Sylvanus H. Sweet
Encyclopedia
Sylvanus Howe Sweet was an American civil engineer and politician from New York
. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor
from 1874 to 1875.
in 1850.
Soon after his graduation, he was appointed assistant under Col. Orville W. Childs on a survey for an inter oceanic ship canal through Nicaragua
. Upon returning to the US, he accepted a position on the New York State canals and in 1853 was appointed Second Assistant Engineer. From 1854 to 1859, he was First Assistant Engineer and in 1861 was Principal Assistant Engineer on the New York Harbor Encroachment Survey. He was appointed Deputy State Engineer under William B. Taylor in 1862 and again under Van Rensselaer Richmond
in 1868, serving from 1862 to 1864 and from 1868 to 1871. In 1865
, he ran on the Democratic ticket for New York State Engineer and Surveyor
but was defeated by Republican J. Platt Goodsell. In 1873
, he ran again and was elected, being in office from 1874 to 1875.
He was also the Chief Engineer for the State on the Hudson River improvement, Engineer of the Commission for the construction of the Capitol at Albany
, Chief Engineer of the Albany waterworks, of the projected Maryland
and Delaware
ship canal, and of the Commission for the construction of the Broadway Arcade Railway.
He was the author of The Documentary History of the Canals
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor
New York State Engineer and Surveyor
The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was...
from 1874 to 1875.
Life
He graduated from Falley Seminary in FultonFulton, Oswego County, New York
Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county....
in 1850.
Soon after his graduation, he was appointed assistant under Col. Orville W. Childs on a survey for an inter oceanic ship canal through Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. Upon returning to the US, he accepted a position on the New York State canals and in 1853 was appointed Second Assistant Engineer. From 1854 to 1859, he was First Assistant Engineer and in 1861 was Principal Assistant Engineer on the New York Harbor Encroachment Survey. He was appointed Deputy State Engineer under William B. Taylor in 1862 and again under Van Rensselaer Richmond
Van Rensselaer Richmond
Van Rensselaer Richmond was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...
in 1868, serving from 1862 to 1864 and from 1868 to 1871. In 1865
New York state election, 1865
The 1865 New York state election was held on November 7, 1865, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, two Judges of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioners, an Inspector of State Prisons and the Clerk of...
, he ran on the Democratic ticket for New York State Engineer and Surveyor
New York State Engineer and Surveyor
The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was...
but was defeated by Republican J. Platt Goodsell. In 1873
New York state election, 1873
The 1873 New York state election was held on November 4, 1873, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the...
, he ran again and was elected, being in office from 1874 to 1875.
He was also the Chief Engineer for the State on the Hudson River improvement, Engineer of the Commission for the construction of the Capitol at Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Chief Engineer of the Albany waterworks, of the projected Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
ship canal, and of the Commission for the construction of the Broadway Arcade Railway.
He was the author of The Documentary History of the Canals
Sources
- http://www.history.rochester.edu/canal/bib/whitford/old1906/vol2/chapter3.htm Engineers bios, at Rochester history
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/sweet.html Political Graveyard