New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-02-20
Enormous Frauds the Canals .-On the
Trail Of the $40 ,0O0, 900 Debt

The ADony Evsaine JoHr17l which reached Us
lat night came heiebted with sn astounding DO I
velopment Of gigantic frauds On the Canals OF our
state. committed directly BY or through the con
pivance OF the chosen fnnciionaries of that party
which has for several years stood aghsst with hor-
ror at the thought that the Wings were about to in
volve the State in &c. ooo, 900 Debt Foryesrs
il has puzzled as TO tell bow the Erie Enlargement
and Lateral Canals, which were originally estin1at'
Cd 10 cost some els 100000, were reported as in
fair way 10 cost more than double that sum. The
mystery is now unraveled by the unanimous Re
port OF Select Committee appointed by The last
Assembly, who have been pursuing their investi-
cations in the and have inst made their Re
port We ask the attention OF every citizen TO the
astounding facts therein developed, Of which the
following summary has been compiled By the Eve.
Journal;
The select committee appointed by the last Assembly
10 the frauds in the expenditures on the Ca
nails have presented their report 10 bC Legislature 1t
IL avery len hy document ned by all tbs COMMITTEE
The Committee state that their examinations have
reen made s with reference 10 the extent than TO the
variety and character of the frauds committed with the
view VI enabling the Legislature or Canal Board 10
adopt effective precautionary measures TO prevent
hike frauds ia the future.
Their invests stion OF the charges against the CoDms
soner occupies chapter OF the Report preserving the
The facts without expressing any decided opinion We
hai not attempt 70 present any synopsis oil this portion
Of the Report.
They commenced their Investigation upon the GEN
KsgE VALLEY CANAL. They state that Sanford a Hoop
ar appoints ted superintendent OF that Canal IN the
Spring OF ss2 and continued uutl he resigned the
I3th Of March Is4J that during all this time Orvta H.
Reynolds was bis clerk; that when Hooper resigned,
Reynolds was appointed 10 81 bis plsce and Hooper
became REYNOLDS foreman That after Hooper
was appointed Superintendent and early July. ls42,
be and Reynolds entered upon the practice Of regular
systcm OF peeulaoD BY The Of aise and urged uoach
ss that this system was extensively ana almost gene
rally prscticcd By them until the removal Of Reynolds
BY the Canal Board IN July, 1885 that their practice
10 along the Canal the fret OF every month pay
the men obtain their signatures 10 the printed form Of
receipts 9Th ne tta< and ft blank and receive
the ebeckrolls OF the for, men then return TO their
Once al up the receipts with such amounts as they
pleased and make new checkros 10 correspond These
blank receipts In several instances taken for twenty i've
cents were filed up FOR more dollars In other In
Stances 70 check rolls previously sworn TO- were inter
lined aud added Lat OF names and days and the amount
increased accordingly Forged receipts Tor materials oil
nearly every description were presented and paid In
ono Instance for 10000 feet Of lumber for dock at
Mount Norris and this sitter the Comnissiober had d.
rected 1t to be constructed Of lumber then hand be-
vnging 10 the State and while the Engineer at Mount
Morris selling for s. and $3i Ike lumber for which
the year before the Commissioner had paid Contractors
from tie TO 81 per thousand.
But tness frauds OF the Superintendent rs compared
with those committed In the construction OF that Csnd
are hardy worth noticing Much the greater portion
the construction aud ensrg cement OF the Csnslssome
portion OF which hope 70 be able hereafter 10 pub
Dab length. We can now merely rtfer 10 aew n
stances IRON the report the Genesee Valley Canal
The Committee state that IN 1888. T. Z. MILLS as In.
sineer under the direction OF the Canal Commissioner
made minute survey Of the Genesee Valley Canal and
psnsvle ,ide.cnt and estimated the at 81 s906l4
l2includng ei3 sl5 ~ Tor reservoirs on the summit
level The amount sresdy expended on TINS canal ex
elusive OF damages 10 contractors &C about $3.50
600 The estmsfe. BY tbs Engineers. In le}2 oi ths
coat of eopIss,aE this Canal was ei3O3 making an
aggregate OF to72s3O3 large portion OF this di
ference between the estmsts by Mile and me actual
cost of this Canal the Committee attribute to the nstse
ana ssskiifL sasaseasst and In some instances rand
ssssf conssdion II As FrSfsAr Corps rA many o. TIE
oosSs1ovs
were posted representing the stone along the line OF the
Caosi 10 sssniabls for ne eossrnoor o. ne Locks
from Mount Morris 10 Cubs-sn elevation OF over nine
hundred feet that vold BE- Sscessory 70 procure he
srSss from Caledonia for ne yaose-s distance OF over
forty mlss The prrtsnce for this extraordinary no
toe that In All previous surveys and examinsuons
had been represented that suitable stone Tor he Locks
could be procured aong line Of the Csna but II had
lately been determined this stone unit for the
purpose. TAs ossracs rus taken ruA reference 10 ms
aoroe but subsequently the contractors. in nearly eve
nv instance ye.sd susabls s Immediate uiciHiy
aod frequently ia the very bed where the Locks were
constructed Hence the great profits made by the con
tractors tor the Locke and the exorbltsnt damages al
lowed them contracts not completed.
