The office of Superintendent of Public Works was created by an 1876 amendment to the New York State Constitution. It abolished the canal commissioners and established that the Department of Public Works execute all laws relating to canal maintenance and navigation except for those functions performed by the New York State Engineer and Surveyor who continued to prepare maps, plans and estimates for canal construction and improvement. The Canal Board (now consisting of the Superintendent of Public Works, the State Engineer and Surveyor, and the Commissioners of the Canal Fund) continued to handle hiring of employees and other personnel matters. The Barge Canal Law of 1903 (Chapter 147) directed the Canal Board to oversee the enlargement of and improvements to the Erie Canal, the Champlain Canal and the Oswego Canal. History of the office, at NY State Archives In 1967, the Department of Public Works was merged with other departments into the new New York State Department of Transportation.
List of superintendents of public works George B. McClellan (1826–1885) nominated March 16, 1877 by Gov. Robinson; McClellan nominated rejected by the State Senate Charles S. Fairchild nominated January 4, 1878 by Gov. Robinson; Fairchild nominated rejected by the State Senate on January 16, 1878 Fairchild rejected Daniel Magone nominated January 18, 1878, by Gov. Robinson; Magone nominated rejected by State Senate January 23, 1878 Magone rejected and Clark nominated Benjamin S. W. Clark (1829–1912) nominated January 23, confirmed January 30, 1878 - January 15, 1880 Clark appointed Silas Belden Dutcher (1829–1889) January 15, 1880 - February 13, 1883 Dutcher appointed James H. Shanahan (1828–1897), February 13, 1883 - resigned 1889 Obit Edward Hannan, December 16, 1889 - Jan 2, 1895 George W. Aldridge January 2, 1895 - Jan 16, 1899 John Nelson Partridge, January 16, 1899 - Dec 20, 1901 Charles S. Boyd, December 20, 1901 - January 4, 1905 Nicholas Van Vranken Franchot, January 4, 1905 - January 14, 1907 Frederick C. Stevens (New York politician), January 14, 1907 - January 4, 1911 Charles E. Treman, January 4, 1911 - January 1, 1913 Duncan W. Peck, January 1, 1913 - January 6, 1915 William Wallace Wotherspoon January 6, 1915 - February 3, 1919 Lewis Nixon, February 3, 1919 - May 3, 1919 Edward S. Walsh, May 3, 1919 - January 19, 1921 Charles L. Cadle, January 19, 1921 - January 9, 1923 Edward S. Walsh, January 9 - August 30, 1923 Frederick Stuart Greene (1870–1939), August 30, 1923 - March 26, 1939 (retired, but died before successor was appointed) Obit in NYT on March 27, 1939 Arthur William Brandt (1888–1943), Obit in NYT on June 12, 1943 (subscription required) March 30, 1939 Appointed and confirmed, NYT on March 31, 1939 (subscription required) - May 20, 1943 Charles Harvey Sells (1889–1978), Obit in NYT on January 27, 1978 (subscription required) May 20, 1943 Appointed, in NYT on May 21, 1943 (subscription required) - September 30, 1948 (announced resignation on September 2 resignation announced, in NYT on September 3, 1948 (subscription required)) Bertram Dalley Tallamy (1901–1989) September 30, 1948 Nominated, in NYT on September 4, 1948 (subscription required) - 1955 John W. Johnson (New York) 1955 - 1959 John Burch McMorran (1899–1991) 1959 - September 1, 1967, when he continued in office as the first head of the New York State Department of Transportation.
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