Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-12-21


ments for the work could be arranged so that they
could be met by the company. The difficulty Is
that the contractors propose TO do more WORK during
the first year than the company could probably pay
for, as NAV be seen by the following estimate of eN
penses, supposing Merrifeld X COS proposal to be
accepted:
Estimate Of Expenditures for The Year 1866
Payments to Contractors. $4,000
Expenses and repairs % division aud North
River Canal .......... ........ .......- - 5us
Joshua Falls Dam ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SuVO
Blue Ridge Dam, ay-.-...........'..'. 6o0 Vo0
Salaries of Agents ....................'-. oi'oVV
Total. $3.50, COZ
The above estimate should be reduced by the
amount of materials, tools, Sc., that would oe pur-
chased from the company by the contractor say
FoURTB-My TTeirs in Regard 10 the ErPedieHcy
of Letting the Repairs Of the Cana! 6y ContTad.
I'm considering the eXpedieney OF letting the re-
pains of tue canal by contract II Is useless 70
In spec ulative theories. The only sure gulue sIIu
he the practical working OF the system on puDHc
works where It has been in use Tor several years.
The New York canals, from their commencement up
10 the year 1854 were kept in repair hy laborers III
the employment of the State under the dTeotloh anu
control of superintendent. But II was iound that
tbis superntendent system attended by the most
extravagant expenditure of the pub!ic money ana
the grossest corruption amongst Tie officers anu en-
nloyaes of the State IL became i pItII pOlIuCdl
ENGINE. The offices were bestowed upon political
fayortes without regard to character or qualiica-
tions Large sums of money were expended III con-
trolling elections. Men were employed to work on
The canals without regard TO either utility or neccs-
sty: materials not needed were purchased at ennr-
nous prices to secure political influence, and tue
State treasury had to meet the expenses incurred.
10 Is no wonder then, that this corrupt system De-
came odious and that " the State authorities from
pecuniary necessity, were compelled to Abolish II
and resort to other system al prosecuting re-
pairs" In 1854, the contract system was tired on
small scale and after that wa gradually extended
until the wear 1860. when the MhOe oil the repairs
of the canals were let hy contract. The SAVING III
four Years was over million dollars, or about luly
per cent of the expenditures fuI the same time under
the old system. But notwithstanding the acknow-
lodged economy of the contract system, there al
pears 10 be great difference OF opinion amongst The
canal commissioners and engineers pl the New ! ORR
canals in regard to lis merits Mr.. william D. lay
lOr the present State engineer and surveyor ol tlc
State of New York, who is a strenuous advocate ol
the contract system, has collected and published Tor
the information OF the Legislature oil New lolk'
nil the official communications, remarks and oPn'
ions of the State engineers and canal mSS!onefs
relating To the repairs oil the canals From tins re-
port there appears to be great diversity oil OPINION
in regard TO the merits of the two systems. While
the engineers and commissioners generally agree ID
prcerrng the contract system to the old corrupt
system of superinfendents they agree also III aScrb
chief of which will point out.
Commissioner Skinner, in 1861, remarks: " The
present system is surrounded with dinlcutleS Tue
contractors will do no more work than they are
forced to do, OF the character ana description
within the plain scope and meaning OF their con-
tracts ~
VIM. b. Taylor, State Engineer, 1862, says -
The pre sent system of letting the repairs ny con-
tract is not so elective in its operations as was an
ticipated by the trainers of the law under which it
was authorized The original condition OF the canal
is not maintained but on the contrary nearly, If not
every SrrpcrintendentS section, after being under
contract for few years, is not IN as good CONDITION
a. il was while in the hands OF the state olhcer'.
