New York (State). State Engineer and Surveyor

Legislation of 1903 directed the State Engineer and Surveyor and the Superintendent of Public Works to improve the Erie, Oswego, and Champlain canals. Where required, new bridges were to be built either to replace old ones or if rendered necessary by the new location of the canals.

From the description of Canal bridge reference lists, [ca. 1917] (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 80731051

When the United States entered the First World War in 1917, the New York State Legislature enacted a law stipulating that state employees would not lose any of their employment privileges due to absence in military service, and that they would be paid the difference between their military pay and their state salaries. Later that year the legislature appropriated funds for the salaries of employees in military service.

From the description of Payrolls for employees in military service, 1917-1920. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 81360059

State funds were frequently appropriated for hydrographic work connected with measurements of volumes of streams and flow of water in the state for the purpose of determining water supply available for canals, for potable and domestic purposes, and for the development of water power. Such funds were to be used in conjunction with the U.S. Geographical Survey and the additional funds supplied by the federal government.

Steam measurement work for the state in the barge canal zone was done by the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor. Such work for the remainder of the state was done by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor or the New York State Conservation Commission. Gages located at points of convenience to Barge Canal locks, dams, or other structures where employees of the Department of Public Works were stationed were read by those employees.

The State Engineer and Surveyor's annual report published all available stream flow data. The data was used in connection with the regulation and development of water resources. The Barge Canal area was especially important (and difficult to monitor) for flood prevention and related navigation and damage control problems. Data accumulated for many canal improvement projects related to problems of drainage and water run off and supply.

Canaseraga Creek is one of the most important tributaries of the Genesee River. Keshequa Creek is the principal tributary to that creek, meeting it at Sonyea, New York (location of the Craig Colony for Epileptics). Heavy silt deposits and the extreme curvature of Canaseraga Creek caused severe annual flooding until the channel was deepened and straightened by improvement work done from 1906 to 1915. The flooding and slow subsidence of flood waters impaired the usefulness of the land and posed a public health menace. Improvement work was undertaken to relieve these conditions and to restore valuable farm land to cultivation.

From the description of Copies of hydrographs and flow data of the Canaseraga and Keshequa Creeks and the Genesee River, [ca. 1910-1920] (bulk 1918-1919). (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 84212640

The State Engineer and Surveyor supervised the sale and settlement of state lands. He accomplished this in part by directing the surveying and mapping of land and by maintaining records of surveys, maps, and land sales.

Legislation of 1849 and 1851 authorized the Commissioners of the Land Office to have surveyed and mapped certain state-owned salt lands in the City of Syracuse. Three appraisers appointed by the governor were to appraise the lands, the salt production and storage buildings, and other improvements. The Commissioners were then to have the buildings and lands sold at the appraised value. The maps and appraisals were to be filed with the State Engineer and Surveyor.

Legislation of 1874 and 1878 authorized the Commissioners of the Land Office to require appraisal of and to sell salt lands in the Town of Geddes. Current lessees of the land were given the first option to purchase it.

From the description of Survey descriptions and appraisals of Onondaga Salt Springs lands to be sold, 1851-1881, bulk 1851, 1879-1881. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 80957664

Map titles state they were made in accordance with joint resolutions of the Senate and Assembly passed on April 20th and 24th of 1863. The resolutions authorized the State Engineer and Surveyor, under the advice and direction of the Canal Board, to make a survey and estimate of the cost of constructing enlarged tiers of locks along the Erie Canal, since "the General Government may deem it desirable and important to secure, without delay, the right of perpetual passage through said canals with locks thus enlarged...for the vessels, gunboats, troops and munitions...of the United States...".

The locks were to be located along side of or near existing locks, and built to specific dimensions and depths out of wood, stone, or a combination of materials, with the cost of each kind of lock estimated separately. The resolutions also call for an estimate of the quantity of excavation and other work connected with enlarging canal locks, and for designation of the location and cost of any new feeders or improvements to existing feeders made necessary by the lock enlargement.

