Year: 1875

Itwil be seen that Mr. Hall estimates
the cost of the ship canal at S3,374,J77.
The estimate Of the nited States engineers,
am informed, is for the canal proper So
700 600. and for the Hudson River improve
meut, s. 300 600, making a grand total Of
| Sll 900 600. which. am confident. viii
cover every possible contingency. and which,
as have before iut!mated, i, | believe in
excess of what the work would cost proper
" and economically expended, particularly
as two of the existing Hudson river dams
are sufficient and those the most expensive
on the line.


If the State should Mt abandon her policy
of making the canals sell-supporting by the
ab0itionof all tolls on the commerce Of the
canals, OF by - low rate Of tolls a. only
to keep them in repair, am satisfied that
very brief term OF wears would see every
dollar expended from this great improve
ment returned to it. treasury.


But have rot dwelt upon this con-iIera-
ton. for it IS of such vial Importance, in
my Judgment, TO the future veal Of this
State, lis continued prosperity and It's reten-
tion of it, leading position in the ration,
that believe It's construction i demanded, ,
were there never dollar Of the outlay to be
20 returned, for it would be returned hun
dred fold in the immense benefits which
would flow from it to the whole people Of
the State when once in active operation and
bearing on it, bosom the cereal product Of
the great world granary. the west and north
west.


An argument used by some Of its oppo-
nents j.. that when freight on tins route
was 80 near Montreal, it wOgld never can
tinue on its route to Montreal, Is about a.
sensible a. the Montreal opposition 10 the
Caughnawaga canal, on the ground that it
will divert from Montreal traffic that would
otherwise 20 there. and which Mr.. Shauly
| dispOses of very summarily by stating that
Montreal cannot lose what She never bad,
and in this case weneel feel no alarm THAT pro-
duct, will stop short of their market. tie
great money centre. unless We arc 80 foolish
as to fail to provide the necessary facilities
for their transit, in which case only need w
fear an improper diversion Of our OWN trade.
had intended to have Submitted here
with some tables showing the receipts of
graia at Buffalo. Oswego and Montreal for
the past few years, bat am unable to obtain
a fol- and accurate statistics for the season
ilst closed a could have desired, and am,
therefore, unable to present the subject in
the full detail wished and must, therefore,
leave this branch OF the subject, with refer
ence to the comparative statement Of re
ceipts at the various ports, contained IN the
extract from the Buffalo Board of Trade
Memorial on page 10. Owing to the low
prices and stagnation of business there seems
| to have been falling off in the receipts at
| each Of the no-ts named, and about in pro-
portion to the amount received in 1873.
| Calculations based on the statistics of 1915
and term of years preceding, would seem
to show large and marked increase in the
receipts at Montreal, and a large relative
gain there, which would indicate a serious
| diversion of the trade legitimately belonging
to us, and which sound policy would require
US to check, if in our power. The state
ment is well calculated to alarm those who
know that the diversion of this traffic and
its accompanying benefits will be fatal - the
prosperity of the state.


Impressed with sense OF the grave in
portance of ,his subject to the people Of thi,
State, and Of the necessity Of prompt, yigor-
Gus and decided action in the premises,
| have written earnestly ON this subject, and
trust the legislature may take such action in
the matter as will not only secure in perpe-
tuity to the Empire State her leading posi-
ton in the nation, but also afford to the
great west the outlet for their produce.
which is the only clog and obstacle in the
way of their development To the fullest cx-
tent of their wonderful resources.


The opening of the Clushnawaga route
would not only afford cheap water transport,
1 but also the reduction in rates of said trans
port which such competition would induce
The Senate committee on transportation
routes were most favorably impressed with
this route, as all must be who have person.
ally examined it, as the following extract
from their report will show:


:. The committee also express the hope
that the state of New York will recognize
the expediency Of constructing this line By
the way of the Champlain canal and the


Hudson river to the city of New York, Or in
the event Of the state declining to enter
upon the work, that the United States Gov
ernment shall give the subject that attention
to which its manifest merits eniitls it.


4 survey has been made, and full and
exhaustive report on this route, as well a
the Oswego and Erie canals, are now being
prepared bv u. s. engineers, under the d.
rection Of Col. Wilson, U. S. engineer corps,
for which we may look with interest, and


with confidence that the judgment of expe-
rienced and trained engineers will show


that the Champlain is the only practicable
route for ship canal or any canal of sufh


cient capacity to meet the requirements o.


the case.


have written upon this subject solely


with reference to its forming link In thu


great water route to the west, and have no


the space to allude, as | could wish, to thu


part it would play in the Development of th'


inexhaustible mineral resources Of the coun
ties bordering on Lake Champlain, but il
passing will simply point to a great at
vantage which this route possesses over an,
other, which is, that an immense amount o
return freights could be secured for vessel
which, on any other route, must 20 baci
entirely empty or in ballast. The iron ore
, LATE and marble of northern New York ant