HYDROLOGY OF NEW YORK 



539 



intendent of Public Works amounts to this : That if necessary 

 he would stop all these great manufacturing industries which are 

 now owned and operated by citizens of the State of New York in 

 order, chiefly, to transport 45,493 tons of coal for Pennsylvania 

 mine owners. 



In justification of this position of the Superintendent of Public 

 Works it may be pointed out that as the Executive Officer of the 

 Canal Department he is charged with the maintenance of the 

 canals and the execution of the canal laws generally. Officially, 

 he can therefore take no other position than the one herein dis- 

 cussed. The criticisms are therefore directed towards the policy 

 and not towards the official who is doing his duty under existing 

 law. 



Compensation in land on Black river. Chapter 157 of the laws 

 of 1836 provided for the construction of the Black river canal. 

 One of the provisions of this law was that the feeder and canal 

 shall be so constructed as to pass as large a quantity of water 

 to the Erie canal as can reasonably be spared from Black river, 

 and from the northern portion of the Black river canal. The 

 Black river canal proper extends from Rome to the Black river 

 at Lyon Falls, from whence to Carthage navigation is maintained 

 on that river by means of jetties, locks and dams. In 1848 a dam 

 was built at Forestport, diverting the waters of Black river 

 through a feeder ten miles in length, leading from Forestport to 

 Boonville, where it enters the summit level of Black river canal; 

 thence its waters flow both southerly to Erie canal at Rome, and 

 northerly through Black river canal to where that canal enters 

 the river at Lyon Falls, at which place such portion of the water 

 as flows northerly is restored to Black river. 



The feeder is estimated to carry 16,000 cubic feet per minute 

 between Forestport and Boonville. Of this amount 5000 cubic 

 feet per minute is returned to Black river at Lyon Falls, whence 

 the diversion to Erie canal becomes, less the evaporation and per- 

 colation losses, 11,000 cubic feet per minute. 



The Forestport feeder was opened regularly for use in July, 

 1849, and shortly thereafter claims were made by the owners of 

 water power upon Black river for damages, but for several years 

 the Canal Commissioners took the ground that the appropriation 



