'Let us then proceed' with building the Erie Canal: This week in Mohawk Valley history

1817, 206 years ago

The beginning

It began with a hole in the ground. Not a very big hole but big enough, nevertheless, to attract state officials from Albany and comments from New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton. They were on a piece of land just south of Rome and they were there to witness the breaking of ground that would be the beginning of construction of the Erie Canal.

It was early morning on July 4, 1817, and the state officials were joined by a small group from Rome. Judge Joshua Hathaway, representing the citizens of Rome, said a few words and was followed by Samuel Young, the state commissioner of canals. Young spoke briefly and ended with, "Let us then proceed with the work." He handed a shovel to a contractor who plunged the blade into the ground and lifted a shovelful of dirt.

And so with that small hole began what, at the time, was the most ambitious construction and engineering project in the short history of the country. The hole would grow and grow into a hole 4 feet deep, 40 feet wide at the top, 28 feet wide at the bottom and, incredibly, 353 miles long — connecting Lake Erie in the Buffalo area with the Hudson River, in the Albany area. A wide towpath also would be built for the entire length of the canal so that boats — up to 70 tons capacity — could be towed by horses and mules.

It would cost more than $7 million to build and New Yorkers alone were paying the bill. The federal government — headed by President James Madison — had refused to appropriate any federal funds for the project. In fact, Thomas Jefferson had said that the plan to build a canal 353 miles long through forests and swamps and over hills and valleys without any mechanical equipment (had not ben invented yet) and without civil engineering (no such thing at the time) "was a little short of madness. Perhaps in a hundred years." Also, officials in New York City opposed the canal, saying that only Upstate New York would benefit from its construction and not Manhattan.

Clinton, however, disagreed. He said that not only could the canal be built, but when it was completed (it was in 1825), it would make New York the greatest state in the union and New York City the greatest seaport in the world. It would connect the western states — via the Great Lakes — with the Atlantic Ocean, via the Hudson River. It would, he said, divert markets in the Midwest from flowing down the Mississippi River to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico and turn them east to New York state and the Atlantic seaboard.

(A section of the Erie Canal between Utica and Rome opened in 1819 and the entire 353 miles opened in October 1825. It was an immediate success with nearly 2,000 boats passing through the first year and tolls pouring nearly a million dollars into the state treasury. When Jefferson (who had opposed the canal) learned about its success, he suggested that the federal government take over its operation and collect its tolls for the federal treasury. There is no record of Clinton's response to that suggestion, but it had to be something like: "Sorry, Mr. Jefferson, but New Yorkers paid for the canal and New Yorkers shall profit by it.")

1923, 100 years ago

Street widened

Devereux Street — connecting Genesee and Charlotte streets in downtown Utica — is widened. At one time, many of the city's wealthiest people lived there. In 1833, it was named for Nicholas Devereux, whose home occupied the block bordered by Genesee, Blandina, Charlotte and Devereux streets (today the site of the State Office Building). In 1839, Devereux, with his brother, John, co-founded the Savings Bank of Utica.

Last week in Mohawk Valley history: A memorable lunch on the White House lawn

1948, 75 years ago

Dog days

Good news for Oneida County's dog population. The state Department of Health says there no longer is a threat of rabies in the region. There has been since January 1947 when a number of cases among cows and other animals were reported. The lifting means that dogs no longer will have to get those disagreeable anti-rabies shots.

1973, 50 years ago

Health commissioner

Dr. Kenneth Macleod, of Cortland County, is named Oneida County's first health commissioner. He has a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Horatio Seymour School in North Utica wins the City Grammar School Baseball League championship with a 7-1 record. The Butch Convertino-coached team includes: Stuart Service, John DeCarlo, Art Risucci, Huey Hughes, David Grimaldi, Doug Roby, John Penc, Paul Fanelli, Eric Niebuhr, Dave Scarchelli, Ron Bush, Don Gaffner, Andy Altieri, Chris Sirianni, Jerry Sessa, Paul Dutkiewicz, Bob Murphy, Mike Koperda and Stan Siuta.

James Dunn, police chief of Rome since 1948, retires. He has served longer than any city police chief in the state.

1998, 25 years ago

Rome schools

Francis Murphy is Rome's superintendent of schools. He has been interim superintendent since May.Joseph David is elected commander of the Whitestown American Legion, Post 1113. Others elected include: Lawrence Smith, first vice commander; John Damanda, second vice commander; Carl Ciccarelli, third vice commander; Charles Price, adjutant; Michael Jenks, chaplain; Albert Ciccarelli, historian; John B. Sprague Jr., judge advocate; Francis Moore, sergeant-at-arms, and Joseph Toro, service officers. Executive committee members: Linda Majka, Alfred Matys, Richard Alfano, James Goddard, Roger Bushinger and Richard Gerstner.

The Oneida County Music Educators Association awards scholarships to: Vincent Sperrazza of Sauquoit, Hannah Schlotterer of Rome, Katherine Wilcox of Lee Center, Annemarie Moffitt of Clinton, Geoffrey Robson of New Hartford and Jereaine Hill of Clinton.

2013, 10 years ago

Utica schools

Christopher Salatino is re-elected president of the Utica Board of Education. Louis LaPolla is vice president.

Louis Donato is elected commander of Utica Commandery 3, Knights Templar.

The New York State Sports Writers Association names three area high school baseball players to its all-state first team. They are: Anthony Rizzo, of Clinton; and J.T. Ross and Zach Vennaro, of New York Mills. Rizzo had a 10-1 record as a pitcher and a 0.46 earned run average. He had 92 strikeouts in 76 innings. Ross had a career .476 batting average and Vennaro had a 7-2 record as a pitcher and a 0.73 earned run average. He also hit .431.

Trivia quiz

Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States from 1801-1809, could read, speak and write four foreign languages. Name them. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: George Washington never slept in the White House for he had died before the nation's capital was moved from Philadelphia to Washington. But he did have a name he preferred for the new office and home of the president. It was the "President's House."

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at ftomaino221@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Building the Erie Canal: This week in Mohawk Valley history