Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, New York City :

It will be noted that these institutions are all for the care and instruction of the deaf and dumb or the blind, and they are paid at the rate of $250 per annum for each person sent to them by the State.

I find that the per capita cost of maintenance in the Northern New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, for the year 1893, was $356.73; the average for five years in the Central New York Institution for Deaf Mutes was $397.79; and for the year 1893, in the Institution for the Blind at Batavia, $311.61.

It may be fair to state that the Central New York Institution for Deaf Mutes, the Northern New York Institution for Deaf Mutes, and the Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents contend that they are not State Institutions but the State

has been expended for buildings, furnishings and things other than maintenance the amounts following:

Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delin

quents. Central New York Institution for Deaf Mutes.... Northern New York Institution for Deaf Mutes...

$510,735 11

65,299 40

68,000 00

For each of the three years last past these institutions have received the following amounts for maintenance at the rate of $250 per capita per annum :

Central New York Institution for Deaf Mutes :

I am informed that the Le Couteulx St. Mary's Institution for Deaf Mutes and the St. Joseph's Institution for Deaf Mutes are under the auspices of the Catholic Church. All the other institutions, to the best of my knowledge, are not controlled by any sect.

Very respectfully yours,

JAMES A. ROBERTS,
Comptroller.

BIENNIAL SESSIONS.

RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE ORGANIZATION.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this committee the terms of office of the Members of Assembly elected in 1894, and of their successors should be two (2) years, and that a suitable amendment be prepared and submitted to this committee to give effect to this resolution.

TRACY C. BECKER,

Chairman.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this committee the terms of office of Senators elected in 1895 should be three (3) years, and the term of office of their successors should be either two (2) or four (4) years, and that a suitable amendment be prepared and submitted to this committee to give effect to this resolution. TRACY C. BECKER,

Chairman.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this committee the Legislature should henceforth be restricted to regular biennial sessions, with power vested in the Governor to convene the Legislature when he shall certify that the public interests require an extra session, the Legislature at such sessions to be limited to such subjects as shall be specified in the call.

TRACY C. BECKER,

Chairman.

CANALS.

Communication from the Superintendent of Public Works in response to resolution of Mr. Hottenroth. Estimated cost of enlarging the canal system of the State.

OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS,

ALBANY, July 25, 1894.

Mr. Charles E. Fitch, Secretary Constitutional Convention: Sir. I have your communication of the 18th inst., inclosing a resolution adopted by the Convention, asking for certain estimates relative to the cost of enlarging and improving the several canals of our State, and replying thereto, would respectfully submit the following answers to the questions propounded:

First. Of the probable cost of deepening the canals to a depth of nine feet, with or without raising the banks, or raising or lowering the reservoirs or conduits thereof; also the probable extent of land damages that might result therefrom.

Replying to this inquiry I beg to say that no reliable data exists, either in this department, or that of the State Engineer and Surveyor, from which anything like a close approximation may be had; but from estimates made by this department from the best available data, a fair approximate cost would be as follows:

No proposition has as yet been suggested looking to the making of a depth of nine feet in the Black River canal, which would

practically necessitate the building of a new canal, and would cost in the neighborhood of $4,000,000 to $5,000,000.

The foregoing estimates include land damages, engineering, inspection and contingencies, and the following analysis will show the various items of cost. The items of land damages do not include damages arising from percolation of water through the banks, which would be somewhat increased by the increased depth.