Research: Topics: Transportation: Guide to Canal Records
Guide to Canal Records
Superintendent of Public Works
B0382. Correspondence and subject files, ca. 1907-1921. 89 cu. ft.
B0201. Minutes of the Canal Commissioners and Superintendent of Public Works, 1817-1921. 0.6 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Chronological.
Created in 1816 (Chapter 237), the Canal Commission operated until it was abolished by an 1876 constitutional amendment transferring its powers to the newly created office of Superintendent of Public Works. The series contains minutes of meetings, maps, diagrams, drawings, tracings, decisions, petitions, correspondence, resolutions, contract lists, testimonies, depositions affidavits, and newspaper clippings. Minutes missing from this series date from early December 1883 through late May 1887 and from early January 1889 through late October 1896.
B0202. Index to minutes of the Canal Commissioners and Superintendent of Public Works, 1817-1921. 1 cu. ft. (15 volumes)
Arrangement: Alphabetical by name or subject.
This index allows both name and subject access to series B0201, Minutes of the Canal Commissioners and Superintendent of Public Works, described above. All of the index volumes are extant.
B0216. Canal system contract agreements and specifications, ca. 1888-1904. 4 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Chronological.
These records provide extremely detailed information on canal contracts entered into by the State for canal improvements prior to the construction of the Barge Canal. Included among the agreements and specifications are bonds, financial statements of bonding companies, general contracts, maps, tracings, drawings, correspondence, and bid proposals. The contracts deal with various construction projects, but most relate to one of the following: lengthening of locks on the Erie and Oswego canals; attempt to enlarge the Champlain Canal; introduction of electricity to towage; second enlargement of the canals; and early stages of Barge Canal construction or the third enlargement. Subjects dealt with in detail include type of work to be performed; prices to be paid for materials and labor; materials and procedures to be used by contractors; and the supervision of construction projects.
B0220. Canal contract final accounts, 1896-1905. 1 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Chronological
This series contains final contract accounts as well as explanations of extra work, receipts, and resident assistant and division engineers' affidavits to final accounts. Data provided includes name of contracting firm; date of contract; description of construction project; authorizing legislation; description of items purchased or services performed; quantities and cost of materials utilized; partial payments made by the Superintendent of Public Works to contractors; reasons for alternations; and explanation regarding extra work.
B0345. Advertising journal for the letting of canal construction contracts, 1903-1923. 0.3 cu. ft. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of advertisement.
A3261. Electrical inspector's Barge Canal construction correspondence, 1911-1914. 0.2 cu. ft.
Arrangement: By official (electrical inspector, Superintendent of Public Works), then chronological.
An electrical inspector employed by the Superintendent of Public Works kept this file documenting Barge Canal construction, especially concerning work on electrically- operated locks. The bulk of the series consists of the electrical inspector's reports to the Superintendent. The series also includes correspondence to the electrical inspector from companies supplying machinery or parts, and informational copies of mostly routine letters from the Superintendent to other employees or companies. The correspondence concerns such subjects as results of inspections (e.g. discovery of faulty capstan motors in canal locks); water levels in canals; construction work; need for and installation of lights; readiness of locks for navigation; damage, wear, and repairs to machinery; appointment, salaries, and training of lock employees; and operating procedures for locks.
A1277. Notices of service upon owners of lands appropriated for the Barge Canal, 1906-1916. 0.8 cu. ft. (3 volumes)
Three volumes contain carbon copies of affidavits of annexed notices of appropriations of property by the State. The affidavit is signed by an employee of the Department of Public Works (on behalf of the Superintendent of Public Works) and states that the Department under a law of 1903 has annexed the lands described and is thereby informing the owner of the land in writing as the Department has been unable to reach the owner in person.
These affidavits contain detailed descriptions of the land to be appropriated by the State for Barge Canal purposes pursuant to laws of 1903, 1909, and 1911. An insert in the beginning of volume 1905-1911 dated March 13, 1905 entitled "Procedure in taking possession of lands under Chapter 147 of the Laws of 1903" describes in detail the procedures and policies involved.
B0338. Depositions regarding notices of land appropriations for Barge Canal purposes, 1913-1916. 0.3 cu. ft. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of deposition.
B0293. Index to canal structure map and plan books, ca. 1834-1905. 1 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Cards indexing volumes of land appropriation maps and descriptions are alphabetical by county, and therein alphabetical by name of person from whom land was appropriated; cards indexing volumes of canal locations and structures are divided into three sets of cards: two sets are arranged by division (eastern, middle, western), then alphabetical by structure (abutments, aqueducts, bridges, etc.); the third set is alphabetical by subject.
These 3" x 5" cards serve as an index to series B0292, Canal Structure Map and Plan Books (page 38). The index is divided into two parts. One part indexes volumes containing maps and descriptions of lands appropriated by the State for canal purposes pursuant to Chapter 79 of the Laws of 1895. These cards provide name of the person from whom land was appropriated; number of acres; location (town, city, or village and county); and book number and page.
