Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-08-26

Nominee for Member of The Board Of
Public Works, One of the Piunderers-
Who Will Vote To Give Him Another
Chance?
The Ohio State Journal publishes a
chapter of facts which will be interesting
to the voters of the State. Our readers
have not forgotten that the reports Of the
Investigating Committee revealed the
interesting fact that the Locofoco Board
let the contracts on the Public works for
IS278, 329 per year, when responsible
bidders offered TO do the work for $2l3.-
948, and anything illustrating the man.
ner in which this windle of S64, 381
was accomplished cannot fail to interest
the ~populace, and the investigation be-
comes trebly important when a Douglas
bred Scott candidate for the votes of the
people is involved. Mr.. BAcKUs, who
was one of the engineers of the State at
the time of those lettings, vas also one
ofthe bidders on the contracts. Barely
noticing the Improperly of a person in
the employment cfthe State as engineer,
bidding on the contracts, we proceed to
a far more significant fact. Mr. BACKUs
as sociated himself with Messrs. DIcKET
& Co., as bidders on section No. 6, put
ting in a bid of S24. 900 per year for
said section, blu hat section w1S after.
acards let 10 SAMUEL M. YOUNG IL Co.;
for S9S, O0O!!! In order hat the public
may understand, we publish the follow
ing extract, from page III of the Report,
consisting of the
DEPOSITION OF DNE L. BACKUS.
Abner L. Backus being first sworn,
says:
| have been an engineer of the State
on the canal from Manhattan to ST. Ma
rvs and to the State line; this was from
April, 1851, 10 January, 1856.
l was one of the firm of j. w. Dickey
& Co., bidders on section No. 6, at the
lettings of the Public Works to be kept
in repair, in Nov. 1856. Our bid wa:
S94, 900.
Dues. induced your firm 10 de-
cline to take that contract at your bid
Ans. So far as l am concerned it wa:
Withdrawn because l thought more mon
ey could be made by Withdrawing the
bid then by taking the contract. l heard
NO intimation from any one, nor did any
one of our firm, to my knowledge re
ceivc any intimation that we were not t
have the contract at our bid.
Dues. Did you receive any money oil
other valuable things for Withdrawing
your bid on Section No. 6?
Ans. l received from Samuel NJ
Young a thousand dollars for withdraw
ing the bid. 1t was understood tina
each member of our firm was to receive
a thousand dollars. There were four o
US: ]. Dickey,, w. Dickey, Samuel Doyle
and myself.
Cues. Was there any understanding
that any other person was to receive any
of this money?
Ans. Not to my knowledge. Nc
one ever got a dollar from me, either
directly or indirectly-nor did any ont
of our firm, TO my knowledge, ever pay
or agree to pay, any portion Of 1t t,
any one.
Dues. Who made out the estimate o
the average cost of Sections No. 6 and
No: 7?
Ans. l do not know who made then
out. An estimate of the average cost o
repairs was made out by some one, anC
laid upon the desk of the Secretary, fol
several days about the time of the let
tings. We relied upon an estimate o
the average cost made by ourselves.
Dues. 1t appears from the report o
the Board made to the Senate March 4
1856, that the average cost Of section
No. 6, as exhibited TO bidders, was 49,.
976, was this more than the actua
cost?
Ans. / am not able 10 state.
We wish every one to take notice, IL
this connection that a statement wa
made out and shown TO bidders, showing
the average yearly cost Of the work Oh
the section to be S45,971, being $751;
600 more than engineer estimated it at
leaving room for profit at that. Taxi
notice also that the pro-slaverr, Doug
las, bred Scott candidate, for a consiG
Grafton of $1,000 consented to see thu
State Treasury robbed of S18. 900!!!-
If the people of the State wish to see an
other Locofoco plundering crusade in
augurated, they have only to vote 70
the ticket crnamented with the name o
A. l.. BAcKUs, and it is done.
THE MORMON WAR.-Just as a form
liable expedition, under the command o
tho most active and warlike of nur- Gen