New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-29


we're mostly Though not wholly rospon'
dble for expendrtures for ordinary repairs.
OF course the Iowprioed contracts were gen
orally surrendered for they value either 70 the
State or their owners and both parties were gia 10 ne
rid Of them Some Of the hicberpr1ced contracts were
neither surrendered the contractors nor ahro0ated oy
the COmmissioDers-by Win the State was deiranh
ed" says learned ritic Not at all under
take to say there ia not Of truth in the state
ment II the higher priced contracts cost the State less
money than they likely 20 cost under superin-
tendens then " was not only privilege but the duty
Of the Commissioners 20 hold on 10 tbem
Just long az the contractors maintained
good navigation as the bupern
tendens elsewhere at greater cost and neither
the State Treasurer anybody else show that the
contractors failed in single instance 20 do their whole
duty after the law Of 1870 enacted Another sgnln
cant fact converted compared TO the sec
tons run by supernendeDts, large sums OF money
saved 70 the state and every case where
these contracts perpetuated. When the Conrnis
soners spoke OF "diapidated" canals. they had more
especial reference sections which had been LET
at nonoompensatlng rates. and which t was dcnit
10 get the work done and nos 10 those sec
lions paid for AZ compensating prices.
The Treasurer stables showing the cost per mih Tor
canal repairs for the last II years, will be better UNDER
stood II attention Is gwen to the following facts
First In three Of the first four years the Erie,
" enlarged and the Champlan still being +" I'M
proved" and liberal amounts were expended annually
that while the enlargement" was carried on, II
absorbed large amounts OF work which otherwise must
rates labor and materials ruled at ane-war prices,
which viii sufficiently account for the Apparently small
During the next four years prices rose, and
the Legislature made equitable allowances on e1stns
cOntraCtsal OF which appear IN these expenditures
Yhtru During the last Jour years. viz: from 1865 70
1872 took place the transition from the contract 20 Ihe
s4rfut tend gvafpm
expenditures 20 restore such sections az htd Oeeh
neglected by the contractors heavy payment Tor ma
terla and tools taken from the contractors AZ deceu
by law considerable allowances for permanent IND
provements " several disastrous breaks and extra al
lowance by the Legislature.
The Commissioner approves the superintendent
estimates and hence responsible" Let us whether
he should always be held morally as we'll as legally
responsible The Commissioner has various aud i'm
pOrant dqtes 20 perform none OF when can ne lsrt
garded or neglected He has attend meetings NJ the
Canal Board and the Board OF Commissioners. He has
calls from the Legislature during its sessions,
frequently IN person ne - charged WIN me lu
duty Of looking up evidence and preparing the defense
Of the state against claims on his own DIVISION, re
quentv amounting OF thousands OF dollars
and many other important matters winch IN Their turn
man OF sense that the Commissioner never did, and
never can, examine personally the work embraced IN
simultaneously, and extending over some 800 miles OF
canal II be did. ne would himself be superintendent
these somewhat expensive officials might as well De
dispensed with.
on one question do take Issue with the Treasurer
millions OF dollars the nOnprOductive lateral canals.
have urged with the greatest earnestness that the
Legislature should reform this matter call attention
" the following extract from my Report o. Jan. 1879
The lateral canals without exception are old ana
dapdated, most Of them having decayed wooden
mechanical structures which have nearly Outved their
allotted time and hence have become exceedingly eX-
pensive Keep up. In view OF the Constitutional pro
vision that they shall remain the property o the state
and under it, management forever" the Commissioner
could not take the responsibility OF abandonng THESE
canals in the Of any legislative direction; and
yet they enormously enhanced Ms expenditures
and II FOR such unavoidable OUTLAWS that me treasurer
ie attempting 70 destroy all confidence OF your Commit
tee Legislature and the pubic II the Canal Commits
sioners.
for improving rendering safe navigation, Is usually
urged upon the Legislature by the Commissioner ana
for such work he should be held responsible, and for
nothing Take, FOR instance the enormous sums
paid within the last few years on the Chen~ngo tx
tension ana Oneida Lake Canals Neither my predecessor
nor myself ever recommended the appropriation OF a
single dollar for OBJECTS unless II was TO pay on
deDts already contracted OK to secure some piecaous
work partly finished.
the law uniformly accompanied by prOvsO that none
OF the money snail be expended nor any contract made
adopted the plans and estimates and then II becomes
the duty Of the Commissioners 20 advertise the WORK
and put IL under But they cannot DO TINS until
the tax has paid into the Treasury or the C0mns
sioners OF Canal Fund who constitute the Canal
Board. excepting the Canal Commissioners and state
Engineerl have borrowed the money. When all these
prenminAries are complied with, IL devoves upon the
Commissioner conduct the work and issue his draft IN
payment therefor II Congress makes excessive appro-
prlations for the army you might as Wen holl te pay
Commissioner the cost OF these sOeahed exuaofdi
nary repairs Nor Ia the Commissioner always respOn
5ibe for the paid by Nun rom the ordinary
repair fund Many Of the allowances made by che Legs
iTe nns he maid from the latter fund. The Treasurer
charges win being responsible for an expenditure OF
more than $4,000 the Middle Division; when, ne
ever learns what IL bound 70 know az a member OF
the Canal Board will discover that had no control
oneha OF that sum and ~ II is Win the otheI CON
mlssOners.
Within the y years large sums have been appro-
prated By Legislatures for these sOcaled
extraordinary repair" with the exception or the
CeuAngu Extension and Oneida Lake Canals, II lie sale
10 say than 81 per cent OF the aggregate eA
ueuditurre under this head for objects winch should
nave been embraced the enlargement and would have
the enlargement without interrupung expenditure.
Whether this policy wise or otherwise t NOT Of
me 10 discuss OCCASION. but do not propose tiat
the Canal COmmlsOners should De made the scpegOats
for the alleged OF the CauI Loaiu ahu
al other departments Of the state Government nor mat
the least OF the chapter OF accidents winch the Re
publican party uninennOnauyi II IS claimed lumcted
upOu me people al the election Of 1871 snail set hlmset
M in Judgment on these without an expose. The
fnt that he was permitted appear before your Com
mittee given MS speech a. he called H. an m
portauce which seems be- held a Justification by
such An influential paper HE NEH-1Okk IRIBINE
for Furnishing editorials severely censur1ng the Com
MISSIONER which do not believe would ever have APP
peared after a fair hearing OF both sides
MR. RAIKEs WILL CONTINUE THE CONTEST
ALBANY. March estate Treasurer Rilnes
states his Intention 10 s further The acts OF the
state Engineer ana Canal Commissioners, and that
every east by him IN the Canal Board nae Oeth
bs ed upon the strong representations of the Engineer
and Commits oners, and Was but mere formal ap-
urOva plans estimates without any expression
as Necessity OF the work winch wac wholly under