From the description of Detailed estimates and location maps for proposed construction of gun boat locks on the Western Division of the Erie Canal, 1863. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 78653910

FUNCTIONS. For eighty years, from 1846 to 1925, the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor had responsibilities for planning, construction, maintenance, and monitoring of New York's transportation system and infrastructure, including its canals, highways, and railroads.

To fulfill these functions the office engaged in a number of activities, including establishing and maintaining accurate boundaries of state owned land, assisting, coordinating, and supervising construction, maintenance, and repair of the transportation network and its structures, developing work plans and contract specifications and assisting in their letting and administration, and carrying out surveying, mapping, and engineering work necessary for infrastructure development. The office supplied services to other state departments that lacked an engineering corps. This included conducting surveys and investigations, and providing plans; they also furnished the legislature and the governor with estimates and reports impacting pending legislation. The office also collected and preserved maps, drawings, field notes, and surveys of work performed under the direction of the State Engineer and Surveyor.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY. The office of the State Engineer and Surveyor was established by the State Constitution of 1846. The office replaced the office of the Surveyor General, assuming its duties as well as responsibility for surveying and engineering work not required by the former officer but which became increasingly important in ensuing years. Under the terms of the Constitution, the State Engineer and Surveyor was to be elected (at a general election) for a term of two years. There was a requirement that the position be filled by a practicing engineer; this is revealing of a time when the infrastructure and transportation industry were in a period of great physical expansion, technological development, and economic competition.

Over the course of eighty years the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor was involved in some measure with responsibilities for the three main parts of the state's transportation network: its canals, railroads, and highways. The job placed the State Engineer and Surveyor at the head of a diversified field of operations encompassing civil, mechanical, electrical, sanitary, hydraulic, and chemical engineering. In addition the State Engineer and Surveyor had responsibilities as a member of several commissions and boards. These included: the Canal Board; the State Board of Canvassers; the State Board of Equalization and Assessment; the State Highway Commission; the Commission on Barge Canal Operation; The New York Water Power Commission; the New York Bridge and Tunnel Commission; and the Salt Water Bays Commission. The State Engineer and Surveyor also worked in cooperation with other agencies on related matters. For example, he cooperated with the Attorney General in the preparation of claims brought against the state by preparing maps, surveys, and furnishing other technical evidence. He also supervised topographic and hydrographic survey work of the state in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. The first incumbent, Charles B. Stuart of Geneva, assumed office on January 1, 1848. The office's first annual report appeared in 1850 covering work for the year 1849.

The office never relinquished the duty handed down through the Surveyor General, to survey and map the land. The State Engineer and Surveyor's office was often cited in law as a depository for copies of maps or surveys. This was true in the case of surveys of the location and areas of detached portions of state lands in several upstate counties done in accordance with the Adirondack Survey (Laws of 1883, Chapter 499). Similarly, the Laws of 1886 (Chapter 414) provided that upon completion of the State Survey (Laws of 1876, Chapter 193 et. al.) all records were to be deposited in the Office of the State Engineer and Surveyor and that the arrangements for prosecution of the required work (to put them in their most permanent and complete form and to prepare for printing such of them as should be published) be made with his advice and approval.

As for another purview of the Surveyor General's office, that of establishing and maintaining state boundaries, a law of 1887 (Chapter 421) required that State Engineer and Surveyor to inspect and examine state boundary monuments, and, every three years, to examine all monuments upon state boundaries, make a detailed report to the legislature, and (in cooperation with adjoining states) to restore and replace damaged or displaced boundary monuments and set suitable stone monuments where they might be lacking, at points where the state boundary is intersected by the boundary of any towns or counties of the state, or by any highway.

The State Engineer and Surveyor also had responsibility for the sale of lands under the waters of the state and other state lands (when directed by the Commissioners of the Land Office). Area boundaries are also implicit in work done by the State Board of Canvassers, having jurisdiction over the canvass of election returns, and for the State Board of Equalization and Assessment, concerned with the assessment of state taxes among the various counties.

In addition to assuming the duties of the Surveyor General, the State Engineer and Surveyor had responsibilities for the state's developing infrastructure. In the 1800s the state was heavily involved in the development of the canals. There were several distinct periods of canal development, and the creation of the office occurred during the period of the first enlargement of the main branches of the system (including continuance of construction of the lateral canals). The history of the office is bound up with increased demands for fiscal accountability for monies expended and contracts awarded, as well as shared responsibilities with several other offices and commissions for planning and execution of work. The State Engineer and Surveyor supervised the Canal Engineering Department and appointed division and resident engineers. After the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, a Canal Board was established to fix tolls, make regulations, and hire employees (Laws of 1826, Chapter 314). The State Engineer and Surveyor worked with the Canal Board which had jurisdiction over the construction and maintenance of the canal system, and in fact the employees of the Canal Board worked at the direction of the State Engineer and Surveyor (Laws of 1848, Chapter 72).

An 1876 constitutional amendment created the office of Superintendent of Public Works, appointed by the governor. The superintendent was charged with executing all laws relating to maintenance and navigation of the canals except for those performed by the State Engineer and Surveyor, who continued to prepare maps, plans, and estimates for canal construction and improvement and remained deeply involved in canal work. The Canal Board now consisted of the superintendent of public works, the State Engineer and Surveyor, and the commissioners of the Canal Fund. It continued to handle hiring of employees and personnel matters. This coincided with a period of increasing competition with both railroads and Canadian canals which led to agitation for enlargement and commitment of money for technological improvements and modernization that would bolster efficiency. In 1898, a seven member committee was appointed to formulate canal policy. This Committee on Canals, sometimes called the Governor's Advisory Committee or simply the Canal Committee, was made up of five businessmen plus the Superintendent of Public Works and the State Engineer and Surveyor.

The 1890s saw a period of second enlargement begun with an increase in popular approval as well as legislative action in the form of the Nine Million Dollar Improvement (Laws of 1895, Chapter 79), but ending in exhaustion of funds and investigations of alleged frauds. This period was followed in the early 1900s by one of preliminary surveys, agitation for, and beginning of the final canal reconstruction. A law of 1903 (Chapter 147) directed the Canal Board to oversee improvements and enlargement of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals, generally known as the New York Barge Canal system. The Commission on Barge Canal Operation (Laws of 1912, Chapter 9) inquired into the proper methods to operate and maintain the improved canals, and what type of craft were to be used on the system.

The State Engineer and Surveyor was also given general supervision of the state's railroads, as the ex officio president of a three member Board of Railroad Commissioners (Laws of 1855, Chapter 526). When the board was abolished (Laws of 1857, Chapter 633) the records were transferred to the office of State Engineer and Surveyor, who held general supervisory powers and duties relative to the railroads of the state until they were transferred again to a Board of Railroad Commissioners (Laws of 1882, Chapter 353) consisting of three gubernatorial appointments.

The Department of Highways was established in 1908 (Chapter 330) to supervise bridges and highways financed by state funds. The State Engineer and Surveyor, the Superintendent of Highways, and the Superintendent of Public Works were designated to act as highway commissioners (Laws of 1911, Chapter 646). As such they had jurisdiction over the construction, maintenance, and repair of highways. This arrangement continued until 1913 (Chapter 80) when they were replaced by a single highway commissioner.

Responsibilities in these areas extended to projects on all kinds of related structures and approaches and planning for improved use of the canals, railroads and highways, especially regarding bridges. For example, the State Engineer and Surveyor examined and approved bridge plans of those seeking permits to erect them over state canals. Membership in the New York Bridge and Tunnel Commission involved jurisdiction over construction of a vehicular tunnel under the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey.

In dealing with the infrastructure the office was also naturally involved with the evaluation and control of the state's water resources. The State Engineer and Surveyor carried out investigations into the water power resources of the state. He had jurisdiction over construction of all locks and dams within the state where issues of public safety were involved. As part of the Water Control Commission he had jurisdiction over drainage and water supply and river control. He was also a member of the Salt Water Bays Commission, which was authorized to improve the condition of certain channels and bays on Long Island. The Water Power Commission, of which he was a member, issued licenses for the development of water power where the state had a proprietary interest. The Commission on Boundary Waters between the United States and Canada was established in 1920 to study the feasibility of a bridge between the two countries and was made up of various state officials, including the State Engineer and Surveyor. Aside from all of these special commissions, the office performed all engineering work required under the conservation laws in relation to river regulation and stream flow, and under health laws regarding sewage systems and sewage disposal.

In 1923 (Chapter 867) the Department of Public Works was established, which consolidated several offices, including the Commission on Boundary Waters, the Department of Highways, the Interstate Bridge Commission, the Trustees of Public Buildings and the Superintendent of Public Buildings. The constitutional reorganization of 1925-1926 abolished the office of State Engineer and Surveyor (along with the Canal Board) and assigned its functions to the new Department of Public Works.

From the description of State Engineer and Surveyor sub-agency history record. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 83355296

The Holland Land Company was an association of Dutch banks and other investors speculating in American land in the late 1700s.

The company purchased over five million acres in central and western New York and Pennsylvania. The land was divided into ranges numbered I to XV east to west. Ranges were subdivided into townships of six square miles which were then further divided into lots of 360 acres. The lots could be broken into three sections of 120 acres each. Between 1798 and 1800, surveyors ran the lines of the ranges and townships. Following this, work began on internal surveys of the townships. When this was completed in 1819, the company increased its efforts to sell the land. The company sold its last tract of land (in Pennsylvania) in 1849 and was subsequently liquidated. In 1895 the state purchased Holland Land Company records from the widow of David E.E. Mix, whom the state had employed as a surveyor on several occasions.

From the description of Deed tables regarding sale of Holland Land Company lands, 1802-1833. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 81360008

The Holland Land Company was an association of Dutch banks and other investors speculating in American land in the late 1700s.

The company purchased over five million acres in central and western New York and Pennsylvania. The land was divided into ranges numbered I to XV east to west. Ranges were subdivided into townships of six square miles which were then further divided into lots of 360 acres. The lots could be broken into three section of 120 acres each. Between 1798 and 1800, surveyors ran the lines of the ranges and townships. Following this, work began on internal surveys of the townships. When this was completed in 1819, the company increased its efforts to sell the land. The company sold its last tract of land (in Pennsylvania) in 1849 and was subsequently liquidated. In 1895 the state purchased Holland Land Company records from the widow of David E.E. Mix, whom the state had employed as a surveyor on several occasions.

From the description of Ledgers of accounts with purchasers of Holland Land Company lots, 1799-1842. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 82332460

The series is the result of the initiative of L.C. Hulburd, Western Division Engineer, as explained in the annual report of State Engineer and Surveyor Frank M. Williams for 1920. Records relating to improvements to the state's infrastructure were often the product of joint action of the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor and the Department of Public Works.

According to the annual report, they were done under specific legislative authority of "sporadic and unrelated statutes." At the time of this report the State Engineer was recommending that legislation for special improvements be "systematized." In the Western Division, Mr. Hulburd moved to organize the records filed there, specifically by assembling and classifying data and related records through a review of the hydrography of the western part of the state. The report also remarks on the "often conflicting requirements of navigation, sanitation, power-development and flood control" that are reflected in the records. Work was carried out without special funds in a "more or less desultory manner" with an eye toward use in "systematic, up-to-date, regional planning."

From the description of Record books of watersheds and related improvements in the Western Division of the Barge Canal, 1919-1920. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 78279037

David E. E. Mix was a surveyor and civil engineer who was employed by the state on several occasions to copy documents and compile catalogs of maps and field notes relating to state lands.