Having been for many years engaged upon canals,
both in charge of construction and repairs, my OF
portunites tor observing the effect oil the present
system have given me correct knowledge oil l'b
effects and have led me to the opinion that change
should be made whereby the canals could be Kept m
good condition and their structures maintained ana
1rcs1rved Repairs are now let for a
gross sum. per annum for all work of whatever ma
ture that may be necessary to Keep the cahais IN
navirabe order so that the interest OF the contraC-
TOR s NOT TO perform the work necessary for the we'll
heinz of the canals but to do as little possible,
since all the outlay is sustained by himself and all
work remaining undone rebounds TO his pront, whe
the State sustains the loss. As consequence most
of the repairs particularly mechanical structures are
of a temporary, instead OF permanent nature THIS
fact is well known to all who are IN any manner
familiar with the subject and is constantly made
the theme of comment by those who are deeply IN
terested in the welfare and prosperity OF our canals
.Whe this system is saving large sums to the
state it is leaving equally large ones yet to he ex-
nepded 10 render the canals in tie same condition
they held before being placed under contract
." 1t is not sufficient to say that the present system
is stringent and covers all points provided the con
tracts are literally and strictly carried out-for is
a fact beyond dispute that no canal commissioner
has yet been able to enforce all the provisions con,
tanned in the contracts nor can he ever July ana
l.. 10, t1aa ,afr tnr'Q int
and that Of the State are antagoDiStc the one be-
10 do as little work possible, while
the other desires all that may be deemed necessary
to maintain and keep the canals in proper naVlga'
bic condition. ,ooo
doubt whether the contract system should be aD2n-
Joned and the State return 10 the old expensive
manner of making repairs through superintendent
each plan is full Of obstacles aud difficulties ana he
il unable to advise in the matter. I'm,
= 4 AlberGer, commissioner IN 1903, says-"ihe
object of the contractor is to make rs much money
nc 'nossible-tha least amount of repairs made the
Greater his profits. lie must ignore the Importance
of kcepnp his section in complete order and bc Tor
geful of the great commercial aerests entrusted 10
Ills care The locks under their charge are often
attended bv IL cheap class of mGu-very frequently
without sufficient number of that poor material the
tow paths are neglected; the structures permitted To
decay--whe the State may nomiHally save some
moncv the peope using the CANALS are losing more
than the state gains" The system is antagonist
'.aI to the hest interests of the State and in the
of your commissioner, should be abo!
ished." &C.,
Commissioner b. F. Bruce, 1861 says" There is
Il lust and growing hostility to the present repair
contract system among those most familiar with ITS
nractical operations Theoretically it may seem
feasible. but when reduced to practice, like many
other theories eNpodcs itself, and viii bc found, II
not already so, most expensive ana dangerous one
TO the state and its interests. Contractors are now
lis most devoted friends and strenuous advocates,
" lille forwarders bOatmcn and others interested IN
rood navigation and the sae-Rccpng of the canals,
almost universally dlsapprove, II they don't con-
denim, the SYSTEM ... ,,,.
savs"It il admitted that the present contract sys
TEN does not fully accomplish llir results designed
by its projectors, and therefore Il requires alteration
or abandonment.
1.-The main objection to the contract system now
in usa is that the contractor, who receives gross
sum for all the work to he performed by him. VIII
not without vgiant care and energetic measures,
on the part of those IN charge perform the reqnhen
and necessary repairs because his interest lies IN do
inc n little work as possible in order to receive pro-
fits from his contract. Yet from all that has been
said. can it be doubted that il RIGID enforcement
of all the conditions aud terms o the contract bad
Leen eyacted the canals could have been mainta n
ed rs contemplated by the framGr Of the laws now IN
force? -,
We have had sufficient experience and practical
lnowleJr. of the working of the old plan To enable
MS 10 Judge Of its merits and almost 10 force u to
decide that under no circumstances will we gun
i.opardize the State finances by revertng 10 surl
: ystem. ,.
1t appears from the above extract; that there are
grave and nsuperablc objections 10 the contract sy
lem of rana RI as practSed on the New ork canals
It's strongest advocate, ". B. Taylor Acknowledges
that il reumrcs alteration or abandonment. MI
praise the contract system for its economy but con-
denim IL for its ineliicency in keeping the canal IN
good repair aud none appear 10 be- wiling I" 80
back to the old superintendent system. The New
York canals seem 10 be suffering from too mighty
evils which appear he incident TO that lattude-
cheating contractors on the one hand and stealing
,uperntendents on the other. The only remedy That
the State engineer suggest is that of ifc.s ng
the work. The State engineer says: " In my Jhus-
ment the only way TO TO the state the results
50 earnestly desired and eagerly sought IS to let Inc
work as all other works are let and performed ana
nav the contractor according to his contract prices
for each specific item of materials furnished, WORK
done and labor performed he can then receive no
compensation unless he is entitled 10 It for actual
work done. and will promptly undertake and exc,
cute everything directed and required, since he VIII
then have no reason for doing otherwise.
An objection urged against these views IS tiat