New-York tribune., 1867-08-14

n and their contract oblges them to down to the
inter SILL as before stated their job becomes an ehueS
Here is gigantic swInde which. unless npped in the
bud at once Will cost the State at least nan hiion
AS this were not enough the Contracting Board naSe
also Tor the hrs time separated the Aqueauct @
Albany and Schenectady the same section ana nave
How was this fraud nernetratedl This will be found
most interesting phase Of the case by those VINO are
pefenced in the ways and means by Whlch the S'ao 10
The bids for canal contracts were to he handed in at
noon OF December 2s 1866 to the Contracting Board when
Auditor and the state Engineer and Surveyor.
on the morning OF that day the contractors et az h., q
room IN one Of the Albany hotels, ana orgalled py
choosing President and Secretary. This was the gand
ring" which in turn composed OF lesser rings
Chief among them was the contracting firm OF Messrs
Belden, Gale Denison. Two Others, Messrs; Hirsch
Peterson had applied for admission 70 TINS close cor
pOraOn by threats and promises had succeeded IN
eifecting their object SO here firm composed OF
five bghmnded gentlemen, whose spokesman ana iaeto
tum Gale. In this select assenDage OI
bid the section OF the canal tthe Albany sec
on wi was Pr up at The firm represented by
the yTpoas g "a fY SS&sT Wfh Bnt ye Ts peT SI
sons make too large ring This select and successful quin-
tet retired 10 another when the contract was again
put up and Gse d f9 b az ,S $1,000 This sum was
given Messrs Hirsch Peterson, aud they were Iei
out IN cold The various bids, in the mean tline ad
been handed over to the victorious triumVirate VINO
fully examined them and lad aside all that were under
the AT which they proposed TO TAKE tne cOhtaSt
These unucy bids they proceeded TO render informal by
tearing stamp from one, erasng the c0hdlOns 0l an an
they not likely 10 the ordeal OF the Board ana
virtue Will have It's sure reward hr Oale prepared ms
bid at 70 cents yard for basin. and at $4,000 year
for the section, promising these careful gentlemen
fortune in the short space of five years
session at - O'Clock What did these modest gentlemen
They went TO the Board and pointed out the fact
that some Of the contractors would detained in
quence of It, and alleged their probable sorrow II any loss
their rivals. With charming simplicity that was only
equaled by the selfforgetfuness OF Messrs Gale Co.
the Board at acquesced in this view and put on the
opening Of the bids TO o'clock Thus with four hours
gained these gentlemen had no trouble IN pefectlng
their plans and when the bids opened the lowest
formal bid found 20 be that Of Messrs Beden Gale
Yet it was not all smooth sailing for the conspirators
The bid outrageous in its charges so dlsprOpor
TONED to the be done that the Board rejected IT,
Messrs Aiberger and Dorm Canal Commissioners voted
let It II Messrs Benton Canal Auditor Good
voted against It. However after discussion. the Board
adjourned to Dec 81 On that day r Bruce was absent
MIR Benton, the Canal Auditor, changed bs vote, and
only Mr. GOodse found oppose it. The contract
was accordingly awarded as above
There can be but one comment upon the above trasac
ton II conspiracy against the state and the con-
tract and IS entirely fraudulant MI Dorm swears
that he disputed there was conspiracy III e case before
the contract awarded The contract Is void, and the
multitude of dredges now busly at work excayating
slush at 70 cents yard are the hahds OF so many
swinders busy the public treasury The feeling Is
widely prevalent that the Contracting Board have not
the power break the contract the Legislature should
be summoned 20 save the half million dollars oi "hich
The Senate Committee of Investigation deserve great
credit for the persistent manner I'm which they have Ol
Every embarrassment has been thrown IN their way but
they have persevered Senator Stanford the Chairman
OF the Committee has given his whole time TO IT, and has
been ably seconded by Senator Gibson. Senator H. G.
Murphy signed their report but las rarely been present
his election the Constitutional Convention and other
duties preventing his attendance. 49,
An incident will show the determined opposition to this
investigation, which was manifested by canal men
throughout the State Not content with telling men who
we're summoned TO testify, that "the Committee had no
power compel them 10 appear they need not go and
ought not had 20 threats. one VIII
ness declined testify when brought before the Com
mittee alleged that he afraid 10 give any evil
dence "Afraid" said Senator Stanford, What are you
afraid off" That they will burn my barns, was the
reply "Pshaw-why don't they burn mine e. said the
Senator There they stand finer barns than yours, and
with not dollar OF insurance upon them Let them burn
them they think best II will not hinder the myestiga
ton"
It will be remembered also that every effort was made
last Winter 20 compel the Committee to report TO tho
Ingisatilrr Senator Stanford put his papers IN his
pocket md absolutely refused 10 put himself In their
nower The House Committee endeayored To- force hlln
10 give them up but without success From that day to
the present system OF petty annoyaDce5 ana persecu
tions have kept up, coming souetnes from mon
who hold or have held bieh official Positions when had
eary served TO convince the COmmtees that their yes
,igation ought to be the more diligently prosecuted