The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-18

YBr COST or YnR PUBLIC woRKs-MR. M'ALptsrS
lSTlaAfEs 0kossLY USDsRsTATxD.
ALBANY, August l6, 1854.
To TINE Editor OF TEE ALBANY ARGUs:--
Shit has been stated several times in tho news-
pas ers o. tina city at the estimates which sub.
United 20 the L. gtslatue for the completion OF the
pubnc NO IA Of the State. and upon which the
smendments Of the constitution were based by tue
Legislature and voted upon by the people, were set
dov BY me st only nine ana half millions Of dol
lars. rm sa.s
In 40 article In TIE Albany Ersnsng Journal Of
the l4th nssa1 :, Il Is said that "Mr. Nc Alpine IS
tipstsd tho exp pso OF oinstructiDg the public
w0ks ct t060O,OcO. Mr.. CLARK, In ans wering call
n NJ The Legislature, added t36O0000 to the esti-
mste."
take The liberty 70 request that You Will permi.
me- Though your journal to corec. these misst.ts-
nents.
On The 2sd Of Marcb, 1853, I submitted an est
the cost Of completing the Eric canal enlargement;
the enlarge eBi sLd completion OF the Os.ego ca
pal locke ard channel Wok; the enlargement and
complexion OF tic Cyuga and Seneca canal and
locks; finishing HE Black river canal and improve.
ntut Of the Blsck river; ana finishing the Genesee
vgllty canal, II Guiding In each the cost Of land
osmsgss, moving buildings, fences misoellsne us,
supsiintt ndepce spd cnsineeriDg, amounting togo
iLsrto tie sum 81 tl4 27l ,6l8 Oh.
also stated In Chat report, "that the cost Of
land damages % given In shese estimates does not
iDsnde tbs unpaid claims before the canal aDpras~
sis." These damages sere supposed, at tlss time,
70 emount 10 ovr tlO0 OOO. @M
BY reftfenre 10 my report, II win elso DO seen
that II does pot include the cost Of eolaYging the
locls on the Champlsin canal, because that work
he'd not then been authorized, and an estimate VI
lie cost Was not called Tor. .t.
tbs woik was subsequently, estimated, by my
suc ssssr 70 cost $4,000 and n these two items
e ADDED 70 my estimate it will Ia crease the am unt
10 tyei fourteen and one half mons Of dollars.
On the eth Of April last the present State Engi-
pfer reported 20 The Legislature I 0 cost OF the
mwTal canals and works before mentioned. and also
the cost Of enlargipg Tho locks on the Caam plain
canal, t~bich vas not called for BY the resolution
slde, which rptr co., amounting ~ the sum Of
ti2 $3.50 90, OF ne1y one and half million dol
hrs less than my estimate OF u Q previous year.
In my repoTts 10 the Legislature stated that
ibsse estimates would probably be found 70 vary
| Considerably frum the cost wbich viii be incGri 81
whsD lh~ works are constructed
The rloits aid tsilnass 81 Mr.. Clark were
| bessd, IN ara on data tsitn from my onnud re.
ports Of iss2-Ss. vile my report Of March, 1853,
The snnuai reports ~ the State Engineer are
raee m conformity With the Law y lich requires
thai ire entia s'cs resented hhpull be ccahGed ~
to vo'k uncsr cont ar'.
u hes no hreb customary ~ include IN ,'eae
estimates zap noi'Dres not colle ted with the En-
re lard camsrss a-e dci,rnlned by tao Canal
AlTfrkers sns The misco lane a. eNpsf 1iuies are
y t,nirer sd paid ~ tbs Cssal Commissioners,
sno b. nee The sbnual reports Of the h,a.s Enslpccr
hsve not Usually embs aerd ihsse i,tns.
10 10th q ny annual report, I distinctly stated
ihai the stiiDs'es on rot include tese items; bul
II NJ Tsria ispsrf - the Legislature Of 1868, made
stls tte 81 Fct - the amendment Cf the c.nsli.u.
ton sss undcs tlclssaOn, saicd tsc whole cast
ftee wofis, ipciGding al that vosc then proposed
4 10 ~ coasfructs1.
NJ. Clark. ore yssr Afterwards, made a special
vpost 70 tie Ieeis,atgr-, under precisely similar
| ciFrr msssbces a. my special rrpor, WA mad and
fulnirhsJ IN estimate, ss before obserytd l.. ally
ote snd bali millions q dollars less than mine
cannot d0ubt tnst The newspapers which have
lsretofore made thee state cacnts In re-
term 20 he cost Of she public work. made ont
w Mr.. Clark add myself, win 90 me the justice u
| mske the psnss sSTy corrvctcn.
n may he proler Cor ne 70 sid. that ! was abssn!
fscu ths State VI en- Mr.. Clark report was pubsh
| "a, ard thai on my return eaisd upon and ascer
tslnes from him tbat he lad asscfLed In pri-
yse or pusiic. that the completion OF the publi'
/ wcfks Would cot sixteen, eighteen or twenty mir
ious Of collars. has been stsed by some OF the
nswspAgsrs Rsspe tsully, ytur c'sedieut servant,
WV. y. kcALPfsE.