After Mix's death in 1893, the legislature appropriated $2,000 in 1895 for the purchase of Mix's collection of original Holland Land Company field notes, charts, and maps to ensure that the state would have original records concerning western New York lands. The records were then deposited in the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor, who was responsible for the state's land records.

From the description of Miscellaneous field notes relating to Holland Land Company holdings and adjoining tracts, 1806-1890, bulk 1806-1811. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 81186511

The Holland Land Company was an association of Dutch banks and other investors speculating in American land in the late 1700s.

The company purchased over five million acres in central and western New York and Pennsylvania. The land was divided into ranges numbered I to XV east to west. Ranges were subdivided into townships of six square miles which were then further divided into lots of 360 acres. The lots could be broken into three sections of 120 acres each. Between 1798 and 1800, surveyors ran the lines of the ranges and townships. Following this, work began on internal surveys of the townships. When this was completed in 1819, the company increased its efforts to sell the land. The company sold its last tract of land (in Pennsylvania) in 1849 and was subsequently liquidated. In 1895 the state purchased Holland Land Company records from the widow of David E.E. Mix, whom the state had employed as a surveyor on several occasions.

From the description of Holland Land Company deed books, 1803-1857. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 77702705

These maps were prepared during the period of the first enlargement of the Erie Canal. After a financial panic (together with the increased costs of canal improvements and an inadequate plan to finance them) caused all but the most essential canal work to stop, the Constitution of 1846 permitted work to be resumed.

The enlargement through the village of Lyons commenced before the suspension of work, and an independent canal line extending west of the village was put out under contract to shorten the canal by three quarters of a mile, and to separate an enlarged aqueduct and lock by a reach of nearly one-half mile. The line was brought into use in spring of 1849, making lockage faster and less difficult. Enlargement through the rest of Lyons continued, resulting in a continuous enlarged canal of more than three miles in length. The one and one-half mile section through the village of Palmyra was commenced in the winter of 1849.

Around this time changes in planning may have influenced land appropriation. Under previous canal plans there was nothing in the angle of the towing path to prevent the earth above the wall from being carried into the canal by the towing rope. In 1848 the Canal Commissioners adopted a change of plan by which the towing path slope wall was carried to the top of the bank and the tow path was sloped so as to drain away from the canal. Thus, three boats could pass abreast and approach much nearer the bank, increasing canal capacity nearly one-third and making travel easier and requiring less repair. Surveys were begun in 1848 for remaining enlargements to the canal and they were continued in 1849. Chapter 233 of the Laws of 1849 authorized locks from Syracuse to Rochester to be lengthened, which would permit lengthening of boats and an increase of tonnage and travel on the canal. In addition, the nature of many claims against the state involved questions on the diversion of water (especially during the original construction of the Erie Canal), whether such diversions were permanent appropriations of the waterways, what quantity of water the state was entitled to, and the quantities of water actually diverted. The prolific and contentious claims against the state propelled certain improvements; in 1949 the Lyons aqueduct was completed.

From the description of Copies of maps of lands appropriated for enlargement of Erie Canal at Lyons and Palmyra, 1849. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 78766704

The office of the State Engineer and Surveyor was established by the State Constitution of 1846. The office replaced the office of the Surveyor General, assuming its duties as well as responsibility for surveying and engineering work not required by the former officer but which became increasingly important in ensuing years. Under the terms of the Constitution, the State Engineer and Surveyor was to be elected (at a general election) for a term of two years. There was a requirement that the position be filled by a practicing engineer; this is revealing of a time when the infrastructure and transportation industry were in a period of great physical expansion, technological development, and economic competition.

