New York Tribune

LOW TOLLS ON THE CANALS.

LIEUT.-GOV. DORSHEIMER SOLICITING THE VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN.

Several weeks ago Lieut.-Gov. Dorsheimer, who is President of the Canal Board, expressed a desire to meet with some of the commercial men of this city for an interchange of views relative to the low-toll question. He said that in revising the canal tolls he was controlled in a great measure by the impressions received from the Canal Committee of the Cheap Transportation Association. This committee held a meeting yesterday, at No. 110 Pearl-st., when the proposed constitutional amendments were discussed. Among those present, besides the Lieutenant-Governor, were F. B. Thurber, President of the Association, E. R. Durkee, Gen. James Wadsworth (ex-Mayor of Buffalo), A. B. Miller, Darwin R. James, H. B. Farrington, Theodore F. Lees, John Dwight, John F. Henry, and M. M. Coles.

Mr. Dorsheimer referred to the constitutional provision which limits the expenditures of the Canal Board to the gross receipts of the previous year, as one presenting a serious difficulty in the way of accomplishing the objects desired by commercial men. He believed in the present low tolls, but thought that some provision should be made for available reference in cases of unforeseen difficulties. If with low tolls, as at present, a deficiency should occur without a provision to make good that deficiency, the canals would be virtually closed. Before this provision was adopted, in case of a deficiency, it could be raised by direct taxation.

Gen. Wadsworth claimed that the reduction of the toll-sheet was all that saved either the traffic or the revenue of the canals. The reason why, under reduced tolls, traffic had diminished and the revenue had decreased, he claimed, was partly because of the depressed condition of business. It was an established fact, however, that the business of the canal had largely increased in corn, and had decreased in the shipments of wheat, while certain commodities which had never been heard of before on the canals were now transported in that way. The decrease in the shipments of wheat were caused by the short crop, and though showing a falling off up to the present time of 5,000,000 bushels, the falling off in shipments by canal was only 1,000,000 bushels, showing that the canals had gained a large proportion of that class of freight.

Taxable property of the State was in round numbers $700,000,000, and in order to raise $1,000,000 for the support of the canals it would only require a tax of 1-7 of a mill on $700. As an illustration of the benefits to be derived from low tolls, he stated that while the transportation of one bushel of potatoes from Lockport to New-York by canal was 25 cents, by rail it was from 50 to 75 cents. Thus, the saving on the freight of four bushels of potatoes would more than pay the $1 toll. He visited the Produce Exchange to elicit the views of that body, and Lieut.-Gov. Dorsheimer also visited the Produce Exchange to receive the views of the members on the canal question. He was received by President Coe, and introduced to a number of the prominent merchants of the Exchange, who took pains to show him the ruins of the building as bearing on New-York. Mr. Dorsheimer expressed himself as fully in accord with the views of the Exchange. It was decided to call a meeting at some future date, when Lieut.-Gov. Dorsheimer will be present to hear a full expression of views. He said he would take no action against the interests of the commercial men at a meeting of the Canal Board which will be held to-day.