The sun., 1903-11-24
BARGE CANAL CONFERENCE.
DELEGATION or CANAL MEN
HAVE 4 Talk WITH GOV. ODELL.
The Governor EXaCis q Promise From Them
That The! win Oppose Any Change
In the Commission OF Expert Engineers
That Is to He Appointed by Him.


In the Commission OF Expert Engineers
That Is TO He Appointed by Him.
ALBANY. Nov. 23.--Gov. Odells personal
and political interest in the barge canal
improvement work was plainly manifested
when he exacted from representa-
! tive delegation from the various COM
/ mercal interests Of the State, at con-
! ference to-day, Il promise that they would
I oppose any change in the commission OF
expert engineers to be named soon by him,
| to act as an advisory commission to the
State Engineer in the prosecution OF the
work. Gov. Odell several times laid much
stress upon the probabilities Of a change
| in the commission after he should retire
| from The Office of Governor. Other inn
F, portant incidents of the conference were
| the statements of the Governor that bond
issue was unlikely before the early summer
| and that the actual work of improvement
would not be begun until the State Engi-
| neer and the expert commission of engineers
| were satisfied, through completed SUR
| veys and after the receipt Of bonds. that
| the work can be completed within the
| sl0l ,OCO 900 estimate.
| Gov Ode said he would appoint three
| Republicans and two Democrats on the
| commission and thus make it as non
F, partisan as possible. with the view OF their
| continuance in Office until the barge canal
Improvement work is completed, seven
or eight years from now.
The Governor said that State Engineer
Bond had decided to 60 ahead first with
| five of the heaviest pieces OF the improve
| ment work such as the "sixteens. at Cohoes.
Oneidea Lake, at Newark, the rock cutting
at Little Falls and the new work each side
| of Rochester.
| -The State Engineer" said the Governor,
will make detailed survey Of these pieces
Of work and report on their cost. If the
final estimates Of cost agree with those
upon which the SOL 900 900 estimate was
based, then the work can go ahead and the
first contracts be let next spring. or certainly
! by May l. But II the estimates should
indicate that the canal will cost considerably
more than the SlO1 900 900, should deem
it my duty to call the attention Of the Legis-
lature and the people Of the State to that
fact before recommending that the work
be proceeded with"
Gov. Odell said that In his opinion fifty
year bonds should not be issued TO pay for
the barge canal improvement. He favored
eighteen year bonds, which he said would
save millions OF dollars In inter est, as it
would cost in the neighborhood Of 80, 600, 600
| only year to retire them. The Governor
| thought the State would be able to do this
| without feeling the expense. He saw no
| necessity for submitting to a vote Of the
| people the proposed constitutional amend
ment permitting State bonds to be issued
| for period Of fifty instead Of eighteen years.
! He pointed out that the State could pay
| for the canal work each year out OF revenues
| from indirect sources.
The conference lasted about an hour.
Among those present were: Leonard Dodge.
f, president Of the Buffalo Chamber Of Com
| merce and Secretary Howard Mason:
George Clinton, chairman Of the executive
committee Of the Canal Enlargement Asso-
citation of Western New York. Senator
Henry W. Hill, Theodore Fassett and John
Joselyn repTesenting Edward H Butler
president OF the Oswego Chamber OF Com
merce, and ex-Assemblyman Page of
Oswego; ex-Assemblyman Dudley and John
Lovelace Of Niagara Falls; Frank Witherbee
canal interests; F. W. Orr, chairman Of the
| legislative committee Of the Troy Chamber
| of Commerce; e1- Mayor Char les A. Schieren
Of Brooklyn II. B. Hebert, chairman of the
| canal association Of the Produce Exchange:
Frank Gardiner, secretary of the New
{ York Board OF Trade and Transportation;
! John j. D. Tremor, William j. Carwine.
| A. E. Blackmar, Frank Brainerd, John y.
[ Barnes, Albert Kinkel and W. F. O'Connell.
| representing the canal interests OF New
T: Mr.. schieren said the commerce of the
/ port of New York was fast declining and
urged that plans be made, to push the
! to the 3e,0OO,OoO canal improvement
| scandal, saying that the business men Of
New York city had promised that there
| would be no scandal about this work.
Il want to know beforehand" said Gov.
Ode!l, -and the people Of the State want to
know whether the 3i0l 600 900 estimates we're
correct. I think that amount is ample to
do the work, but if not we want to know 1t,
and know 1t before the work Is begun.
| completed canal, and II much more money
is needed than has been estimated the
| people should be asked to vote upon 1t
before any expenditures whatever are
amount is sufficient and so do |. The first
| estimate was Se2 900 900, made by the Greene
| commission. Then the State Engineers
estimate, as result OF his survey. was
carefully and lacked them up. to SOL 600 coo,
and the State Engineer says am too high.
| hope that ia so. But we want the State
Engineer and our expert commission of
engineers to verify our estimates before
any bonds are issued or the work COM
| menced.
Mr.. Schieren said labor was much cheaper
now than when the $10l 100000 estimate
! was made He said the business interests
of New York did not want to be disap
pointed by not having the prompt beginning
Of the work.
1T would be greater disappointtment,
said the Governor III you only had half a
canal with an expenditure Of slol COO GOO.
1t is the disposition OF every State official
connected with the canals faithfully to carry
out the will OF the people in favor Of barge
canal as expressed at the polls, but they do
not think they would be justified in going
ahead if the final estimates showed the canal
will cost s25 600 or $50, COO eco more,
Contrary to some newspapers ! am not
anxious to extend my political power but
simply want the work carried on as busi-
ness proposition
Mr.. Hebert said the New York city com
mercial interests had stood upon the Sl0l.-
coo ,OCO estimate and that no reflection
should be placed on them by failure to go
on with the work.
And do not intend any reflection shall
be placed on me by having an nncompleted
canal, replied Gov. Odeli Il shall appoint
the expert commission before the 1Ngis.
ature meets. This commission should
.,,I Nrl. IL lnt taI nd