, 1875-03-22

Contribution to general fund.-, 20y,01o.CU
The taxes lericd for tllrse Turroaca dur
lug tho same icrlod 1.7s9sis.a5 70
IMPROVEMENTS IN TIE ERIE CANAL.
At tho opening Of navigation tno psosont saa-
ron tho doNbo locks will be completed. Tho
capacity Of tho Eric Canal to do IN aggregate
business will DO soyerat timoa Tie rclu, eulouts
OF tho la4gcst tonnage Il has ever had.
On Sept, 10, 1s7i tne1o rotnainod OF woli
benches u 48-1o0 miles OH tho towlng.p path side,
Of which II 25-100 miles arc contracted to bo
removed; and 4g 91.100 on tho bermo side,
Of 1 whoa : 5o:loo =, a5s e, contracted to 10
path side. md 39 4t-1G0 mllcs OH tho bcsmo aldo,
where tho obstruction ia muoh less important,
or equivalent III oil to &c m!los Oh both Bidca,
lhat is loas than per oent OF the Whole length
The engineers estimate OF tito cost Of romov-
lug tho remaining wall be,,chea was. In January,
1874, SILL aud NIL appropriation OF $500, 900
was snado by tie Leg.nnturo Of 1874, Witch will
l1o avasablo for expenditure during tho present
year,
Az tho only eject Of the wn1l benchcs now ro-
manning IL that they contract Tho canal at Its
bottom from &c 70 10 foct, and, in that plopor-
lion, the lower part Of the prism, forming scc-
way--thls leascsing the body Of water in which
tho boat uoyos for = fourteenth part OF tie
lengsh Of tho channel. and hut ons-t1ith Of that
Oh tho to"ing-pata eido-the Inconvenience OF
their exiatcice 10 thla limited oktont, ia not
very great or emcrgent.
WHAT OUGHT TO he DONE.
lp 1ny Judgment, far more important i'm.
provhMous Of tho Eric Cannl would be Objected
should give tho waterway itn proper aud lawtul
Dimensions. aud by progressively deepening It,
wherever reasonably practicable from I to
foat. AA tho object would be mnrcly to
move in lnrgcr area Of wator. so that tho diH-
placod fluid could pass tho boat In a larger
space It would not 10 necessary to alter tho cul-
yerth or other htructures or to carry tho walls of
benefit would DO raalizoa ~ each portion Of tho
canhl improved, without reference to any other
part OF tho channel which should ramain u,l-
changed. 1n facilitating tho movement
crease tl.o amount Of service rendered In a giyon
tlno, and would thole eby diminish every element
Of tho cost OF transportation. It would benclit
tho boatulen and carriers MORO even than cent
bnshel remission Of tolls: It would DO Of moro
real utility to navigation than five or ten times
ita cost expended III the average manner OF so-
cailcd improvements on tho. public works. Hut
itls too simple, too practically useful to anlist
the imagination Of projectors who nook tho fame
Of magnificent constructions, and OF engineers
WHO build monuuGuta for exhibition to their
rivals or TO awaken the rnpaclsy Of cormorants
who fastcn on Jobs.
The wisdom Of abstaining from al now work.
except that which Ia not only un0ful but Abho-
!utoiy necessary. ls obvious. Eyory item should
10 serutinized with iea!ous caro-.
The aggregate ought to DO Iept within half 4
million mud as much beloH that maximum au
possible. A thorough rotroMcllmont in orliuary
and extraordinary repairs will enubie tic State
to remit for tho preAont year, az compared With
tho last. to tho bohtMen and trausporters, from
95oo,ooO to sGoo, 600 Of tolls, and at the samo
time to G!ve relief to our oyor-butdonod tax
payers, III reduction OF tAxoa to tho extent OF
moro than Sl,76V,000.
II the restoring Of tho Eric Canal to its propor
dimons!ons and tho deepening Of tho waterway,
contemplated, cal, DO dulorrcd I'll noxt year, nf-
ter lts prcsent condition elall be accurately as-
eerta'nctl aud then bo proceeded with gradually,
FRAUDULENT coSrAAuTs.
have examined mora tllan one hundred con-
tracts. and tnd that InoHt nro 10 conttiycd that
not oAty docs tho state III the end pay from two
TO four times the amount Of tho contract, but
in fact, although 1t may 10 In form.
When the engineers estimate Of 4usn!itIOs
and kinds Of material arc published by tho Cou,-
ul!Halonere, tho contractor will hud out by col
laslon, & or n somc either way, what quautitios OF
required, OF ho will goo what influence to can
exert to change tho contract nftor II H ,nale II
Il IL ohanse1 no lew letting il AAd but Lo claims
The Job ~ his right.
IIu then puts i, llis bid offering to do such
work Or to furnish aach material ~ be finds will
not be required as a or III uu,al quantities. ut
aDiurdly low prices. at o quarter or In solno in-
Blancea Ut 9 twentlsth part Of ita coHt, Tho
ituMs which will DO required III full, md rroba-
lily In extla quantities, le will put al 1nroAaonA.
bly, high rates aud II turns out that whit tho eun-
tractor ofors ut low prices ID called for In small
quantities, II 1T al Wilo those which asc put at
llgh prices Gre not only ruquirod III full but III
most casea in extraordinary llautitos.
!ioW THE THICK III DONE.
An example wit! mure clearly illustrate how
tho state IL dslsaulol by these devices.
The engineer having estimated certain work
and material as follows;
l0t cubtc yarls Of vertical wall 1t $1..,.4 3N.00
3s5l cubic yards Of stops vail 1t tlsu.,... 6,7Bl50
=, s0 feet u. II. Mlits olk ut $Q...,.....,., ly0N
c00n feet H. h. hemioek at 55....,...,....., vo0Uo
11lal cs1mate. 1o2.g
a. Dia of Thy Job At these rntes amounted to. 7lQtl
NJ ltd for tho ~ w2s, for 49,
400 cutta Sasda vertical wall 1T $u....,,,,,,x GQJOQ
1has cubic yarda elops wAl 1t 70 ll585U
4 iOo ieet y Al. whitu oak A. 3iQ..,,,,.,,, iG1O0
tuoo telt H. II. houalock At $l......,....,. lBU0o
anu HsS'e8s'sa' 80
The PROPOSAL Of u, apparently 30 advantageous
to tho State. WaS accepted aud the contract
awarded to llim ~ tho ''lawost bidder" but
eftnrward, by aome lntuonco, 1t uas decided to
mako on'y vertical, and uo slv ,wal]. and to uso