ject and did not pursue the matter further. He was a prophet and now, more than a century afterward, his vision is assuming substantial form.

Mr. Colles again appealed to the Legislature, and the Committee having the matter in charge made a favorable report upon his application. The petition of Christopher Colles was referred to Mr. Jeffery Smith, who, on March 17, 1786, reported in favor of "An Act for improving the navigation of the Mohawk river, Wood creek, and the Onondaga river with a view of opening an inland navigation to Oswego, and for extending the same, if practicable, to Lake Erie." But the Legislature adjourned without taking final action on the proposition.

Mr. Colles was one of the first to call attention to the gap in the Appalachian mountain chain.

In 1786, Goldsbrow Banyar, General Philip Schuyler and Elkanah Watson were appointed commissioners "to examine and report on making a canal from Wood creek to the Mohawk river and generally as to the most judicious plan of making the river navigable." 1

As early as 1787 Joel Barlow in his "Vision of Columbus" prophesied that:

"From fair Albania, toward the setting sun,

Back through the midland length'ning channels run;
And the fair lakes, their beauteous towns that lave,
And Hudson's joined to fair Ohio's wave."

In 1788, Elkanah Watson visited Fort Stanwix. He says in his Journal:

"In contemplating the situation of Fort Stanwix, at the head of batteaux navigation on the Mohawk river, within one mile of Wood creek, running west, I am led to think this situation will, in time, become the emporium of commerce between Albany and the vast western world above.

"Wood creek is, indeed, small, but it is the only water communication with the great lakes. It empties into the Oneida lake; thence down the Onondaga and Oswego rivers to Lake Ontario, at Fort Oswego, where the British have a garrison.

"Should the Little Falls be ever locked, the obstructions in the Mohawk river removed, and a canal between said river and Wood creek, at this place formed, so as to unite the waters running east, with those running west;-and other canals made, and obstructions removed to fort Oswego,-who can reasonably doubt but that by such bold operations, the State of New York have it within their power, by a grand stroke of policy, to divert the future trade of lake Ontario, and the great lakes above, from Alexandria and Quebec, to Albany and New York."1

Nothing is said by Watson about existing water communication effected by sluices. In September, 1791, he visited Fort Stanwix again, and in his Journal he says: "We transported our boats, and baggage, across the carryingplace, a distance of two miles, over a dead flat,-and launched them into Wood creek, running west,-huzza! It is a mere brook at this place, which a man can easily jump across."

The mill dam and sluices in Wood creek did not then establish water communication between that creek and the Mohawk river. It is improbable that the forces at Fort Stanwix, under the command of Col. William Bradstreet in 1758, or those under General Prideaux and General Sir William Johnson in 1759, all of whom were compelled to pass from the Mohawk through Wood creek and Oneida lake to reach Oswego and Lake Ontario, constructed the sluices referred to by Captain Carver for military purposes, notwithstanding that was the established route for transporting troops and supplies as well as for general travel between the Mohawk river and Lake Ontario, as neither Sir Henry Moore, nor Elkanah Watson, both of whom were particularly interested in that subject, made it a matter of record.

Had artificial water communication between the Mohawk and Wood creek existed in 1766, as stated by Carver, it would have been an event of such importance as to occasion comment by all who traveled that way thereafter. However, none of those who passed from the Mohawk to Wood creek before or after 1766 make mention of any such water Western Canals," 15, 16.

1. Watson's "History of the

communication effected by sluices and some speak of Fort Stanwix as the western terminus of canal navigation until the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company completed its canal in 1797.

On March 17, 1786, Mr. Jeffrey Smith, of Suffolk County, introduced a bill, entitled "An act for improving navigation of the Mohawk river, Wood creek and Onondaga river, with a view of opening an inland navigation to Oswego and for extending the same, if practicable, to Lake Erie."

This was undoubtedly predicated upon the petition from Christopher Colles, with a report of the practicability of rendering the Mohawk river navigable, which was presented to the Assembly and referred to the committee, of which Mr. Jeffrey Smith was chairman.

On March 25, 1786, the committee of the whole, through its chairman, Mr. N. Smith, reported that it had made some progress in the consideration thereof and was granted leave to sit again. The same action was taken on the report of a committee on March 29th, April 4th and April 5th, 1786, but the session adjourned without taking further action in relation to the matter.

