REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES

Of the New-York Canals, (exclusive of Revenue derived from auxiliary funds,) and including interest, for the year ending Sept. 30, 1835.

Net Revenue from tolls on the Erie and Champlain Canals, and expenditures on the same, exclusive of interest, for the last four years.

Lateral Canals.

The debt against the state, (included in the Canal debt,) on account of the lateral Canals, amounts to $2,094,304, to which will be added, during the current year, for the Chenango Canal, the sum of $860,000. The deficiencies of revenues of the lateral Canals, or expenses over their receipts, in 1835, amounted to $44,165 39; and the total amount of deficiencies on the same Canals for the last six years, which has been drawn from the state treasury, is $294,111 69. But the lateral Canals have added a considerable amount to the tolls reseived on the Erie Canal. (See Index.)

CONTEMPLATED CANALS.

Genesee and Allegany Canal,*

The original projectors of the Erie canal contemplated its connexion, not only with Lake Erie, but with the Ohio river, by means of a south-west branch, uniting with the Allegany river at Olean, (or Hamilton,) in Cattaraugus county. Notwithstanding that the importance of the Allegany branch of the grand canal was believed by many to be equal to the Lake Erie section, the work was completed to the lake in 1825, and the south-western branch left untouched. The late Governor Clinton called the attention of the legislature to the subject in four successive messages, from 1825 to 1828. The route was superficially surveyed in 1825, by an engineer of the state, and in 1826 a report thereof was made to the legislature by the Canal Commissioners. Public attention has, however, been engrossed by minor projects of internal improvement, until recently it has been somewhat awakened to this canal of paramount importance. An act passed the legislature in 1834, directing a particular survey of the route, and estimates of the cost of its con

struction.

This report was presented to the legislature, March 3, 1835.

The survey was made by Frederick C. Mills, Esq., civil engineer, who reports that the length of the proposed canal, including navigable feeders, is 107 miles; to which is to be added a side cut of 151⁄2 miles to Dansville, from Mount Morris, making a total of over 122 miles, (taking the west side of the Genesee river,) with 1,057 feet of lockage. The estimated cost, with stone locks, is $1,890,614.

The summit level of the canal is 11 miles long, and the greatest depth of excavation on the summit will be 12 feet. The engineer proposes to supply this level, the canal south to Olean, and north to the place where the first feeder is taken from the Genesee river, a distance of 30 miles, with water from various lakes and creeks and artificial reservoirs, which, together, will furnish an adequate supply, or 3,484 cubic feet of water per minute.

The distance from Olean to Pittsbugh, by the Allegany river, is stated at 280 miles, and the average fall in the river at 2 feet per mile.

Property may now be transported down the Allegany river to Pittsburgh, for 25 cents per 100 lbs., and up to Olean for $1,20 per 100 lbs. When the proposed canal shall have been completed, the average time which would probably be required to make a trip to or from New-York to Olean would be about 10 days. Light goods can be transported for 68 cents less, and heavy goods for 41 cents per 100 lbs. less, by this route to Pittsburgh, from New-York, than by the way of the Pennsylvania Canal, viz:

Via Pennsylvania Canal and Rail Road, light goods from New-York to
Pittsburgh, (time, 15 days),..

$1 75

Via Erie Canal, and Rochester and Olean Canal, (time, 10 days)........1 07

Coal mines are worked in Pennsylvania, 40 miles from Olean. The coal produced there is bituminous, and of good quality. It is now used at Olean, and elsewhere, at the furnaces.

