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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



somewhat greater revenue. The commissioners replied to this 

 communication at length, giving in detail the amount of toll levied 

 on different articles transported, and finally concluded with the 

 statement that it would be impossible to increase the toll 

 materially, because the articles transported were at that time 

 taxed all they would stand. If the rate of toll were made 

 materially greater, many articles would not be transported on the 

 canals, but would go by other channels, as by the St Lawrence 

 river and by the Great Lakes. The State would thus lose the 

 benefit derived from carrying them. 



About 1833 to 1835 railroads began to attract attention as 

 means of transportation, and in 1835 John B. Jervis, Holmes 

 Hutchinson, and Frederick C. Mills, the principal canal engineers 

 of that day, were instructed to report on the relative cost of 

 transportation on canals and railroads. In an introduction to 

 their report by William 0. Bouck and Michael Hoffman, Canal 

 Commissioners, it is stated that it will not be difficult to show 

 that the expense of transportation on railroads is materially 

 greater than on canals. But in addition to this there were other 

 important considerations in favor of canals : 



1) A canal may be compared to a common highway on which 

 every man can be the carrier of his own property, therefore 

 creating the most active competition, and thus reducing the 

 expense of transportation to the lowest rates. The farmer, mer- 

 chant, and manufacturer can avail themselves of the advantages 

 of carrying their own product to market in a manner best com- 

 porting with the interest of each individual. 



2) Much of the property carried on the canals is carried In- 

 tra importation companies, although the largest portion is carried 

 by individuals and small associations. The individual who be- 

 comes the carrier of his own product has the advantage of paying 

 nearly one-half of all the expense of transportation in the regular 

 course of his business, and the cash disbursements do not often 

 much exceed the payment of the tolls. To the farmer the profits 

 on return freight, in many instances, give a full indemnity for 

 the expense of taking his cargo to market. On railroads, on the 

 other hand, the proprietors must necessarily be the carriers. 



A fixed popular belief in the two principles laid down by 

 .Messrs. Bouck and Hoffman in their introduction to the trans 



