HYDROLOGY OF XKW YORK 



723 



In January, 1791, Governor George Clinton, in an address to 

 the Legislature, urged the necessity of improving the natural 

 water channels in order to facilitate communication with the 

 frontier settlements. Following this address, in February of the 

 same year, a joint committee was appointed to inquire what 

 obstructions in the Hudson and Mohawk rivers it would be proper 

 to remove. As the result of this inquiry, an act was passed 

 March 24, 1791, authorizing the Commissioners of the Land Office 

 to explore and survey the ground from the Mohawk river at Fort 

 Stanwix (now Rome) to Wood creek with reference to construct- 

 ing an artificial channel, and also to survey the Mohawk and 

 Hudson rivers for improvement by locks and to estimate the 

 cost of the same. A sum not exceeding $500 was appropriated 

 to pay the expense of such survey. 



At that time the channel of commerce was by the Mohawk from 

 Albany to Fort Stanwix in boats of about five tons burden. Going 

 west these boats carried from 1} to 2 tons and on the easterly 

 trip 5 tons. From Fort Stanwix there was a portage of 2 miles 

 across the flats to Wood creek, whence the course lay into 

 Oneida lake and river, and from thence into Seneca and Oswego 

 rivers to Lake Ontario; or, from points farther west, up Seneca 

 river to Lakes Cayuga and Seneca. At that time it cost from 

 $75 to $100 per ton for transportation from Seneca lake to 

 Albany. The time occupied in going from Albany to Seneca 

 lake was twenty-one days, and in returning eight days. 



The commissioners appointed under the act of March, 1791, 

 were Elkanah Watson, Gen. Phillip Schuyler, and Goldsborrow 

 Bayner. On the 3d of January, 1792, the commissioners reported 

 the cost of improving, the route from Albany to Seneca lake by 

 locks and canals at $200,000, whereupon the Legislature passed 

 an act March 30, 1792, incorporating the Western Inland Lock 

 Navigation Company, for the purpose of opening navigation by 

 locks from the Hudson river to Lakes Ontario and Seneca, and the 

 Northern Inland Lock Navigation Company, charged with per- 

 forming a like service from the Hudson river to Lake Chainplaim 

 The capital stock of each company consisted of 1000 shares of 

 $25 each, but the companies were afterwards allowed a capital 

 stock of $300,000 and an increase of the same from time to time 



