84 INTRODUCTION. 



committee, consisting of Ezra L'Hommedieu, John Cantine, Philip Schuyler and 

 Alexander Webster, of the senate ; James Livingston, Jonathan Brown, Jacob 

 Delamater, John D. Coe, Zina Hitchcock, Samuel L. Mitchill and John Smith, 

 of the assembly, reported a bill, entitled " An act concerning roads and inland 

 navigation," w^hich became a law, and which directed the commissioners of the 

 land-office to cause the country to be explored, between Fort Stanwix and Wood 

 creek, in Herkimer county, and a similar survey to be made between the Hudson 

 and Wood creek, in Washington county. The law further directed the commis- 

 sioners to make an estimate of the expense of constructing canals on those routes. 

 The commissioners submitted a favorable report, and governor Clinton, at the next 

 session, commended the subject earnestly to the consideration of the legislature. 

 Thereupon a law was passed, entitled " An act for establishing and opening lock 

 navigation within this state." The act commenced with the terse recital " Where- 

 as a communication by water between the southern, northern and western parts 

 of this state will encourage agriculture, promote commerce and facilitate a gene- 

 ral intercourse between the citizens ;" and provided for the incorporation of two 

 associations, the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, and the Northern 

 Inland Lock Navigation Company. The purpose of the western company was 

 to open a lock navigation from the Hudson river to Lake Ontario and the Seneca 

 lake ; and that of the northern company was to connect the same river with 

 Lake Champlain. The act appointed as directors in the two companies, Philip 

 Schuyler, Leonard Gansevoort, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Elkanah Watson, 

 John Tayler, Jellis A. Fonda, Wilham North, Goldsbrow Banyar, Daniel Hale, 

 John Watts, Walter Livingston, Dominick Lynch, James Watson, Matthew 

 Clarkson, Ezra L'Hommedieu, Melancton Smith, David Gelston, Stephen Lush, 

 Cornelius Glen, Silas Talbot, John Frey, Douw Fonda, John Sanders, Nicholas J. 

 Roosevelt, Daniel McCormick, Marinus Willet, Jonathan Lawrence, Phihp Van 

 Cortlandt, James CUnton, Abraham Ten Broeck, John Wilhams, Stephen Van 

 Rensselaer, Jacobus Van Schoonhoven, John Van Rensselaer, Abraham G. Lan- 

 sing, Henry Cluackenbush, Robert R. Livingston, Philip Livingston, James Duane, 



