Erie Canal Commission facts for kids

The Erie Canal Commission was a special group created in 1810 by the New York State Legislature. Their main job was to plan the famous Erie Canal. This huge project aimed to connect the Great Lakes to the Hudson River in New York, making it easier to transport goods and people.

Later, other groups were formed to help with the canal. In 1817, the Canal Fund was set up to manage the money for building the canal. Then, in 1826, a Canal Board was created to run the canal once it was finished. Sometimes, the name "Canal Commission" was used to describe any of these groups. Over time, the canal commissioners became state officials in charge of keeping the canals in good shape.

The role of Canal Commissioner ended in 1876. Their duties were then taken over by the Superintendent of Public Works. The Canal Fund and Canal Board were also eventually closed down in 1910.

Why the Erie Canal Commission Was Needed

As the United States grew, especially into western New York and the Northwest Territory, the Great Lakes became super important for shipping goods. The easiest way to get from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and Europe was through the St. Lawrence River. But this river was mostly controlled by the French in Canada.

People started thinking about building a canal from the Great Lakes to the Hudson River, especially after looking at the Mohawk River. This canal would not only help control shipping in North America but also connect the western parts of the country more closely to the eastern states. This would make the nation stronger and more unified. Building such a massive canal needed a special group to plan and oversee everything. That's where the Commission came in!

The idea for the Commission came from two men: Thomas Eddy and Jonas Platt. Eddy was in charge of a company that tried to make the Mohawk River easier to travel. When his company faced money problems, he thought about building a canal instead of just using rivers. This idea had first been suggested by Joshua Forman in 1808. Eddy talked to his friend Platt, who was a powerful State Senator. They decided to suggest creating a small, influential group of commissioners. This group would explore two possible canal routes: one to Lake Ontario and one to Lake Erie. They would then report their findings to the New York State Legislature.

To make sure their idea was approved, Platt and Eddy knew the group had to be made of respected people. It also needed to include members from both main political parties at the time: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. On March 13, 1810, Platt presented his plan for a bipartisan (meaning both parties) Canal Commission to the State Legislature. It received a lot of support. Just two days later, on March 15, the State Legislature officially appointed the first commissioners. These included Federalists like Gouverneur Morris, Stephen Van Rensselaer, William North, and Thomas Eddy. Democratic-Republicans like DeWitt Clinton, Simeon DeWitt, and Peter Buell Porter were also chosen. Their mission was to explore a route for a canal to Lake Erie and report back.

Exploring the Canal Route

In June 1810, the commissioners were ready to travel west and explore the land for the best canal route. Even though Gouverneur Morris was the official President of the Commission, everyone looked to DeWitt Clinton for leadership. Most of the members traveled up the Mohawk River by water as far west as they could. There, they met two amateur surveyors, James Geddes and Benjamin Wright. From that point, they traveled the last 100 miles from Lake Seneca to Lake Erie by carriage. DeWitt Clinton wrote down everything they did and saw in a detailed journal.

After much discussion, the Commission wrote a report with their findings, which they presented in March 1811. They decided that the canal absolutely had to go straight to Lake Erie. If it went to Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River would still be the main shipping route, and the West wouldn't be truly connected to the East. They also rejected Morris's idea of using a natural waterway. Instead, they decided on building a completely artificial canal.

The most important part of their report was the demand for public funding and control of the canal by the State of New York. They pointed to past failures of private companies, like Eddy's old company and George Washington’s Potomac Company. They argued that such huge projects were simply too expensive for private money to handle.

The War of 1812 and Its Impact

When the War of 1812 broke out, things changed. Van Rensselaer became the head of the New York State Militia. Clinton even ran for president against James Madison, who supported the war. Also, even though the State Legislature allowed the Commission to create a fund for the canal in 1812, they took that permission away in 1814. This left the commissioners without much power.

Finally, after the United States made peace with Great Britain, officials could focus on the canal again. They held a public meeting in New York City on December 3, 1815. The meeting successfully got people excited about the canal by showing how much the city would benefit. Even though President Madison stopped a bill that would have provided money for a quarter of the canal, the Commission convinced the State Legislature to go ahead with construction anyway.

New Leaders for the Canal Project

On April 17, 1816, the State Legislature passed a bill that gave more money for the project. They also appointed new Commissioners to Construct a Canal from the Hudson River to Lake Erie and Lake Champlain. These new commissioners included Van Rensselaer, Clinton, Joseph Ellicott, Myron Holley, and Samuel Young. Ellicott knew a lot about the lands in western New York. Holley was a strong supporter of government-funded projects. Young had even written a detailed study about canals.

The canal project soon became a part of politics, with different parties trying to get credit for its construction. A political group called the Bucktails tried to gain control over the Commission, which was still largely led by Clinton in 1817.

On April 19, 1817, the State Legislature created the Canal Fund to manage the construction money. This fund was overseen by important state officials like the Lieutenant Governor and the State Comptroller. The original Canal Commission remained a separate planning group, which meant Clinton's power over the canal was now split.

In 1818, Ellicott left the Commission due to poor health. Clinton appointed Ephraim Hart, one of his strong supporters, to replace him. However, the Bucktail majority in the State Legislature chose Henry Seymour, an opponent of Clinton, to take over in 1819.

Clinton lost even more control of the Commission in 1821. The Bucktail-controlled State Legislature passed a bill that provided two million dollars for the canal. It also allowed for an additional commissioner to be appointed. As Governor of New York, Clinton had to sign the bill so he wouldn't seem like he was blocking the necessary funds. The Bucktails quickly elected William C. Bouck, another strong opponent of Clinton.

A big blow to Clinton came on April 12, 1824, when his opponents managed to remove him from the Commission. Even though many in the State Assembly supported him, they voted him out. Clinton had been a commissioner from the very beginning and its president since 1816. However, people were so upset about how he was treated that Clinton was re-elected Governor of New York in November 1824. He had the great satisfaction of leading the celebration when the Erie Canal was finally finished on October 26, 1825.

How the Canal Was Managed Later On

The New York State Constitution of 1821 planned for a Canal Board to manage the canal once it was running. This Board was officially created in 1826. It included the same officials as the Commissioners of the Canal Fund, plus the members of the Canal Commission. This basically combined the two groups. In 1846, a new position, the State Engineer and Surveyor, took over some of the roles.

Until 1844, the commissioners served for an unlimited time. After that, a law set their term to four years. The Constitution of 1846 later shortened the term to three years.

The job of Canal Commissioner was officially ended in 1876. Its duties were then taken over by the new Commissioner of Public Works.

In 1903, the New York State Legislature approved building the "New York State Barge Canal." This project improved the Erie, Oswego, Champlain, and Cayuga and Seneca Canals. Construction of the Barge Canal started in 1905 and was finished in 1918. Today, this system is known as the New York State Canal System and is managed by the New York State Canal Corporation.

Some Important Canal Commissioners

Many people served as Canal Commissioners over the years, helping to plan, build, and manage the Erie Canal and other waterways. Here are some of the key figures: