IO SOUTH BUFFALO FLOODS AND PROPOSED REMEDY. 



The fourth plan mentioned — that of providing an adequate 

 channel within the city seems to be the only feasible as well as 

 efficient method of handling the proposition. 



With this proposition in view extensive surveys and measure- 

 ments were made and after much figuring and arguing, a sort 

 of a compromise plan was adopted by the Board of Public Works 

 and the work of widening and deepening the channels of Buffalo 

 River and Cazenovia Creek on present lines was advertised in 

 1900 and bids received. The bids were reported to the Com- 

 mon Council and referred to a committee, where I believe they 

 still are. 



I refer to this as a compromise plan, because the engineers 

 employed to criticise it, as well as the engineers who designed 

 it, apparently agreed that quite radical changes of the channel 

 in the shape of short cuts across country would be better, but 

 that the present channel was the line of the least resistance in 

 the matter of property damages. It was also considered to be 

 less expensive than would be the building of a straighter chan- 

 nel, but that must have been due to the failure to obtain esti- 

 mates from the engineers employed. 



The asserted great cost of straightening the channel, due to 

 the necessity of providing new railroad bridges is not a charge 

 upon the people of the territory benefitted nor upon the city — 

 The Buffalo River within the city limits is, according to the 

 laws of the state of New York, a navigable stream and is recog- 

 nized as such by the United States authorities— as such, it is 

 subject to the Federal laws in the matter of crossings — Such 

 crossings are an individual charge upon those enjoying the 

 privilege. 



The cost of necessary extension of sewers and construction of 

 new outlets will be about $19,000.00. 



In April, 1902, a preliminary plan for straightening, widening 

 and deepening the channels within the city limits and a cut-off, 

 or additional discharge into the lake, or what is now known as 

 the outer harbor on account of the new breakwater construction, 

 from a point about 10,800 feet from the present outlet of the 

 river was approved by the Commissioner of Public Works and 

 submitted to the Common Council. By order of the Common 

 Council, a survey was made, and the work in accordance with 

 this plan carefully laid out and estimated. 



