consequences, render New York the greatest commercial emporium in the world, with perhaps the exception, at some distant day, of New Orleans, or some other depot at the mouth of the majestic Mississippi. From your perspicuous topographical description, and neat plan and profile of the route of the contemplated canal, I entertain little doubt of the practicability of the measure. Perhaps this is the only question which the Legislature should be particularly anxious to have resolved. The expense, be it what it may, is no object when compared with the incalculable benefits arising therefrom, though doubtless, it will deserve attention, that the money granted liberally be wisely and economically expended."

To the report is annexed a schedule of cessions of land agreed to be made to the People of the State by the Holland Land Company and others. During the War of 1812-1814, several attempts were made to repeal several sections of the Act of June 19, 1812, which was not accomplished until the session of 1814.

Robert Fulton, writing under date of February 22, 1814, to Gouverneur Morris, on the advantages of the proposed canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson river, says:

"As I passed three years at various canals in England, to obtain practical knowledge on the manner of constructing them, and to make myself familiar with their advantages, and was well acquainted with some of the best engineers, I know this calculation to be correct. Hence one cent per ton per mile, is one dollar a ton for 100 miles, while the usual cost of wagoning is one dollar and sixty cents per hundredweight for 100 miles, or thirty-two dollars a ton. It consequently follows, that on a canal, a ton weight could be boated 3200 miles for the sum now paid to wagon it 100 miles; and the persons at 3200 miles from a good seaport, would have all the advantages of trade, or of bringing their product to market, which those who reside only 100 miles from market now enjoy, provided the canal were toll free. . . . From this one cent per ton per mile I will draw some interesting calculations on the present price of freight in sloops on Hudson's river, between New York and Albany, and show that it could be done much cheaper by a canal; the proof of them will be conclusive, that if a canal can give advantages superior to sloop navigation on Hudson's river, which is one of the most rectilinear and best in the world, the benefits to be derived from the one contemplated must be vastly superior to every kind of road, river or lake communication from Lake Erie to Hudson's river."

Mr. Fulton says that from custom-house returns he found that there were 400 sloops or vessels of every description employed with an average capacity of sixty tons each, making eleven trips up and down the Hudson river in one season, and he estimates the tonnage of the Hudson river at 504,000 tons, upon which he computes the saving in freights, in the aggregate, at $550,200. His letter has many pertinent suggestions with reference to the advantages to accrue from such a canal and his opinion had much weight. Gouverneur Morris, who replied to this letter from Morrisania, on March 3, 1814, said that he considered it of so much value that he should transmit a copy to Albany "that it may be communicated to members of the Legislature." Governor Tompkins in his speech at the opening of the Legislature of 1816, said:

"It will rest with the Legislature, whether the prospect of connecting the waters of the Hudson with those of the Western Lakes and of Champlain, is not sufficiently important to demand the appropriation of some part of the revenues of the State to its accomplishment, without imposing too great a burden upon our constituents. The first route being an object common with the States of the West, we may rely on their zealous coöperation in any judicious plan that can perfect the water communication in that direction. As it relates to the connecting the waters of the Hudson with those of Lake Champlain, we may with equal confidence count on the spirited exertions of the patriotic and enterprisng State of Vermont."

There followed on March 8, 1816, a further report from the commissioners to the Legislature, in which they say:

"During the late War it was impracticable to carry on any further operations to forward the objects of their appointments, by pursuing the surveys and levels heretofore commenced with a view to ascertain the most desirable route for the proposed canal from Lake Erie to the tidewaters of the Hudson river. . . . It now remains for the Legislature to provide means to enable the commissioners to engage a competent professional engineer to examine minutely the whole of the ground and decide on the most expedient route. From the number and respectability of the applications now before the Legislature in favor of an immediate commencement and vigorous prosecution of this great National work, it is evident that the

immense advantages which would result from its completion are duly appreciated by our fellow-citizens; and it only remains for the Legislature to sanction by their approval an undertaking which combines in one object, the honor, interest and political eminence of the State. "While the commissioners cannot express, in terms sufficiently emphatic, their ideas of the incalculable benefits which will arise from a canal navigation between the great western lakes and the tidewaters of the Hudson, they fully appreciate the advantages of connecting the waters of Champlain with the Hudson, and they most respectfully represent to the Legislature, the expedience of adopting such preliminary measures as may be necessary for the accomplishment of this important object."

