t connects
the Niagara River near Buffalo with the
Hudson River
O. What was the idea OF its promoters2
A. To make water route for the freight
from the Great Lakes and to establish
source of revenue. They provided in the
state Constitution that 81, $50. 900 of the STIR
plus revenues each year should be used to
pay State debts and expenses.
O. Did the canal meet the expectations
OF its friends?
A. 1t never met any Of the prom
hes made in it's name. In no year
did the revenues reach the amount named
In the Constitution. For some time it
was self-supporting and helped to pay the
bills that it's construction had incurred.
But the advance of railroad transporta-
ton caused it's traffic to dwindle and its
earnings to decline. so that in 1892 the
canal tolls we're abolished by constitutional
amendment.
O. Since then what has been the status
OF the canal?
A. 1t has been the dependent ward OF
the State and in twenty years has taken
$4,000 900 out OF the State treasury.
O. What has 1t cost altogether?
A. The State has spent $s23,e4s,0 900 on
O. And what has the canal earned in
freight moneys?
A. The Canal Association Of Greater
New York says it has distributed $500 00O,-
900 Of freight money within the limits Of the
State.
g. Ia that fairly correct statement
A. 1t is about $40 900 900 in excess OF the
actual amount shown by the records.
Q. Is that large error?
A. No. Canal advocates handle figures
with great liberality. Their estimate OF
the cost OF the new canal plan may be $780,
900 900 out OF the way.
@. Has any official estimate been made,
other than the one contained in the Davis
act?
A. On Jan. Of this year Gov. Odell
said in q message to the Legislature that
the cost OF the enlargement on the plan
adopted later would exceed S2ss 900, 900.
Q. hid the Governor have access to tho
information at the service Of the Slater
A. He had the advice Of the State En-
gineer and all his engineers and assistants.
Q. Have the canals been neglected?
A. Since 1882, when tolls were abolished,
more money has been spent on the improve
ment OF the canal than was spent on the
New York Central Railroad system. which
has many times the mileage Of the canal.
Q. Is this the first time the people have
been asked to vote for enlargement ap-
preparations?
A. No. A plan was decided on in 1895
which was to bring the canal up to date
and make it OF effective service. The
people voted to spend 100000 on that
plan.
Q. Was the money spent?
A. It was, and when the fund was ex-
hausted no efficiency had been attained.
But the canal worshippers said that with
see 900 900 more the plan might be made
successful
Q. II the plan now proposed should be
carried out would the canal then become
q source of revenue?
A. No. 1t is not proposed to levy any
canal tolls Such a tax would upset all
the calculations of the canal men on which
they base the hope Of diverting traffic
from the railroads to the canals.
Q. Who will get the benefit Of lower rates
on freight carried by canal?
A. The bulk of the canal traffic is grain
and lumber brought to Buffalo by lake.
The grain is almost all for export. Tho
saving made in a lower freight rate will
60 either to the Western farmer who raises
the grain or to the foreign buyer.
O. Will some residents Of New York State
pe Heiped ny IL!
A. The so-called elevator ring at Buffalo
and the floating elevators at New York
will make larger profits. Some Produce
Exchange brokers may get more in COM
missions. |
@. How much is SOL 900, 900?
A. With the interest on the bonds II will |
reach sum larger than the value OF all |
the schools. academies, universities and
colleges in the State. their sites, buildings |
and equipment. 1t makes the sum paid |
for Alaska and the price Of the Louisiana |
Purchase look like small change.
Q. What will he the annual cost to the |
State?
A, With interest and maintenance cost |
the State will pay IS 900 900 year for at |
least fifty years.
Q. Is this in effect subsidy?
A. 1t amounts to a subsidy OF 64H cents |
n ton for each 100 miles on the freight that |
may he carried.
Q. Would it be cheaper to build and |
a railroad from Buffalo to New |
York?
A. With the canal bed as a right OF way
the State could build and equip in modern |
fashion a railroad from Buffalo to New |
York for s20,OOO,OOo. 1t could carry free
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