90 
STATE AaRICULTURAL SOCIETY 
ITS PRACTICABILITY IN COMPARISON WITH NEW YORK CANALS. 
“ There are twelve canals in the state of New York, of an 
aggregate length of 886 1-2 miles. These canals connect nat¬ 
ural channels to the extent of 886 miles, making the total 
length of navigable channels within the state 1,272 1-2 miles. 
The construction of these canals was commenced in 1817, and 
the Erie was completed in 1825. The enlargement was com¬ 
menced in 1835, and the construction account closed in 1862, 
although practically completed in 1859. 
“ The cost of the twelve canals, including enlargement and 
land damages, , was $65,644,848. To this add interest on loans 
and the cost of repairs and management up to 1855, inclnsive, 
and the total cost to New York was $107,853,056. The 
amount of tolls received, inclusive of the year 1865, was $98,- 
272,287, enough, even then^ into $14,580,769, to pay off in full 
the entire cost of the canals. In a few years more the tolls on 
the New York canals can be reduced to a sum just suflhcient 
to pay for repairs and management. The cost of repairs and 
management up to 1865, inclusive, was 21,2-3 per cent of the 
gross receipts. 
“ Of these canals, the Erie is the only eastern and western 
through canal. The remaining eleven are lateral canals, feed¬ 
ers to the Erie and outlets for from two to four counties each. 
Two or three of these lateral canals are self-sustaining. The 
remainder only become so by crediting to them the tolls on 
freights which they bring into the Erie. Without this credit, 
tolls on the lateral canals, with the exception of two or three, 
have not more than paid, and in most cases have not paid the 
cost of repairs and management. 
“ The receipts from tolls on the Erie canal alone, up to 1865, 
inclusive, have paid: 
“ 1. The cost of the original Erie canal. 
“ 2. The enlargement, including improvements and land 
damages. 
“ 3. Interest on loans. 
