A landmark history of New York; also the origin of street names and a bibliography . ch to the prosperity of the city, but hewas destined to render it a greater service than anyalready to his credit. To cut a canal through ]^ewYork State and thus to unite the Great Lakes andthe Hudson was his dream and his ambition. In1800 Buffalo was a village and Rochester a mereclearing with a single log cabin. The great fertileregions in that section, now rich with wheat, werealmost bare, because it cost too much to transport thegrain to Albany. At last, in 1810, after a great dealof work, the Legislature
A landmark history of New York; also the origin of street names and a bibliography . ch to the prosperity of the city, but hewas destined to render it a greater service than anyalready to his credit. To cut a canal through ]^ewYork State and thus to unite the Great Lakes andthe Hudson was his dream and his ambition. In1800 Buffalo was a village and Rochester a mereclearing with a single log cabin. The great fertileregions in that section, now rich with wheat, werealmost bare, because it cost too much to transport thegrain to Albany. At last, in 1810, after a great dealof work, the Legislature was induced to appoint acommittee of investigation. Gouverneur Morris,one of New Yorks worthy sons, and De WittClinton, untiring and never satisfied that he haddone enough, were on this committee. Later on,Robert Fulton was also appointed. The plan contemplated a canal four hundredand forty miles in length, and an expenditure of sixmillion dollars. Clinton saw clearly what an enor-mous benefit the city would derive, but his politicalenemies, who referred to his project as The Big. Blockhouse, One Hundred and Twi uty tliird Street, east ofAmsterdam Avenue. Photographed 1900. 184 A LANDMARK HISTORY OF NEW YORK Ditch/ hampered him at every step, and in 1824,after he had worked for fonrteen years, succeeded inhaving him removed from the committee. What a shame! exclaimed Emily. Ay, but they hurt themselves more than theyhurt him. When the people heard what had beendone, indignation meetings were held, and when elec-tion time came they gave him that big majority forgovernor that I have already mentioned. But to return to the canal. On October 26,1825, everything was ready to let the waters of LakeErie into the channel that had been dug. A greatcelebration had been planned. There being no tele-graph in those days, cannons had been placed allalong the route to give notice of the great event. Atten oclock the first gun was fired; at eleven oclockthe Albany signal rang out; all the way
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