Local Historical Monume^its. 



the structure of the pre-Erie canal, the effort of early New York to 

 avail itself of that depression of the hills, which constitutes the great 

 gateway to the West. The structure is in decay; while a little effort 

 and taste would make it pleasantly available to the admiration and 

 instruction of the millions who travel by its side. The stones are 

 ready to fall from its graceful, single arch bridge — the lock is incum- 

 bered with encroachments, and history is covered up. 



Your committee have been careful to avoid the encouragement to 

 any large expenditure. It is not intended, nor desirable, that any one 

 person should give all that the report recommends. It may be that, 

 in the prosperity which has attended enterprise and industry among 

 us, the small cost suggested, in each case in this report, may attract 

 the kindly notice of some citizen who nicay identify his name with the 

 good work ; and to some, one locality will be more familiar than to 

 another. They would hope it may be the good fortune of the Insti- 

 tute to see this work done. They believe it a result of intelligence, of 

 cultivation, of the attrition of a refined people. It is for this day to 

 do, for as yet the memories of living men connect us with history. It 

 is for us to show that, with our increase in material prosperity, came 

 our advance in intelligence. 



If they shall succeed in directing the notice of the citizens of 

 Albany to this subject, as not in the line of mere sentiment, but as in 

 the truth of education of gentlemen, the Institute will have a felicitous 

 recollection of good achieved. In all London, one of its most precious 

 possessions, and every year enhancing in value, is the plain stone 

 inclosed in the wall of a church, which has to be sought out, but 

 which the intelligent man does seek out, because it is Roman history 

 in modern England. 



If we succeed in our archaeology, we give value to our city, as hav- 

 ing had the taste and sense to preserve the physical association of a 

 rich and prosperous community in its high civilization, with the brave 

 trader founders who dared the wild beast and the wild man, to assert 

 the supremacy of thought. 



W. H. BOGART, 

 DAVID MURRAY, 

 S. C. HUTCHIXS, 

 LEONARD KIP, 

 ABRAHAM LANSING, 



Committee, 