Over the course of eighty years the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor was involved in some measure with responsibilities for the three main parts of the state's transportation network: its canals, railroads, and highways. The job placed the State Engineer and Surveyor at the head of a diversified field of operations encompassing civil, mechanical, electrical, sanitary, hydraulic, and chemical engineering. In addition the State Engineer and Surveyor had responsibilities as a member of several commissions and boards. These included: the Canal Board; the State Board of Canvassers; the State Board of Equalization and Assessment; the State Highway Commission; the Commission on Barge Canal Operation; The New York Water Power Commission; the New York Bridge and Tunnel Commission; and the Salt Water Bays Commission. The State Engineer and Surveyor also worked in cooperation with other agencies on related matters. For example, he cooperated with the Attorney General in the preparation of claims brought against the state by preparing maps, surveys, and furnishing other technical evidence. He also supervised topographic and hydrographic survey work of the state in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. The first incumbent, Charles B. Stuart of Geneva, assumed office on January 1, 1848. The office's first annual report appeared in 1850 covering work for the year 1849.

The office never relinquished the duty handed down through the Surveyor General, to survey and map the land. The State Engineer and Surveyor's office was often cited in law as a depository for copies of maps or surveys. This was true in the case of surveys of the location and areas of detached portions of state lands in several upstate counties done in accordance with the Adirondack Survey (Laws of 1883, Chapter 499). Similarly, the Laws of 1886 (Chapter 414) provided that upon completion of the State Survey (Laws of 1876, Chapter 193 et. al.) all records were to be deposited in the Office of the State Engineer and Surveyor and that the arrangements for prosecution of the required work (to put them in their most permanent and complete form and to prepare for printing such of them as should be published) be made with his advice and approval.

As for another purview of the Surveyor General's office, that of establishing and maintaining state boundaries, a law of 1887 (Chapter 421) required that State Engineer and Surveyor to inspect and examine state boundary monuments, and, every three years, to examine all monuments upon state boundaries, make a detailed report to the legislature, and (in cooperation with adjoining states) to restore and replace damaged or displaced boundary monuments and set suitable stone monuments where they might be lacking, at points where the state boundary is intersected by the boundary of any towns or counties of the state, or by any highway.

The State Engineer and Surveyor also had responsibility for the sale of lands under the waters of the state and other state lands (when directed by the Commissioners of the Land Office). Area boundaries are also implicit in work done by the State Board of Canvassers, having jurisdiction over the canvass of election returns, and for the State Board of Equalization and Assessment, concerned with the assessment of state taxes among the various counties.

In addition to assuming the duties of the Surveyor General, the State Engineer and Surveyor had responsibilities for the state's developing infrastructure. In the 1800s the state was heavily involved in the development of the canals. There were several distinct periods of canal development, and the creation of the office occurred during the period of the first enlargement of the main branches of the system (including continuance of construction of the lateral canals). The history of the office is bound up with increased demands for fiscal accountability for monies expended and contracts awarded, as well as shared responsibilities with several other offices and commissions for planning and execution of work. The State Engineer and Surveyor supervised the Canal Engineering Department and appointed division and resident engineers. After the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, a Canal Board was established to fix tolls, make regulations, and hire employees (Laws of 1826, Chapter 314). The State Engineer and Surveyor worked with the Canal Board which had jurisdiction over the construction and maintenance of the canal system, and in fact the employees of the Canal Board worked at the direction of the State Engineer and Surveyor (Laws of 1848, Chapter 72).

An 1876 constitutional amendment created the office of Superintendent of Public Works, appointed by the governor. The superintendent was charged with executing all laws relating to maintenance and navigation of the canals except for those performed by the State Engineer and Surveyor, who continued to prepare maps, plans, and estimates for canal construction and improvement and remained deeply involved in canal work. The Canal Board now consisted of the superintendent of public works, the State Engineer and Surveyor, and the commissioners of the Canal Fund. It continued to handle hiring of employees and personnel matters. This coincided with a period of increasing competition with both railroads and Canadian canals which led to agitation for enlargement and commitment of money for technological improvements and modernization that would bolster efficiency. In 1898, a seven member committee was appointed to formulate canal policy. This Committee on Canals, sometimes called the Governor's Advisory Committee or simply the Canal Committee, was made up of five businessmen plus the Superintendent of Public Works and the State Engineer and Surveyor.

