In writing the history of so large a subject as the New York canals, many portions of the account must necessarily become a compilation of comparatively isolated and unimportant facts. Especially will this be true in a work of reference. In this volume, less the epoch-making features be obscured by the mass of detail, a brief synopsis of the whole development of canals in New York State is here given.

A study of the progress of canal-building in Europe and America reveals three general stages: first, the early canals – usually of small capacity – before the advent of railroads, when water-ways afforded the only cheap means of transportation; second, the original or enlarged canals in competition with the railroads – the latter at first grew to be dangerous rivals, then gradually secured the bulk of the traffic, and finally began purposely to divert all trade in order to abolish the canals and destroy competition; third, the general reconstruction of waterways, brought about by a realization of the dangers resulting from the absence of competition in freight rates. This third stage was reached in Europe some twenty or thirty years ago; old canals were deepened – generally with the unprofitable branches omitted – and new channels were built, in the endeavor to provide waterways deep and large enough to permit cheap rates. In general, great success has attended these efforts; old industries have revived, new ones have sprung up, resources have been developed and commerce has been stimulated, eventually even to the benefit of the railroads. In America this third stage is just being entered. The United States and the Canadian governments have already made considerable progress, and now some of the states – New York in the lead – are beginning the work of reconstruction.

Aside from this general classification, the specific history of the natural and artificial waterways of New York state may be divided into seven periods, or stages, of improvement, which in turn may be subdivided into several smaller periods. These main periods, with their distinctive events, are as follows:

1609-1790. The Period of Natural Streams; their use with but few artificial improvements; the later efforts to improve them, but without tangible results.

1791-1807. The Period of Inland Lock Navigation Companies' Canals; their construction and use while the people were coming more and more to realize the need of some adequate means of transportation.

1808-1834. The Period of the Original Erie and Champlain Canals; the agitation which produced them; their construction; their marked success and popularity, which led to an eager desire for similar channels throughout the whole country, and which inaugurated the policy of constructing lateral canals in New York state.

1835-1862. The Period of the First Enlargement of the main branches of the system and of the continuation of building laterals.

1863-1891. The Period of Minor Improvements and of Abandoning the Laterals, – a period beginning with comparative quiet for a few years till the rapidly increasing competition of rival railroads and Canadian canals changed it into a period of agitation and of striving for suitable means of meeting that competition, – an effort which looked toward the later enlargements, but could find expression in actual works of construction only in such improvements as the introduction of successful steam propulsion, the lengthening of locks, the installation of machinery for hauling boats into locks and a few other betterments; a period also of abandoning certain lateral branches, of greatest freight movements and of their subsequent decrease, of abolition of tolls, of extravagant expenditures, of retrenchment and of the beginning of awakened interest in canals.

1892-1898. The Period of the Second Enlargement, from the time of the first legislative action to accomplish this end to the stoppage of the partly completed construction.

1899-the present. The Period of the Third Enlargement, or the Barge canal, from the appointment of a committee to formulate a proper canal policy, through the agitation for its fulfilment, to the beginning of the resulting work of construction.

These main periods may, be subdivided into the following shorter periods:

1609-1768. The period of using the natural streams, with but few artificial Improvements.

1768-1790. The period of awakening to the needs of improved navigation, during which the first official action appeared.

1791-1797. The period of constructing the Inland Navigation Companies’ works.

1798-1807. The period of quiet before the people were ready to undertake the task which the conditions demanded.

1808-1816. The period of active canal agitation.

1817-1825. The period of constructing the Erie and Champlain canals and of beginning agitation for lateral channels.

1826-1834. A period of remarkable success attending the canals, during which the amount of traffic exceeded all expectations, – a success that demanded an enlarged channel, and induced the building of the Oswego, Cayuga and Seneca, Chemung, Crooked Lake and Chenango canals by the State and the Oneida Lake and Delaware and Hudson canals by private enterprise. A period of growth of railroads, also, so that not only were an enlarged channel and a ship canal proposed, but railways to supersede the canals were suggested.

1835-1841. The period of beginning the first enlargement of the Erie, of constructing the Seneca river towing-path, of beginning the construction of the Black River and Genesee Valley canals and the Oneida River improvement and of purchasing the Oneida Lake canal. In the midst of this period occurred a financial panic, which, together with the increased cost of the improvements and an inadequate plan of financing the enterprise, so involved the State in debt as to require the stopping of all work, except that essential to preserve the integrity of the canals, until the monetary affairs could be adjusted.

1842-1846. Another period of comparative quiet, – so far as the work of construction is concerned, – while the Constitution was being readjusted in order to permit the resumption of operations on a more conservative financial basis.

1847-1853. The Constitution of 1846 permitted the interrupted work to be resumed, but under restrictions which led to legislative turmoil, through attempts to evade the constitutional limitations by selling the revenue of the canal in advance. Only another amendment to the Constitution could remedy this difficulty. During this period the Baldwinsville canal – built and operated for forty years by private enterprise – was appropriated by the State, and railroad tolls, which had been applied to the canal fund, were abolished.

1854-1862. Under provisions for borrowing needed money, the work of enlarging the Erie proceeded, with some interruptions for lack of funds, to a so-called completion in 1862. At the same time the Oswego and the Cayuga and Seneca canals were enlarged, and in 1860 a deepening of the Champlain to five feet was begun. Early in this period there was inaugurated the system of repairs by contracts, which was later to furnish material for sensational charges of fraud.

1863-1868. A period of few improvements, although a beginning was made toward completing the work left unfinished in 1862, and there was an active attempt to provide locks suitable for gunboats on the Erie, Champlain and Oswego canals. During the latter part of the period evidences of extravagance began to appear. Experiments in steam propulsion were claiming attention, the Chenango canal extension was begun and an attempt to enlarge the locks of the Oneida Lake canal resulted in beginning an enlarged canal on a new location.

1869-1875. A period of greater activity, after the release of the revenues from certain obligations imposed by the debt of 1846; of investigations into canal management, with far-reaching reforms, including the abolition of the contracting board and the contract system of repairs, the adoption of a policy of retrenchment and a little later the substitution of a Superintendent of Public Works for the canal commissioners; of agitation which subsequently resulted in abandoning the Chemung, Crooked Lake, Chenango and Genesee Valley canals, and ultimately the Oneida Lake canal; and of active attempts to perfect steam towage. During this period a second deepening of the Champlain – to seven feet – was begun but never fully accomplished.

1876-1883. A period of retrenchment, but also of continued agitation for increased facilities for transportation, the "Seymour plan" of enlargement being enunciated. During this time the tolls, after having been repeatedly reduced since the building of the canals, were finally abolished.

1884-1891. The period of lock-lengthening on the Erie and Oswego canals. This time really marks the beginning of renewed interest in canal improvement, showing the swing of the pendulum away from the intensely adverse public sentiment of a decade earlier. This renewed interest, prompted by the pressing need of meeting sharp competition, at first was content with the project of lock-lengthening, but eventually it did not rest satisfied until the present movement to modernize the canal system was undertaken.

1892-1895. The period of constitutional and legislative action and of popular approval, preparatory to the second enlargement of the Erie and Oswego canals and another attempt at increasing the size of the Champlain. During this period, electricity first made its appearance as a motor for towage.

1896-1898. The period of the second enlargement of the chief canals, interrupted in its midst by the exhaustion of funds, and followed by an investigation of alleged frauds and extravagances. The period closes with the appointment of a committee to formulate a suitable canal policy.

1899-1903. A period of preliminary surveys, considerations and agitation for the Barge canal.

1904-the present. The beginning of the period of reconstructing the State canal system, according to plans and dimensions of modern practice.