The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-07-20

Il
was sufficient amount OF work staked out
by the engineers Of the former board, and
remaining unfinished, to have kept the con-
tractors employed during this time, so that
they suffered no inconvenience or loss on
that account.
These remarks do not apply to The l6
sections which have been declared abandon
ed The commissioners directed that no
new work should be staked out on these Sec
tions until the inquiry, which was being
made respecting them, and which has result
ted in their being declared abandoned, should
have been completed.
The second charge is That the super
"inIendenls have oppressively delayed pay
ling ITS the money on former estimates
"long after thev had drawn il from the state
"treasury, and in many instances still re-
fused, as they aege, under orders from
"the canal commissioners" There was
but one instance brought to the notice Of
the committee, Of the superintendent hav-
ing refused to pay an estimate, and the cir
cumstances connected with that case goes
in great measure to Justify, or at least to
pallaie his conduct. The contractors were
largely indebted to the laborefs who had
done the work, and gave a power OF attor-
ney 10 another person to draw the amount
Of the estimates. When he presented it TO
the superintendent many of these laborers
were present, beseeching him not to pay
over the money; that the contractor had ab-
sented himself to avoid paying them, and
that If he did pay it without the contractor
being present, they would be cheated out
of their hard earnings for which they toiled
for months, and themselves and families ber-
gars. The superintendent perhaps had no
legal authority to refuse payment, but the
circumstances were certainly calculated TO
arouse generous sympathy for the poor
la5orer, and as it is the only instance addu-
ced in support Of this charge, the comnit-
tee 10 not .higk that his conduct in this par
ticular ought to be reprehended inasmuch as
the payment was not withheld from de-
sire to inure the contractor but TO prevent
injustice from being done 10 the poor and
needy labcrcrs.
Some delav was occasioned in the pay
ment of the estimates, by the re-measure-
ment Of the work which was required by
the resolution Of the board above referred
TO, end which was necessary to be certified
TO the superintendent, before they could
know how much was due the contractors,
but as soon as the re-measurement was
made, and it was completed as speedily as
possible, the amount which was due the
contractors was paid over in every instance
where demand was made, except upon the
sections which had been abandoned and
which will be noticed more particularly here
after.
" The third 5tts eslSW2Ef6se WE &C. printed on the doGbl
dum sheet, and new type; and every attention
aid the scs e. G isfE 5}fRieaty eneGqqiRs enesiq9qiend
'' ent and engineers, assume the right to
=" nullify their contracts aal measurement
"of work done and measure and reduce the
" amount due contractors in false, fraudu-
d" lent and ruinous degree, with the inten-
" tion, in many instances, avOwed to ruin
+" the contractors who were friendly to Mr..
" "Riiner to drive them off the line"
The evidence shows a considerable dir
ference on many sections. between the esti-
mates made by the engineers Of the former
board and those Of the present, but meas
uremen'5 on majority ofthe sections where
this difference exists, were made by the
same persons who made thcre-measuremen
and who acted as sub-assistant engineers,
under the former board of commissioners,
and have been continued in the same capa-
city by the present board, SO that there is
not the slightest ground for the allegation
that this reduction was made willuly and
for the purpose OF delraudng the coutrac-
tors. The engineers who made the re-
measurement of the work, acted under the
solemn sanctity Of an oath to perform their
duty faithfully and impartally agreeably 10
the act Of assembly, which was not the
case under the former board, none of them
having been sworn, although the act had
been passed some time previous to the
appointment. Men Of moral integrity and
probity may undoubtedly feel themselves
under as binding obligation to perform their
duties honestly and impariially without as
with the sanction Of an oath. but it is GER
tainly unfair and unreasonable to presume.
that men who are disposed TO act honestly
and faithfully when not under oath, would
act dishonesty aud fraudulenily when ,hev
are under this additional obligation. and thus
superadd the crime Of perjury to a breach Of
moral integrity. Several engineers who
made both the measurement for the last es-