The 1890s saw a period of second enlargement begun with an increase in popular approval as well as legislative action in the form of the Nine Million Dollar Improvement (Laws of 1895, Chapter 79), but ending in exhaustion of funds and investigations of alleged frauds. This period was followed in the early 1900s by one of preliminary surveys, agitation for, and beginning of the final canal reconstruction. A law of 1903 (Chapter 147) directed the Canal Board to oversee improvements and enlargement of the Erie, Champlain, and Oswego Canals, generally known as the New York Barge Canal system. The Commission on Barge Canal Operation (Laws of 1912, Chapter 9) inquired into the proper methods to operate and maintain the improved canals, and what type of craft were to be used on the system.

The State Engineer and Surveyor was also given general supervision of the state's railroads, as the ex officio president of a three member Board of Railroad Commissioners (Laws of 1855, Chapter 526). When the board was abolished (Laws of 1857, Chapter 633) the records were transferred to the office of State Engineer and Surveyor, who held general supervisory powers and duties relative to the railroads of the state until they were transferred again to a Board of Railroad Commissioners (Laws of 1882, Chapter 353) consisting of three gubernatorial appointments.

The Department of Highways was established in 1908 (Chapter 330) to supervise bridges and highways financed by state funds. The State Engineer and Surveyor, the Superintendent of Highways, and the Superintendent of Public Works were designated to act as highway commissioners (Laws of 1911, Chapter 646). As such they had jurisdiction over the construction, maintenance, and repair of highways. This arrangement continued until 1913 (Chapter 80) when they were replaced by a single highway commissioner.

Responsibilities in these areas extended to projects on all kinds of related structures and approaches and planning for improved use of the canals, railroads and highways, especially regarding bridges. For example, the State Engineer and Surveyor examined and approved bridge plans of those seeking permits to erect them over state canals. Membership in the New York Bridge and Tunnel Commission involved jurisdiction over construction of a vehicular tunnel under the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey.

In dealing with the infrastructure the office was also naturally involved with the evaluation and control of the state's water resources. The State Engineer and Surveyor carried out investigations into the water power resources of the state. He had jurisdiction over construction of all locks and dams within the state where issues of public safety were involved. As part of the Water Control Commission he had jurisdiction over drainage and water supply and river control. He was also a member of the Salt Water Bays Commission, which was authorized to improve the condition of certain channels and bays on Long Island. The Water Power Commission, of which he was a member, issued licenses for the development of water power where the state had a proprietary interest. The Commission on Boundary Waters between the United States and Canada was established in 1920 to study the feasibility of a bridge between the two countries and was made up of various state officials, including the State Engineer and Surveyor. Aside from all of these special commissions, the office performed all engineering work required under the conservation laws in relation to river regulation and stream flow, and under health laws regarding sewage systems and sewage disposal.

In 1923 (Chapter 867) the Department of Public Works was established, which consolidated several offices, including the Commission on Boundary Waters, the Department of Highways, the Interstate Bridge Commission, the Trustees of Public Buildings and the Superintendent of Public Buildings. The constitutional reorganization of 1925-1926 abolished the office of State Engineer and Surveyor (along with the Canal Board) and assigned its functions to the new Department of Public Works.

From the New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY. Agency record NYSV91-A103

New York's revolutionary government began seizing the personal and real property of suspected Loyalists in the summer of 1776. Statutes of 1779 and 1784 authorized the forfeiture and sale of real property of "persons who have adhered to the enemies of this State." An individual's real property became forfeit to the state when he was adjudged guilty of treason, either by an act of attainder passed by the State Legislature, or by trial and conviction in the Supreme Court of Judicature. Commissioners of Forfeitures were appointed to manage, sell at public auction, and convey by deed the lands forfeited to the state.

The Commissioners of Forfeitures operated in four disctricts: Western District (Albany, and Tryon/Montgomery Counties); Eastern District (Charlotte, Cumberland, and Gloucester Counties); Middle District (Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counites; and Southern District (New York, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties).

From the guide to the Records of surveys and maps of state lands, 1686-1892, (New York State Archives)