New York State Engineer and Surveyor Western Division Engineer's Office Contract Specifications, Engineers' Estimates, and…

This series is arranged chronologically by date the project was started.

Chapter 79 of the Laws of 1895 proposed enlargement and improvement of the canals. Work was to be done by contract and in accordance with plans, specifications, and estimates prepared and approved by the State Engineer and Surveyor that stated the extent of each piece of work and the materials to be used in doing it. Succeeding legislation in 1896 and 1897 amended that law, regulating the making of contracts for work on the canal, reapportioning unexpended balances, and appropriating funds for carrying on canal improvements. These records document some of the work contracted for during those years under the applicable laws.

This series is comprised of 6 volumes of contract specifications, engineers' estimates and other documents related to the nine million dollar project for the improvement of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego canals. These records were created by Western Division Engineers Office of the New York State Canal System between 1892 and 1905. An index is included for each volume, either in the front or back. The indexes are organized alphabetically by project, then by the type of record. If a project has both specifications and an estimate, then the page locations of both records are listed underneath the project. The volumes contain carbon copies the aforementioned documents on thin, onionskin paper. Earlier volumes tend to be handwritten while the later volumes are typewritten.

The main types of records in these volumes are specifications and estimates. Specifications describe a project as well as how the project should be completed. They often include a general summary of the project, expectations, earthwork (i.e. grading, removal of trees, excavation, application of broken stone), masonry work, metalwork, inspection by engineer, timeline, and casualty clauses. Estimates include the name and location of the project; quantities, types, and prices of material, cost of labor including creation of plans, supervision, advertising, engineering and the total cost of the project.

Volume 5 in this series is an expense book that outlines the traveling, living, and miscellaneous expenses of the engineers working on these projects from 1902-1905. These documents include the name of the engineer, project on which they were working, date the project started, list of expenses, cost of each expense, and the total cost. This volume includes a name index in the back of the volume.

B0688Series B0688, Journals for Western Division accounts

B0689Series B0689, Ledgers for Western Division Accounts

B0396Series B0396, Sectional canal survey maps of the 1895 improvement of the Erie Canal

B0395B0395, Contract plans relating to improvement of the Erie and Oswego canals

A4425Series A4425, Card file index to Erie Canal construction and improvements

B1210Series B1210, Middle and Western Division survey maps for the proposed 1895 Erie Canal enlargement

B0292Series B0292, Map and plan books of the location and construction of the state's canal system and

B1211Series B1211, Maps and profiles relating to the Western Division of the Erie and Barge canals, all contain related records.

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