New York State Department of Public Works Subject Files of the Deputy Superintendent

Although the Department of Public Works was created in 1923, the office of Deputy Superintendent did not exist until the appointment of Bertram D. Tollamy on January 16, 1945. The Deputy Superintendent was the head of the Department's executive staff as well its second ranking administrative official. As such these files reflect the departments responsibilities to plan, design, construct and maintain highways, bridges and grade separation structures, canals and waterways, and State owned buildings. The bulk of the subject files were created during E. Burton Hughes' tenure as Deputy Superintendent. Hughes was appointed in 1952 and stayed in this capacity for over ten years. There is a small amount of records dating from 1951 when Fred W. Fish second as Deputy Superintendent.

This series consists of correspondence (incoming and outgoing), memoranda, maps, plans, blueprint, photographs, studies, reports, minutes of meetings, duplicate legislative bills, contracts, opinions, resolutions, claims and complaints directed to or generated by the Deputy Superintendent of the Department of Public Works. The files contain information on numerous topics. Appearing most frequently are files dealing with arterials, bridges, highways, parkways, the Barge Canal, state buildings, parks, proposed legislation, federal aid, the development of the department's budget, land appropriations, rights of way, damage claims filed against the state, various state authorities such as the New York State Bridge Authority, flood control, assorted commissions and committees, water drainage, and beach erosion, materials and equipment, and water supply.

Earlier Deputy Superintendent subject files are no longer extant, having been destroyed in the early 1970s.

B0251-15: This accretion contains subject files from ca. 1960-1990, relating to the Ship Canal, Hudson River to the Great Lakes Waterway, and the Canalization of the Genesee River. Files contain correspondence, studies, reports, drawings, and photographs.

10487Series 10487, New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner's Correspondence and Subject Files, 1940-1989, contains related records.

B0251-15: These records were identified and transferred by principal engineer William Schollenberger of the New York State Canal Corporation in April 2014.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.