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nies; and on the streams in the vicinity of Hudson, eight cotton, two paper, one calico print, two carpet, two flannel, four woollen, and one iron factory: there is also an extensive air furnace, several flouring mills, and four distilleries.

For commercial purposes, chiefly in the whale fishery, there has been invested about forty thousand dollars. Two ships, one of 460, and the other of 320 tons, are now fitting out for whaling voyages ; one for the Pacific ocean, and the other for the Brazil banks.

There is also a considerable business carried on in freighting, by the means of sloops and tow-boats, between the city of Hudson and New-York; and for this purpose, as the committee are informed, more than eighty thousand dollars is invested.

There are about eighty stores of merchandize in the city of Hudson, besides tanneries, and numerous mechanical operations, conducted by individual citizens.

These various branches of trade cannot be conducted profitably, without the facilities afforded by bank accommodation; and the petitioners justly complain, therefore, that they are compelled to depend for such accommodation upon distant institutions. Some of them resort to banks in Massachusetts and Connecticut; while others are driven to Catskill, Poughkeepsie, Albany and New-York; and even there they are frequently disappointed.

The city of Hudson has been peculiarly unfortunate in their banking operations, as the only two banks chartered for the accommodation of its inhabitants have failed; and considerable loss has been sustained, both by themselves as well as by other parts of the State. These failures, however, were owing more to the imperfect provisions of the acts of incorporation, than to any moral turpitude of those who directed the operations of the institutions. Nor had any of the present petitioners, as the committee are informed, any part in conducting the aforesaid banks.

The committee are of opinion, from the best information within their reach, that the manufacturing, commercial, and trading part of the inhabitants of Hudson and its vicinity, require the accommodation of a bank; and that the solvency of such an institution, under the provisions of the act referred to them, will be fully sustained; and they therefore report in favor of the passage of the bill.

No. 293.

IN ASSEMBLY,

March 10, 1830.

REPORT

Of the Select Committee on the petition of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Erie and Niagara, praying that Clark Hilton may erect a dam and lock upon Tonawanda creek.

Mr. Hull, from the select committee, to whom was referred the petition of the inhabitants of the counties of Erie and Niagara, praying that Clark Hilton may erect a dam and lock upon Tonawanda creek,

REPORTED:

That the Legislature, in 1826, passed an act, declaring Tonawanda creek a public highway, from the junction of the Erie canal at Pendleton with said creek, to Murder creek, a distance of about twelve miles. That several years anterior to that time, a dam and mill were erected upon said creek, about two miles above the junction of the canal, which is now owned, together with the adjacent lands, by Clark Hilton.

The petitioners represent that the public good requires the continuance of said dam,-1st. For hydraulic purposes; 2d. To overcome several bars or rapids, and retain the level to Murder creek: and, with the addition of a lock through said dam, will render the said Tonawanda creek boatable at all seasons within the points aforesaid.

Your committee are unanimously of opinion that the prayer of the petitioners is reasonable and ought to be granted; they have therefore instructed their chairman to ask leave to introduce a bill.

IN ASSEMBLY,

March 10, 1830.

REPORT

Of the Select Committee, to whom was referred the petition of sundry inhabitants of the county of Saratoga, relative to the establishment of a racecourse in said county.

Mr. S. Stewart, from the select committee, consisting of the members attending this House from the county of Saratoga, to whom was referred the petition of sundry inhabitants of said county, praying for the establishment of a race-course for the purpose of testing the speed and improving the breed of horses, and also the several remonstrances of other inhabitants of said county against the mea

sure,

REPORTED:

That they have given to the subject that patient consideration which seems to be demanded by its importance.

Your committee are of opinion that advantages might accrue to the agriculture of the county, from a judicious choice of blood, and constant attention to proper crosses, for improving the quality of their cattle of every description: But such is the variety of the qualities of that useful animal the horse, from the generous charger to the veriest jade, that he would seem to claim the almost exclusive attention of the farmer who would regard profit as the reward of his industry.

The courser (in this country) may be considered of the highest grade of blood horses; and from him, by judicious crosses with those of lower grades, are produced the best varieties for the saddle and the harness.

The race-course may be considered as a test of the qualities of this animal; as speed and bottom are both necessary to a successful competition.

The race horse must combine points which are indicative of strength, with that symmetry of parts which gives free and graceful action, which are the most prominent features of beauty in that noble animal, which constitutes his value in the estimation of men.

From these considerations, your committee have arrived at the conclusion, that to encourage the improvement of the breed of horses, would be highly beneficial to the agriculturist of the country.

Your committee must however perceive the fact, that horse-racing, under whatever legal guards you may feel disposed to place them, are attended with evils, and that by the collection of great numbers, consisting of persons of every description, and from almost every motive that can actuate the human mind; and, who will indulge in vicious habits, notwithstanding all the penal laws you may place around them: yet, your committee are also satisfied that the present practice of petty horse-racing, indulged in by a certain class of citizens of said county, which, although in open violation of existing laws, yet, as if by common consent, passes unnoticed, is a far greater evil than a concentration of all on a race-course, which result your committee confidently anticipate from the establish ment of one, and they are strengthened in that belief, from the fact, as they are advised, that the Dutchess county races has produced that result.

Therefore, your committee in making a choice between unavoidable evils, do not hesitate at a conclusion. Yet, on this subject, your committee indulge the hope that from the high character of those who may form the association, together with the supervision of the civil authority of the county, with the aid of the sheriff and his deputies, we may look for the adoption and execution of such regulations as may suppress, in a great measure, all gambling, intemperance, and other immoral practices attendant on the unlicens