The second part indexes volumes containing maps, plans, drawings, and other records regarding the location of canals and related structures built thereon. Within this part of the index are three sets of cards. One handwritten set and one typed set provide division, canal, structure, book and page number, brief description of the reference, and occasionally the date of the reference. The third set of cards constitutes the bulk of this part of the index and provides a brief narrative description, book number, and page number.
Finding aids: Container list.
A4290. Card index to western division canal maps, plans, estimates, and related structures, ca. 1830-1925. 1.5 cu. ft. (ca. 7,000 cards)
Arrangement: By subject category.
This series indexes at least three series of records documenting work on the western division of the State's canal system: B0380, Western Division Maps and Plans (page 42); B1211, Roll Maps Relating to the Western Division of the Erie and Barge Canals (page 46); and B0730, Engineers' Field Books Pertaining to the Construction of the State's Canal System (page 37). The index cards were created to provide subject access to the various maps, plans, drawings, estimates, and related documents produced for the proposed work and ongoing maintenance of the canal system and its structures in the western division. The index remained in active use well into the 1970s.
The pre-printed 3" x 5" cards have handwritten information on them. Usually the subject reference is in the upper left corner and the map or book number in the upper right. "Map" numbers refer to maps, plans, drawings, profiles, and other related representations. "Book" numbers refer to field books. Cards typically contain such information as: kind of work or specific type of structure (e.g. "Whipple Arch bridge"); geographic coverage or specific work area; law and chapter number of authorizing legislation; and specific and sometimes extensive remarks (e.g. map "very old;" waste weir "on land of Elizabeth Dayton;" dates of surveys and names of surveyors).
Finding aids: Container list.
B0738. Superintendent of Repairs' printed abstracts of expenditures for work on the western division of the Barge Canal, 1912-1923. 0.5 cu. ft. (2 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological.
Finding aids: Volume list.
B0386. Duplicate petitions submitted to the Court of Claims pertaining to canal related damages, 1897-1908. 2 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Numerical by claim number, corresponding to chronological order.
Finding aids: Container list.
B0340. Assistant Superintendent's record of bills pertaining to the eastern division, ca. 1911-1914. 1 cu. ft. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of bill.
B0368. Journal of receipts and expenditures for construction of Barge Canal, 1915-1918. 0.5 cu. ft. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Chronological by month.
B0346. Ledgers for canal related accounts, 1886-1899. 1 cu. ft. (4 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of account.
Finding aids: Volume list.
B0373. Journal pertaining to canals, 1893-1899. 0.3 cu. ft. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Chronological by month.
B0342. Abstract registers of vouchers for money expended on State canals, 1916-1918. 1 cu. ft. (2 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of abstract.
Finding aids: Volume list.
B0337. Canal ice permits, 1895-1906. 0.4 cu. ft. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of permit.
B0697. Newspaper clippings regarding events on the Barge Canal, 1902-1908. 0.5 cu. ft. (1 volume)
B0341. Abstracts of expenditures, 1916-1921. 0.8 cu. ft. (2 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of abstract.
Finding aids: Volume list.
Superintendent of Public Works
Assistant Superintendent's Office
B1021. Photographs of culverts on western division of Erie Canal, ca. 1900. 0.5 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Numerical by culvert number.
Superintendent of Public Works
General Inspector's Office
B0332. Newspaper clippings regarding canal operations and conditions, 1885-1912. 2 cu. ft. (10 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of clipping.
Finding aids: Container list.
Superintendent of Public Works
Publicity Agent's Office
B0234. Correspondence files, 1921-1922. 1 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by last name of correspondent or firm.
Compiled by Charles E. Ogden, these files document the State's effort to promote widespread use of the Barge Canal. The files contain incoming and outgoing correspondence as well as newspaper clippings, magazine articles, brochures, and press releases. The records contain information on the preparation of lantern slides to be shown at various public forums, techniques for advertising and promoting the Barge Canal, goods shipped on the canal, the proposed re-introduction of canal passenger packets, and the distribution of literature and photographs regarding the State's canal system.
Finding aids: Folder list.
Superintendent of Public Works
Board of Consulting Engineerings
B0225. Correspondence files, 1904-1906. 1 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Chronological.
These files contain incoming and outgoing correspondence, photographs, reports, blueprints, and maps generated by or directed to the Advisory Board of Consulting Engineers (predecessor to the Board of Consulting Engineers). The files deal with detailed technical matters concerning the location and construction of the Barge Canal as well as general administrative subjects. Correspondence for 1907 through 1911 is not extant.
B0221. Reports and recommendations, 1913-1914. 0.5 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Chronological.
These records consist of typed carbon copies of reports and recommendations compiled by the Board of Consulting Engineers and submitted to the State Engineer and Surveyor. The reports deal mainly with work already performed on Barge Canal contracts and proposed work. They provide detailed information on construction methods as well as the administrative processes involved in supervising construction progress. Moreover, the reports and recommendations are important because the State Engineer and Surveyor often followed the board's suggestions.
B0222. Weekly employment reports, 1914-1921. 0.5 cu. ft.
Arrangement: Chronological.
These reports provide information on the daily assignments and duties of consulting board members to review work completed on various Barge Canal construction projects. These are printed forms that were submitted to the State Engineer and Surveyor at the end of each week (Monday through Saturday).