The canal is to commence at Rochester, following the valley of the Genesee river, through Monroe, Livingston, and Allegany counties, until it reaches the Upper Genesee Falls, at Nunda, in the latter county, from whence it rises to

*This proposed work is also called the Genesee Valley Canal, and the Rochester and Olean Canal,

the summit level, 979 feet above the Erie canal. The length of the summit will be 11 miles, and the whole fall, from thence to Olean, Cattaraugus county, on the Allegany river, 78 feet. Whole lockage, ascending and descending, 1,057 feet. The length of canal, from Rochester to Olean, will vary little from 107 miles. The lockage is equal to 132 eight feet locks on the whole line; being about the same proportion of lockage as the Chenango canal. A passage from the Ohio valley to the Genesee valley, is here 1,488 feet above tide level, and is less elevated than any passage that has been examined, either to the Potomac or Susquehannah valleys. With regard to a supply of water for the summit level, it is remarked by the engineer, that the whole of the Ischua creek can be received into a summit pond; besides, the drainage of 190 miles of surface can be turned into it, so that the reservoir would be abundantly supplied with water.* Mr. Mills estimates as follows, in 1834.

The distance of Rochester from Albany, by the Erie canal, is 269 miles; from thence to Olean, by the proposed canal, 107 miles; from Olean to Pittsburgh, by the Allegany river, (which has been navigated by steam-boats,) 280 miles.

"A canal, (says Mr. Roberts,) uniting with the Allegany river, would accommodate a large section of our country, whose surplus products are equal in quantity and quality to those of any portion of the state, in proportion to its cultivated land and population, in both which respects it is rapidly increasing. Other considerations are, the great enhancement in the value of lands, which are known to abound in lumber of the best quality, and coal mines, and other minerals, on the various branches of the Allegany, and the very extensive commerce which would be drawn through this canal, and down the Allegany and Ohio, and from the countries adjacent. With all these advantages, the canal would undoubtedly soon become a source of increasing revenue to this state."*

The following statement of tolls collected on the western part of the Erie canal, being 95 miles, or about the same length as the proposed canal, will form some data to calculate the probable income of the latter. If the proposed improvement should cost $2,000,000, the interest thereon, at 5 per cent., would be but $100,000.

Statement of Tolls collected on the Erie canal at Rochester, and other places west of the Genesee river, in 1832, 1833, and 1834.

A meeting of citizens in the city of New-York, favourable to the Genesee and Allegany canal, was held in October, 1833, at the Shakspeare Hotel, Christian Bergh, Chairman, Edwin Williams, Secretary; when resolutions were adopted expressive of the opinion of the meeting, of the importance of the proposed canal. A committee of forty-five gentlemen was appointed to

* Report of 1825,

call the attention of the citizens generally to the subject. Under the direction of the committee, an interesting pamphlet was prepared and printed, entitled "An appeal to the people of the state of New York, and their representatives in the legislature, in favour of constructing the Genesee and Allegany Canal." A bill is now before the legislature, directing the construction of this canal. (March, 1836.)

Village of Olean

The village of Olean is situated at the point formed by the union of the Olean creek with the Allegany river, and contains at present about seventy dwelling houses, five stores, and three public houses. On the creek at the village, are one flouring mill, two saw mills, and one iron foundry. The Allegany is here fifteen rods wide; the north bank of the river rises gently and forms a beautiful site for a town. The south bank is abrupt, and rises into high hills. The village was laid out about thirty years since, by Major Hoops, of Albany, and was named by him" Hamilton on Allegany." It is distant from the city of New-York, (via Newburgh,) about 350 miles. Before the construction of the Erie canal, Olean was the depot for the property of the surrounding country, then sent down the Allegany river; and at this place, also, great numbers of emigrants annually embarked for the valleys of the Ohio, and the Mississippi, and other parts of the western country.

Black River Canal.

The Canal Commissioners were directed by an act passed by the legisla ture, April, 1834, to cause the route of a canal to be surveyed, from the navigable waters of the Black river, below the High Falls, (at Turin, Lewis county,) to the Erie Canal. Also an examination for improving the navigation of the Black River, from the High Falls to the village of Carthage, Jefferson county. They accordingly appointed Mr. Timothy B. Jervis, engineer, to make the examination, surveys and estimates required by the act, and by him the service has been performed. The engineer states that the whole amount of elevation, from the Erie Canal to the summit level of the proposed canal, is 696 feet, and the whole amount of depression, from the summit level to the level of the Black river, below the falls, is 387 feet, making a total rise and fall of 1083 feet. Including $20,840 for the improvement of Black river, below the falls, Mr. Jervis makes four different estimates of the cost of the canal, as follows:

Composite locks, with two inclined planes..
Stone locks, with two inclined planes..

