New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-25
BARGE CANAL NEED
PUT AT $27,OOO,OO0
Emergency Message Ask
ing for Appropriation
FOreshadOWed.
WILLIAMS TO STAY
AS STATE ENGINEER
Travis Apparently Abandons
Plan to Fight Whitman's Tax
Reform Measures.

Albany, Jan. %. Governor Whit
man and State Engineer FRANK ".
Williams joined in statement which
was issued from the executive chamber
to-day that Mr.. Williams had no in
tention Of resigning; that s27 100000
additional would be required 70 CON-
plete the barge canal system, and that
If Immediately forthcoming the anal
would be open between Troy ard
Whitehall and Waterford and Osvego
at the beginning Of navigation in 1915.
Rumors that Mr. Williams was con-
templating resigning had been current
several days. They started when he
issued a statement that he had been
asked 20 consider returning 20 Ohio
10 T-sume highway wOr. he abandoned
TO become State Engineer. He would
add no comment 20 the statement nor
discuss a report that he was dlscour-
aged because money for completing the
canal work was not available.
The Governor had a conference with
Mr. Williams soon after he heard o.
this statement, and they went over the
canal situation fully, with the result
that the statement of to-day follow-L
II is now expected that the Governor
will send an emergency message 10 the
Legislature at once, asking that
canal appropriation be rushed throu. =.
81 estimate that the completion o.
the Erie. 0swego and Champlain can
ais in accordance with the require
ments OF the law as IL now stands VIII
require the additional sun Of ST.
600 900" Mr.. Williams statement to-
day said. This estimate includes the
completion of construction, engineer
ing and incidental expenses % other
departments and the settlement OF
damage claims of various kinds.
"The amount required 70 cover suen
damages is difficult for me 70 deter
mine accurately. particularly as the
adjudication of such damage claims .
in the hands OF departments other
than thai of the State Engineer II
additional funds for this work IRE I'M
mediately provided ! believe that 10
will be possible 20 open the barge
canal for barge navigation from Troy
to Whitehall and from Waterford TO
Oswego at the opening OF the season
of. navigation of 1916.
AN immediate prosecution OF TINS
construction work will afford sub
stantial assistance in solving the prob
lem of the states unemployed.
The cost of the canal system was
estimated in 1903 az SlOl ,OOOOOO. IL
was thought then that the actual cor
struction work would cost Ss4,OoO'oOV'
With SO per cent Of the canal CON
pleted. it now appears that the total
construction cost will be nearly >sV''
600 600 Damage claims, litigation, the
increased cost of labor and the m
crease in the width Of the canals were
among the causes listed by Mr.. VIII
Jams for necessity OF an additional az,
preparation. Despite the increased
cost. however, the state engineer THINKS
the fact that the original estimate was
too small should cause no surprise.
By the end of this week bills abolish
ing the State Fire MarshaPs office ana
the Efficiency and Economy Department
may have been passed. These DIS
row are on the order OF final passage
in the Assembly. From there they VIII
be hurried to the Senate. Note $
enough in both houses TO pass the DIES
are said to be assured.
It is possible, however. that thesse'
and other administration measures VIII
ne permitted 10 lie over until the Pub
lie Service commissions investigating
committee. which begins work IN New
York on Wednesday. reports.
Controller Travis. who threatened a
week ago to make an open fight on the
Governors tax commission reorgsniza-
ton plan, apparently has reconsidered
the proposition. and now will. without
protest, abide by whatever the Legs
lature thinks best. An open break be-
tween the Controller and the Governor
seemed imminent for time, but all is
serene between chem now. At dinner
recently the Controller was the hrst 10
propose a toast 20 the Governor.