Morrisania 369 



and other refuse floated for days. The canal was declared a 

 public nuisance by the boards of health of both Morrisania 

 and New York; and, after annexation, by the Park Depart- 

 ment, by the Department of Street Improvements, by the 

 Board of Estimate, and by other public bodies. A street was 

 officially laid out to take the place of the canal; and upon the 

 opening and grading of 138th Street by the city of New York, 

 the Legislature of 1896 authorized the construction of a bridge 

 on that street over the canal. The street soon became one 

 of the most important thoroughfares in the Borough, as it 

 was the principal outlet for the coal, lumber, and building ma- 

 terial yards in this locality, as well as the approach to the Mott 

 Haven station of the railroad, and to the Madison Avenue 

 Bridge. When the trolley lines were added to the usual traffic, 

 the old, narrow, wooden bridge over the canal became wholly 

 inadequate, and the street became badly congested at that 

 point. 



The fight against the canal lasted for over a quarter of a 

 century; and still it existed, the authorities failing either to 

 close the canal and abate the nuisance, or to build the bridge 

 authorized by law. This was due to two causes: first, the 

 claim of the owners that their vested rights could not be in- 

 terfered with, and second, the enormous political power wielded 

 by the North River Electric Light and Power Company, which 

 used the canal for business purposes. The claims of the owners 

 as to vested rights were disposed of by the courts ; and with the 

 change in administration in New York, the electric company 

 lost its pull, and the work of filling in the canal from 144th 

 Street down was begun in June, 1901. In February, 1903, 

 the Dock Department built a bulkhead at 138th Street; and 

 the work of grading and curbing Canal Place, as the new street 

 is called, was completed in August, 1903. The materials 