Memorials from Cadwallader D. Colden and others of New York and from the citizens of the village of Troy and petitions of the inhabitants of the towns of Buffalo, Seneca, Geneva, Reading, Junius, Lyons, Caledonia, Genoa, Lenox, Ulysees, Avon, Paris, Bloomfield, Hartland, Ridgeway, Russia, German Flats, Newport and Schuyler and of the inhabitants of the City of Albany and of the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonality of the City of New York and of the inhabitants of the counties of Oneida, Genesee and Chautauqua, were presented to the Legislature in 1816, favoring the construction of a canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson river.

The memorial of the citizens of New York in favor of canal navigation between the great western lakes and the tidewaters of the Hudson was presented to the Assembly on February 21, 1816, and ordered printed.

De Witt Clinton, Thomas Eddy, Cadwallader D. Colden, and John Swartwont were the Committee appointed to draft and circulate it, but it was largely, if not entirely, the work of De Witt Clinton. This memorial was the most comprehensive statement ever made to a legislative body in America, setting forth the advantages to accrue from inland water navigation. It is an exhaustive review of the advantages of water transportation in other countries; and its clear presentation of the advantages to the State of New York that would accrue from the construction of a system of waterways from the Hudson to Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Lake

Champlain, made a deep impression on the legislators of that day and is worthy of perusal by this and subsequent generations.1

Mr. Van Rensselaer, from the joint committee of the Senate and Assembly, on March 21, 1816, reported "that the committee had taken into consideration the numerous petitions and memorials from the cities, counties, villages and towns in this State, which evinced on the part of the petitioners and memorialists (amounting to several thousands in number) great anxiety that the improvement of the inland navigation of the State should engage the early attention of the Legislature and that vigorous measures should be adopted for its early completion." That committee further reported that the "sources of revenue as the benefits to result from the canal navigation gradually unfold themselves will be found, in the opinion of the Committee, in the increased value of real estate in the great commercial cities, the towns and villages and generally that part of the country in the vicinity of which the said canals shall pass."

Various sources of revenue are enumerated in the report whence funds were to be realized for the construction of this work, the expense of which was estimated to be six millions of dollars. The estimate was not far out of the way, for the original cost of the Erie Canal was $7,143,789.

Statements of the feasibility of the route and the engineering problems involved and the cost of different sections were furnished by James Geddes and Benjamin Wright. The Assembly entered upon the consideration of the proposed act for improving the internal navigation of this State on April 3, 1816, and continued the discussion thereon on April 10th, 11th, 13th, and 15th, when the bill received 83 affirmative votes and 16 negative votes on a report of the Committee of the Whole. The bill had its third reading in the Assembly on April 15, 1816, and received 91 affirmative votes and was passed, there being only 18 negative votes.

In the Senate the bill was taken into consideration on April 16, 1816, and was considered on April 17th, at which time certain amendments were proposed to the original bill.

I.

It will be found in subsequent pages of this collection.

On the latter date the bill passed the Senate with some amendments and was returned to the Assembly and the amendments concurred in by the Assembly on the same day. The bill was approved by the Governor, and became chapter 237 of the Laws of 1816.

Under that act the canal commissioners were "to cause those parts of the territory of this State to be explored and examined for the purpose of fixing and determining the most eligible route, and cause necessary surveys and levels to be taken and accurate maps, field books and drafts thereof to be made, and further to adopt and recommend proper places for the construction and foundation of the said canals, and of the locks, dams, embankments, tunnels, and aqueducts, which might be necessary for the completion of the same and cause all necessary plans, drafts and models thereof to be executed under their directions."

The commissioners met in the city of New York May 17, 1816, and organized by electing De Witt Clinton president, Samuel Young secretary, Myron Holley treasurer. Charles C. Brodhead was designated as engineer for the eastern division from Rome to the Hudson river; Benjamin Wright was designated as engineer of the middle section, extending from the Seneca river to Rome, and James Geddes was designated as engineer for the western section, extending from Lake Erie to Seneca river. William Peacock was designated as engineer to explore and survey the country from the east line of the Holland Purchase to Buffalo south of the ridge under the supervision of Joseph Ellicott, Esquire, to determine as to whether or not the canal might not be constructed more economically along that route. The Champlain canal was in charge of an engineer of the name of Col. G. Lewis Garin.

At the extra session of the Legislature, convening on November 5, 1816, Governor Tompkins said: "It is respectfully submitted to your wisdom to make provision at the present session, for employing a part at least of the state prisoners, either in building the new prison at Auburn, erecting fortifications, opening and repairing great roads, constructing canals, or in making other improvements."