NEW YORK. 



547 



$688,505.77. The management of the canals- 

 has been for several years the subject of some 

 animadversions from all classes of the citizens. 

 The most violent complaints have been made of 

 the inefficiency and corruption of the Contract- 

 ing Board, whose province it has been to keep 

 the canals in a proper state of repair. It was 

 said that contracts were frequently concluded 

 at excessive rates, while moderate offers were 

 made and rejected, and that a constant course 

 of corrupt dealing prevailed between the Con- 

 tracting Board and parties to whom they gave 

 the "job " of prosecuting repairs. The result 

 was an enormous outlay, while the canals were 

 every day becoming dilapidated and filled with 

 obstructions. The Legislature of 1867 ap- 

 pointed a select committee to examine into 

 the management of the State canals, and con- 

 tinued its existence through the recess. A 

 large amount of testimony was taken, and a re- 

 port made to the Constitutional Convention, in 

 pursuance of a resolution of that body calling 

 for information on the subject of these investi- 

 gations. These reports were published, and 

 public attention still more intently drawn to 

 the subject. The feeling became quite preva- 

 lent that the Contracting Board wholly failed 

 to accomplish the object for which it was con- 

 stituted, and should be abolished. A Canal Con- 

 vention assembled at Albany on the 25th of 

 February, and discussed the importance to the 

 State of her system of canals and the interest 

 of the community in their proper management. 

 The following is the first of a series of nine res- 

 olutions adopted by the convention, suggest- 

 ing radical changes in the administration of 

 these valuable public works: 



1. Resolved, That we regard the present contract 

 system of keeping the canals of the State in repair 

 as entirely subversive of the interests of the State 

 and of those engaged in canal commerce, and sub- 

 servient- alone to the advantage and profit of the 

 contractors, as detrimental to the welfare of com- 

 merce, and ruinous alike to the canals and their in- 

 terests, and to those who have invested their enter- 

 prise and capital in the transportation of property 

 through these channels of communication ; and we 

 therefore call upon the Legislature of the State to re- 

 peal the laws under which the State canals are kept 

 in repair by contract, and to enact others which, shall 

 provide for their repair by superintendents, or some 

 other responsible agents, so that they may be kept 

 in navigable condition during the season of naviga- 

 tion, and rendered available to the demands and in- 

 terests of commerce. 



The action recommended by the convention, 

 was 1. A repeal of the act of 1857, relating 

 to the Contracting Board ; 2. The passage of 

 a bill then pending in the Senate, providing for 

 a new system of management ; 3. The abroga- 

 tion of existing contracts for repairs ; and, 4. 

 The institution of legal proceedings against 

 any person who had fraudulently obtained 

 money on canal contracts with the State. 

 There were also several other recommenda- 

 tions relating to the details of what the con- 

 vention regarded as a proper system of man- 

 agement. The State canals also formed the 



leading topic of conversation at the meetings 

 of several Boards of Trade. 



The subject came before the Legislature in 

 two forms : 1. In the shape of a bill to abolish 

 the Contracting Board, and make some other 

 changes in the mode of administration ; and, 

 2. In the impeachment of Robert C. Dorn, Ca- 

 nal Commissioner, for high crimes and misde- 

 meanors. Soon after the opening of the ses- 

 sion, numerous petitions were received in both 

 branches of the Legislature, praying for reform 

 in the management of the canals. Bills were 

 introduced, both in the Senate and the Assem- 

 bly, to meet this demand of the people, but 

 different plans were proposed in the two 

 Houses. The Assembly bill proposed to do 

 away with the offices of Auditor of the Canal 

 Board and of the Canal Commissioner, as well 

 as to abolish the Contract Board, while the 

 Senate favored less radical changes. Finally, 

 a committee of conference was appointed, and 

 unanimously agreed on a measure, abolishing 

 the Contracting Board, and retaining the of- 

 fice of Auditor. Commissioners of repairs were 

 to be appointed by the Canal Board, whose 

 bills were to be audited and paid by three pay- 

 masters appointed by the Commissioners of the 

 Canal Fund. This bill was adopted in the 

 Assembly without a dissenting vote, but for 

 some unexplained reason the Republican Sen- 

 ators met in caucus and determined that it 

 should not become a law. The bill was ac- 

 cordingly defeated in the Senate, and the sub- 

 ject was left by the Legislature in the same 

 position in which they had found it. When 

 the Republican State Convention met at Syra- 

 cuse, a communication was received from a 

 committee appointed by the Canal Convention 

 " to take charge and watch over the interests 

 of the State canals, and to protect and preserve 

 their revenues and the commerce of this State 

 by all laudable agencies," urging upon the at- 

 tention of the delegates the importance of a 

 " wise, economical, and honest management of 

 our commercial lines of water intercommuni- 

 cation." The closing paragraphs of the docu- 

 ment were in these words : 



It is patent to us, and from the experience of the 

 recent past cool reflection will also convince you, that 

 the first duty in selecting our executive and legislative 

 agents is to provide beyond a future contingency : 



1. For the early improvement of the canals that 

 thej shall be put and kept in perfect repair and con-, 

 dition, so as to give an unobstructed channel- way for 

 boats drawing six feet of water upon the leading ca- 

 nals of the State. 



2. That the canal revenues shall be protected and 

 preserved from fraud and corruption which prey upon 

 the treasury without bringing compensating benefits 

 to commerce or the State. 



Without a radical change in the management of 

 the canals, there cannot be such a reform in their 

 condition as will insure to commerce such facilities 

 as are needful, and without which it will be impos- 

 sible to preserve to the State its commercial su- 

 premacy. 



These positions were enforced in the State Canal 

 Convention by arguments equally impressive and un- 

 answerable, and with an earnestness which indicated 

 the settled purpose of the delegates and of those they 



