The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-21
CANALS ALHAMBRAIC FEAST,
Truths INSPOKEN AZ THE
BANKRUPT DITCH'S DINNER.
What Three Eminent Engineers Of the
Barge Canal SurNe! BOARD Said OF
the Pro Icct --TransshIpmcnt the Bar
TO Economic success Break hulk or
You Break Us, Quot h the FieyatO or Pool.

At the Alhambra feast to the farmers
OF the eight counties round about SYRIA
cuse, yesterday. the hosts the promoters
Of the SOL 100000 canal enlargement prof.
ect. heaped the plates Of the diners with
facts. fictions and filmy supports for the
castles in Spain ftly reared in the house
of the borrowed rAne Of the Moorish kings.
Palatable foods went with indigestible
figures and savory sauces covered miscal-
culations. Four hundred editors, agri-
culturists. and such, had been invited to
dine with the canal promoters and hear
their arguments why the people OF that
section of the State should support the canal
referendum next November. The farmers
were told that the next Legislature would
pass again the constitutional amendment
passed by the last one. and that the people
in 1905 would approve it. enabling the canal
debt bonds to be extended for fifty years
and thus handing down large part Of the
debt TO posterity. The constitutional pro-
vision OF to-day forbids the issue of canal
be nds Of Il longer life than eighteen years
The canal orators did not read 10 the
farmers ne ,,"s oh of senator Malbv, chair
man of the Filance Committee. when he
said of this constitutional amendment:
This is measure 10 notify this genera
tion that It will not be re qured TO pay for
all the crimes II commits. bi, that some
Of them will pass on to pos'erity as an IN
heritarce from their forefGthsrs.
The hano,letors we're not told that the
whole bond issue wae likely TO he pu, under
a cloud, since il is a ne siion whether the
State through its Legislature can amend
an action adopted by the people by refeN a.
dun vote.
The Davis at makes the cana tax
direct one. but the country districts are
told by the promoters that they will see
to it that il is made Indirect and that Gov.
Odell has in mind new sche mes of taxation
by which he hopes to put the burden on
the indtlst ries Of the State.
With the assurance that the cities would
have to bear IS per cent. of the expense
the farmers were told, also, hat the en-
cheering experts. agreed that the barge
canal was "all right.
No one read to the assembled guests the
declaration of the late Elnalhan Sweet, en-
State Engineer and chairman Of the Board
OF Advisory Engineers which made the
survey fer the barge canal Mr. Sweet was
put at the head of the board by State Engi-
neer Bond. This was Mr. Sweets opinicn n:
No waterway built to connect these waters
THE Great Lakes and the ocean can hope
TO secure great commercial Importance
unless 1t can ac,pmnodate tn" largest YES
sells navigating IN. Great Lakes. The eS-
penditure of great sums Of money for so
called improvements OF the present cana,
il tends TO postpone the wise and statesm an
like undertaking of deep water outlet for
Lake commerce.
No ono read to the diners the opinion Of
George y. Wisner. also a member Of the
Board Of Advisory Engineers ard OF the
United States Deep Waterway Board, who
told The American Society Of Civil Engi-
neers
The decline Of traffic in the Erie Canal
since 1850 and the failure Of the fourteen
foot Canadian canals 10 divert commerce
from the Lake and rail lines indicate that Il
waterway Of less depth than required for .hs
cannot materially modify the transport alton
rates over existing routes,
There was no one present TO read the
views Of Lyman F.. Cooley Of Chicago. who
was advisory engineer to the committee
appointed to investigat the Erie Canal
waste of S9.oOO.oO0 and who wrote
Considering trAf'c conditions a. they are
now developing on through business doubt
IT any project involving traDsshlpment can
be relied on for the future.
Nor did any one read the words spoken
only ten days ago hv Alfred Noble, presi-
dent Of the American Society Of Civil
Commission and d the Board Of Advisory
Engineers who made the barge canal SURE
vey, when he said:
Trans ehiyment must he avoided as far az
possible. Tn" Erie Canal with its seven
foot naviy alton and transshipment at Bun alo
has shown n steadily decreasing business
in the transportation Of vegetable goods.
The barge canal plan still involves trans
shipment al Buffalo, That is why the ele
vator pool is so aealou.y promoting the
job.
barge canal plan?
AN economic crime" is what the Engi-
neering NenS calls the scheme.
There il one clear question which the
resident OF any of the eight counties CHS
tered near Syracuse should ask himself: