Chronology - Cayuga and Seneca Canal.

CHRONOLOGICAL RÉSUMÉ OF IMPORTANT LAWS AND EVENTS.

CAYUGA AND SENECA CANAL.

1813	Chapter 144 – Seneca Lock Navigation Co. incorporated to build canal between Cayuga and Seneca lakes; capital stock $50,000.
1814	Chapter 122 – Capital stock increased to $60,000.
1817	Chapter 93 – Capital stock increased to $72,500; time extended to 1819.
1818	Locks at Seneca Falls completed and boat passed from Schenectady.
1820	Chapter 93 – Canal to be completed in 1822.
1821	Chapter 229 – Cayuga inlet declared public highway. Canal completed: cost about $70,000; $21,000 subscribed by the State.
1824	Chapter 168 – Commissioners to examine Seneca river with view of improving navigation.
1825	Chapter 271 – Commissioners to build canal from Seneca lake to Montezuma and purchase property of Navigation Co.; total cost not to exceed $150,000. Commissioners report, estimating cost $100,000.
1826	Rights of Seneca Co. purchased for $33,867.18; $19,155.04 due to general fund for State’s stock. Contracts let for canal, except from Waterloo dam to Seneca lake.
1827	Chapter 219 – $45,000 appropriated. Chapter 9 (R. S.) – Maps to be made for all existing canals.
1828	Chapter 119 – Commissioners to construct canal to East Cayuga; $10,000 appropriated. Chapter 290 – Commissioners to lower Seneca lake outlet 2 {see errata.} ft. Branch to East Cayuga resurveyed (April) and put under contract (May). November 15, – Canal completed, length 21 11/20 miles; 11 locks, 90 x 15 ft,; lockage 73.5 ft.; water-surface 40 ft.; 4 ft. deep.
1829	Chapter 325 – $8,000 appropriated for canal to East Cayuga; $24,000 for Cayuga and Seneca. Chapter 360 – Outlet of Seneca lake to be deepened to bring lake to same level ; inlet to be deepened 18 inches, 36 ft. wide. Branch canal to East Cayuga completed.
1832	Renewed difficulty in outlet due to lack of water. Towing-path bridge across river below Seneca Falls rebuilt, 247 ft.
1834	Concurrent resolution, survey for improving Cayuga inlet. Hutchinson’s "Blue line" maps completed.
1835	Chapter 202 – $10,000 appropriated for removal of sand bar in Cayuga inlet.
1836	Chapter 453 – Commissioners to rebuild locks of stone same width as enlarged Erie. Towing-path bridge built above upper dam, 285 ft. May 25, – Bad break at Seneca Falls suspends navigation 11 days.
1838	Sand bar at Cayuga inlet removed. Pier 1,550 ft. long built at Cayuga inlet.
1839	Canal board favors enlargement of canal. Channel in inlet 5.5 ft. deep, 80 ft. wide, completed.
1840	Chapter 302 – Channel to be cut through bar at northeast bend of Seneca lake, and height of water regulated; $12,000 appropriated. Chapter 316 – Cayuga inlet to be kept clear.
1841	Chapter 212 – Channel through northeast bend to be made navigable; (nothing done). Dams built at Seneca Falls and Waterloo.
1842	Chapter 114 – "Stop law," all work excepting necessary repairs stopped.
1843	Spring floods damage canal.
1844	Chapter 313 – Amends chapter 302-1840 and repeals chapter 212-1841; lake level to be lowered one foot.
1845	Work on lake level completed. Regulating-weir built at Waterloo.
1846	Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 6, – Canals never to be sold, leased or otherwise disposed of.
1847	Chapter 251 – $1,500 appropriated for keeping open Cayuga inlet for vessels drawing 5 ft. of water. Chapter 348 – Locks to be enlarged to size of Erie, when necessary to rebuild. Dam below Seneca Falls rebuilt.
1848	Commissioners adopt plans for composite locks; their enlargement commenced; lock at foot of Seneca lake and at Chamberlain’s dam to dispensed with.
1849	Chapter 213 – Commissioners to build 4 miles of canal from lock 9 to Montezuma level. Two enlarged, composite locks completed and brought into use at Waterloo.
1850	Estimated cost of separate canal, $128,877.37. Five enlarged locks in use.
1851	Chapter 535 – Cayuga outlet to be improved. Seneca Falls side lock completed. Two piers, 350 and 400 ft., built on Seneca outlet.
1852	Chapter 246 – Commissioners to assume charge of Cayuga inlet.
1853	Chapter 620 – $20,000 appropriated for rebuilding locks.
1854	Chapter 16 – $5,000 appropriated for bottoming out canal. Chapter 329 – $101,000 appropriated for enlargement of canal. Chapter 330 – $100,000 appropriated for enlargement of canal for fiscal year beginning October 1. Canal opened for enlarged boats, Montezuma to Ithaca. Constitution, Art. VII, Sec. 3, – Legislature to appropriate annually for enlargement of canals; also authorizes the enlargement of Cayuga and Seneca canal. Eight locks enlarged.
1855	Eleven locks enlarged.
1856	Chapter 148 – $100,000 appropriated for fiscal year beginning October 1. Work stopped for want of funds.
1857	Chapter 365 – $212,119.42 appropriated. Chapter 479 – Canal from Waterloo to Seneca lake to be deepened to 9 ft. Dam and guard-gate at Seneca Falls completed. Kingdon lock dispensed with.
1858	Chapter 329 – $128,713.84 appropriated, – transferred from Erie fund. Old lock between Seneca Falls and Waterloo removed. $324,336.44 needed to complete enlargement.
1859	Chapter 149 – $66,615 to be raised by taxes for the enlargement of canal.
1860	Chapter 213 – $138,714 appropriated.
1861	September 30, – 10.59 miles enlarged to 7 ft. of water.
1862	Chapter 137 – $30,000 appropriated for completing enlargement. Chapter 169 – All contracts to be closed September 1. Chapter 466 – Bridge to be built at Evans St., Geneva. September 1, – Enlargement complete, excepting part of section No. 7.
1863	Chapter 210 – Appropriation for completing certain improvements to Cayuga inlet, – pier dredging, etc. Channel at foot of Seneca lake completed.
1864	Pier in Seneca river, near Chamberlain’s dam, completed.
1866	Chapter 748 – Appropriation for dredging Cayuga inlet, to make 7 ft. depth, Owego St. to lake.
1867	Chapter 752 – Dam at Waterloo to be raised to original height. Lock No. 6 rebuilt with rubble cement masonry.
1868	Chapter 328 – Bridge to be built over Seneca lake outlet. Chapter 669 – Bridge to be built at Ovid St., Seneca Falls. Chapter 715 – $20,000 appropriated for pier at Geneva.
1869	Chapter 796 – Amends chapter 669-1868 concerning Ovid St. bridge, Seneca Falls. Chapter 882 – $15,000 appropriated for dredging Cayuga inlet and for building towing-path and pier at Ithaca. Chapter 877 – $7,000 additional appropriation for Ovid St. bridge, Seneca Falls. 10 locks, originally laid dry, to be laid in cement.
1870	Chapter 767 – Appropriation for improving berme bank at foot of Seneca lake. Locks Nos. 2, 3, 9 and 11 rebuilt.
1871	Chapter 715 – Additional appropriation for improvements at Cayuga lake, pursuant to chapter 822-1869. Chapter 915 – Swing-bridge to be built at State St., Ithaca.
1872	Chapter 343 – Appropriates $2,000 for completion of improvements, pursuant to chapter 767-1870.
1873	Chapter 766 – Appropriates $40,000 for Waterloo dam.
1874	Chapter 399 – Appropriation for dredging canal.
1875	Chapter 594 – Appropriation for vertical wall at Montezuma. Stone abutments for Teal’s bridge and repairing pier at Geneva, pursuant to chapter 766-1874, completed.
1876	Chapter 193 – Appropriation for removing bars and dredging channel, Cayuga inlet at Ithaca.
1884	April 12, – Part of State dam at Waterloo swept away by a freshet.
1887	Chapter 113 – Appropriation for improving locks Nos. 1 and 2, and dredging between Seneca lake and Waterloo.
1888	Chapter 291 – Swing-bridge to be built at Buffalo St., Ithaca. (Built 1889.) Chapter 325 – Old Bear race at Waterloo to be improved. Chapter 416 – Appropriation for general improvement of canal.
1889	Chapter 110 – Amending chapter 416-1888 concerning improvements to canal. Chapter 150 – Appropriation for repairing second level and State ditch on the canal. Chapter 493 – Appropriation for improvement of canal, pursuant to chapter 113-1887 and 325-1888. Chapter 568 – Appropriation for improvement of canal. February 11, – Work on Bear race stopped by injunction. Piers at Ithaca and Geneva rebuilt.
1890	Chapter 168 – Appropriation for improvement of canal. Lock No. 8 rebuilt.
1893	Chapter 683 – For reconstruction State pier at head of Cayuga lake.
1894	Chapter 279 – For removing obstructions in Cayuga lake. Chapter 424 – For repairing berme bank and breakwater at Seneca lake. Chapter 572 – For improvement of canal.
1895	Chapter 82 – For repairing and raising berme bank between Cayuga and Mud lock. Chapter 142 – For protection of canal by repairs to berme bank and breakwater at foot of Seneca lake. (Completed 1897.) Chapter 219 – Reappropriation for rebuilding pier at head of Cayuga Lake, pursuant to chapter 683-1893. Chapter 308 – For improvement of canal, by dredging. Chapter 512 – For canal improvement at Waterloo.
1897	Chapter 572 – Reappropriates unexpended balance provided by chapter 512-1895.
1898	Chapter 606 – For protection of berme bank of canal at foot of Seneca lake, pursuant to chapter 142-1895. Chapter 606 – Appropriates $10,000 for removing bars and dredging branch to Cayuga lake. Chapter 628 – For a bridge over canal at Seneca Falls.
1899	Chapter 224 – Amends chapter 628-1898 and makes appropriation for bridge over canal at Seneca Falls.
1900	Chapter 417 – Reappropriates unexpended balance for dredging, pursuant to chapter 608-1898, and makes additional appropriation. Chapter 662 – Appropriates $45,000 for extending towing-path from its terminus at Geneva 1,200 feet south to Long pier. Chapter 680 – Appropriates $97,000 for guard-lock and controlling-works in canal at Geneva.
1901	Chapter 645 – For repairing State pier, Cayuga lake, and for dredging inlet near Ithaca.
1902	Chapter 616 – Appropriates unexpended balance, pursuant to chapter 680-1900.
1903	January, – Guard-lock and controlling-works, provided by chapters 680-1900 and 616-1902, completed.
1904	Chapter 632 – Reappropriates unexpended balance for guard-lock, etc., pursuant to chapters 680-1900 and 616-1902.
1905	Chapter 722 – Unexpended balance of enlargement fund transferred to canal debt sinking-fund.

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