Report of the commissioners, appointed by an act of the Legislature of the State of New-York, entitled, an act to provide for the improvement of the internal navigation of the state, passed April 8th, 1811, for the consideration of all matters relating to the said Inland Navigation.

Livingston, Brockholst, 1757-1823

De Witt, Simeon, 1756-1834

Report

War 1812

Commissioners

Western Inland Lock Navigation Company

Financing

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

Hudson River

New York (State)

Erie Canal

Infrastructure-Canal

Rensselaer Stephen Van 1764- 1839

North, William, 1755-1836

Eddy, Thomas, 1758 - 1827

This forty page report is the second one issued by the committee which documents that it had applied to the general government for funding, without success. It was submitted by committee members The commissioners Gouvenor Morris, S. Van Rennsselaer, DeWitt Clinton, Simeon DeWitt, W. North, Thomas Eddy, and Robert R. Livingston in March of 1812 . The War of 1812 put a temporary halt to the process. Notwithstanding, the Commissioners tried to keep the subject of the canal alive and so printed another report in 1814. This report brought to light that the conveyance of the materials of war from the seaboard to the western frontier was grievously felt-sometimes the cost of transportation was higher than the original cost of the materials transported. Included in this report is a copy of a letter written by James Madison in support of the canal. The five documents accompanying the report of the commissioners include a copy of the application made to the Congress of the United States, copy of the application made to the different states and territories, copy of a letter to the president of the United States, report of the commissioners appointed to attend at the seat of the general government, and a copy of a letter of 13th February, 1812, from Robert Bowne to the committee appointed to confer with the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company. Also included is a message to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States signed by James Madison.

Status: Currently not held at Mina Rees Library.

Excerpted from original publication: Report of the commissioners, appointed by an act of the Legislature of the State of New-York, entitled, an act to provide for the improvement of the internal navigation of the state, passed April 8th, 1811, for the consideration of all matters relating to the said Inland Navigation. Albany: Printed by S. Southwick, 1812. ACCESSION # 0407.F4.25; EC0016; EC0017

1812

COMPOUND

Report of the commissioners appointed by joint resolutions of the Honorable the Senate and Assembly of the State of New York of the 13th &15th March, 1810, to explore the route of an Inland Navigation from Hudson's River to Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. ; pages 34 and 35.

Porter, Peter B. (Peter Buell), 1773-1844

De Witt, Simeon, 1756-1834

Commissioners

Expenditures/Expenses

Report

Financing

New York (State)

Erie Canal

Rensselaer, Stephen Van, 1764-1839

North, William, 1755-1836

Eddy, Thomas, 1758 - 1827

Pages thirty-four and thirty-five of a thirty-five page report of the commissioners to explore the route of an inland navigation from the Hudson River to Lakes Ontario and Erie. The commissioners weree appointed by joint resolutions of the New York State Senate and Assembly. In 1810, this Board of Commissioners was organized to make further surveys regarding inland navigation in New York and to report the estimation of the probable expense of the completion of the canal. The commissioners weree also directed to make application to Congress and the legislatures of the individual states. This is the first report of that commission. The commissioners Gouvenor Morris, S. Van Rennsselaer, W. North, DeWitt Clinton, Thomas Eddy, Peter R. Porter, and Simeon DeWitt submitted this report in February, 1811. One of the questions that remained unanswereed at the end of the report was who should be financially responsible for the canal's construction.

Excerpted from original publication: Report of the commissioners appointed by joint resolutions of the Honorable the Senate and Assembly of the State of New York, of the 13th &15th March, 1810, to explore the route of an Inland Navigation from Hudson's River to Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Albany: Printed by S. Southwick, 1811. ACCESSION #2277; EC0015

1811

SINGLE