Composite locks, adopting locks entirely.

Stone locks,

do

do

Mr. Hutchinson's estimate of the cost of this canal from a survey made in 1830, (proposing to use inclined planes in part,) was.

$907,802 72 1,019,221 72

940,540 20

1,068,437 20

602,544 00

The contemplated work consists of about 35 miles of canal, from the Erie Canal, at Rome, Oneida county, to the foot of the High Falls, on the Black river, about 11 miles of navigable feeder at Boonville, and the improvement of the navigation of the Black river, from the High Falls to Carthage, a distance of 40 miles; opening a navigation exclusive of feeders, of 75 miles; accommodating the trade of the northern part of Oneida, all of Lewis, and part of Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. The sequestered situation of this section of the state; the immense forests of pine and other timber of the best quality which exist in the neighbourhood of the Black river; the extensive water power for saw mills, &c., and the inexhaustible beds of iron ore of the richest quality, in the vicinity of the proposed canal, presented claims sufficiently strong to induce the committee on canals, of the Assembly, to introduce a bill, (February 11,1835,) authorizing the construction of the Black river Canal, which passed the assembly, but was lost in the Senate. Another bill for the construction of this canal has been reported in Senate, Feb. 1836,

PROPOSED STEAM-BOAT CANAL,

From Lake Ontario to the Hudson River.

About three years since some few enterprising and intelligent citizens of Oswego, called public attention to the fact that the Canadian government were proceeding rapidly in removing the obstacles which obstruct the navigation of the river St. Lawrence, and by this means, and that of the Welland Canal, were endeavouring to divert the trade of the lakes from New-York to Montreal. They suggested that nothing short of a steam-boat or ship canal to the Hudson could enable this state to compete successfully with Canada. In the present position of the commerce, the delays and expense of transhipment of produce, intended for New-York, from lake vessels to canal boats, will give an advantage to Montreal when lake vessels will be enabled to reach the latter without obstruction.

In view of the efforts of the inhabitants of Oswego, a meeting of the citizens of Utica, convened in 1834, sent a memorial to the legislature, and called a state convention, which met at Utica, in September, 1834. A committee, appointed by this convention, ongaged Mr. E. F. Johnson to make a survey of the route from Utica to Oswego, which he accomplished. A favoura ble report was also made by the canal committee of the assembly, in April, 1834, but at too late a period for any further action by the legislature.

The distance on this route, from the Hudson river to Lake Erie, is but 15 miles more than by the Erie Canal. One third of this distance is by lake navigation, and more than forty miles is along the Oneida and Oswego rivers. Only 14 miles of the whole distance will be by a canal, (principally along the Mohawk river.) The advantages of the proposed canal over the Erie Canal are evident, from the increased speed with which craft may be propelled in deep water, and the saving of expense in transportation; also from the fact, that vessels laden upon the shores of the lakes need not break bulk until their arrival at the wharves in the city of New-York.

Among other striking benefits which would accrue from the proposed canal, it is mentioned that the navigation of the Seneca river may be so improved that a steam navigation, 140 miles in extent, connecting with the Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca lakes, and penetrating into the heart of a fertile part of the state, may be inade at a comparatively small expense.

The distance, by the route surveyed by Mr. Johnson, from Utica to Oswega, is 92 miles. Lockage, 180 feet. Estimated cost of the canal, from Utica to Oswego, $1,131,989.

STEAM-BOAT CANAL FROM LAKE ERIE TO LAKE ONTARIO. Application has been made to the legislature by the people of several western counties, to cause surveys and estimates of cost of a steam-boat canal, to be made from Niagara river, above the falls, to Lake Ontario. The object of this canal is to avoid the present necessity of lake vessels passing through the Welland Canal, in Canada.