New York State Canal Commissioners Abstracts and Vouchers of Expenditures

Chronological by month.

The Office of Canal Commissioner was permanently established in 1817 (Chapter 262) and abolished by a constitutional amendment, 1876. A law of 1819 (Chapter 124) required the Canal Commissioners to settle accounts with the Comptroller; a law of 1821 (Chapter 26) required them to take duplicate receipts for all expenditures.

Abstracts of expenditures by Canal Commissioners were submitted monthly for audit by the Comptroller's office.

Each abstract lists vouchers by number and gives name of payee, nature of expenditure, and amount. The abstracts include every sort of expenditure for canals, such as ordinary repairs carried out by Superintendent of Repairs, new construction, repair of breaks in the canal, damages to adjacent lands, equipment for offices of toll collectors and weigh masters, building of state boats, advertising for proposals, etc. Each abstract includes an affidavit of the Canal Commissioner that the accounts are correct; accompanying it are the original receipted vouchers. Sometimes invoices and letters are attached. Most of the abstracts and vouchers were originally bundled by month, the wrapper bearing the name of the Commissioner, inclusive dates, and total amount of vouchers. The series also contains some Canal Fund abstracts and vouchers.

A1125Series A1125, Contracts and accounts for construction and repair, contains related records

A1899Series A1899, Contract documents for canal enlargement and repairs, contains related records.

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