Another equally inc bic mistake made by the
engineers in estimating on many OF the sections, so
q
gravel Tue consequence was that proposition, nelad
Ins sxorbtsnt prices for materials OF which so little
had beef mated seldom lessoned the prospects OF
ostng the contract The contract preea tor Ordinary
0xcavafion from nine to twelve cents, and Tor
quick sand but little expensive from serenity cents
. ssssa delevs ~ yard. Unorunsely 1t not anjusuy
1or the sass favorts contractors were paid for large
quantities OF quick ssnd and cemented clay and gravel
u these enormous prices.
Tns hrst case OF fraud examined by the Committee
wss IN tho letting Of Rock Section S. They cite the
ssimony OF the Assissu, Engineer and others showing
hat ser the proposals. had been opened and examined
W kss,sssf EsSissv sh~ed s one put n By 4" formr
psyta~ isc,sasise hs ss9sHi .srrcs nossasa ao"ars
Md awarded the contract that this contractor was
then pecuusry irresponsible and that the seeuon al
he prices In proposal before altered accord
Inc TO the tables Of previous nessaeEsnt would amount
10 about t90OJO; by the altered proposition and con
act prices $4,000 That soonAer the contract was
made the Resden, Eegaeer elsrsd his tables Of measure
nssf increasing the amount OF the contract I" siu.'
Doe and subsequently the work progressed Ae
rAaSSed tie " tt ssaria, srcdraied and
- returned hm ~ toe Assistant Engineer IN the
Immediate charge 1.-THE WORK fr gsarTied soNs 10 rock
s-cara;ioa a. ne h,sAest pi-ihus. in another way,
falsely and iTsadslenuy increasing the amount paid TO
his favcrte contractor Toe anount paid on THIS con
rae, this contractor up to the time OF the suspension
wss oi22o0N The estimated cost BY the Engineer OF
romplsns his contract is $l2 0oO-nskirg the actual
cost Of this secon slStoOoabosi $4,000 ~ors ts1a "a
ia rveposoH a. par "a By ne eoHfrdor A,~sfV.
The stated in the report "a OF dlnerent
character The Resident Engineer directed the eontrse
or for section H. To cut ditch across bend OF ihe
0snssee river with the view OF changing the bed OF the
liver Tue ditch from six TO ten lee, in width,
which by dsrcriss tss air res As rtp1 ,sto ts sieA
washed out q channel nearly hall mile IN length
acro.s the bend sheA tAs allcr~d ka for
uorxSS cAass tro y 10 100 fs ~ rtals FROM sir 20
sx fee IL dsPsh amounting 10 3l07S yards, Of which
l077s yads was allowed as clay. cemen, and gravel
md ll32 yards a. qdiek-ssnd, al dollar yars
The Report also descFoes another new ehxnne across
another bend OF the river Of about the same extent
made under like circumstances and with tie same re
vun TO the state Neither advertised and let on
,oosrsct Tbese channels In being - constructed,
pssk>S scay seorf toca u rcsaa6is aHd In sddl-
Ion 10 ordinary width Of The rveE yr rAiA Ae 0s
y a,ssss paSr<si 81 ass >ssa<
Tns contractor on the Portage Aquedaet was allowed
y the engineer and paid for excavs,ng go yards of
lack sand az IS Is per yard amounting 10 <SS sAsrs
app>svs e~ ne fssiiaOss sristea From This Re
,ort AZ oald seem difficult Of all things 10 eon
srs common s.nd into queksand add common clay
MO clay cement SC SC.
The Committee give copy OF an agreement found In
he possession o: the Resident Engineer snd claimed a.
" private property. The agreement commences by
Vcieg tast whereas tor the ecneat OF certain indss
iasls residing a. Melville. the Commissioners have
greed ~ change the location and extend the Wis
'oy feeder 10 Melville. Sc The substance OF
hieh 10 that n thcse individuals will release their claim