It would be exceedingly interesting to peruse the debates on that occasion had they been preserved by an adequate system of stenographic reporting, but, unfortunately, they were not preserved and we are left largely to conjecture as to what was said by the prominent men in the Assembly at that time upon the report of Christopher Colles then under consideration.

The debate, however, undoubtedly centered public attention upon the feasibility of a waterway through the State which would afford a far better means of communication than theretofore existed. Furthermore, it was a step leading up to important legislation which soon followed.

In 1791 Governor George Clinton in his address to the Legislature, among other things, said in relation to internal improvements that "Our frontier settlements, freed from apprehension of danger, are rapidly increasing, and must soon yield extensive resources for profitable commerce;

this consideration forcibly recommends the policy of continuing to facilitate the means of communication with them, as well to strengthen the bands of society as to prevent the produce of those fertile districts from being diverted to other markets."

V. FURTHER EVOLUTION-THE INLAND LOCK NAVIGATION COMPANIES.

The next step in the evolution of internal improvements was taken in the Senate by Elisha Williams in 1791, when he introduced a resolution "to appoint a joint committee to examine what new roads are necessary to be opened in this State, and what obstructions in the Hudson and Mohawk rivers will be proper to be removed, and to report thereon, with their opinion of the most eligible mode for effecting the same, and defraying the expense thereof," which was favorably acted upon by both Houses in a report made to the Assembly by Col. James Livingston, of Montgomery County, recorded as follows:

"Mr. Livingston, from the committee of this House, consisting of a member from each county in the State, appointed on a joint committee, with a committee of the honorable the Senate, to examine and report relative to roads and inland navigation, reported, that it is the opinion of the committee that the commissioners of the land office be authorized to make and offer proposals to such person or association of persons as will contract to open a water communication between the Mohawk river and Wood creek; and such person or persons as will remove impediments to the navigation of boats between Rensselaerwyck and Fort Edward; and such person or persons as will open a water communication between Fort Edward and Lake Champlain; with power to grant such person or persons an exclusive right to the profits of a reasonable toll on the canals when so opened for a limited term of years-and further, that it is the opinion of the committee, that the rivers Delaware and Susquehannah, with their navigable branches, ought to be made public highways; and that provision by law ought to be made for removing and preventing any obstructions that now are, or hereafter shall be made in the free navigation thereof. And that the committee are further of opinion, that the commissioners of the land office be requested to

report to this House what new roads are proper to be laid out at this time, and whether any and what legislative provision is necessary for that purpose."

Such report was committed to a committee of the whole House, whereupon the following proceedings were had on Monday, February 23, 1791:

"Mr. Livingston, pursuant to notice by him given for that purpose yesterday, moved for leave to bring in a bill entitled An Act for opening communications between Wood creek and Mohawk river, and between Lake Champlain and Hudson river, and for removing certain obstructions in the Hudson and Mohawk rivers.

"Ordered, That leave be given accordingly.

"Mr. Livingston, according to leave, brought in the said bill, which was read the first time, and ordered a second reading.

"Mr. Barker, from the committee of the whole House on the report of the committee relative to roads and inland navigation, as entered on the journals of this House of the 26th instant, reported, that the committee agreed to certain resolutions, which he was directed to report to the House; and he read the report in his place, and delivered a copy of the said resolutions in at the table, where the same were again read, and agreed to by the House. Thereupon,

"Resolved, That that part of the same report which contains the opinion of the committee, that the commissioners of the land office be authorized to make and offer proposals to such person or association of persons as will contract to open a water communication between the Mohawk river and Wood creek, and such person or persons as will remove impediments to the navigation of boats between Rensselaerwyck and Fort Edward, and such person or persons as will open a water communication between the river Hudson and lake Champlain, with power to grant such persons an exclusive right to the profits of a reasonable toll on the canals so opened for a limited term of years, be committed to a committee of the whole house on the bill last mentioned.

"Resolved, That that part of the same report which contains the opinion of the committee, that the rivers Delaware and Susquehannah, with their navigable branches, ought to be made public highways, and provision by law be made for removing and preventing any obstructions that now are, or hereafter shall be made in the free navigation therein, be committed to a committee of the whole house, on the bill entitled An Act to prevent the obstructions of the navigation in the rivers Delaware and Susquehannah.