New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-04

of these levels as wond have been secured by sUP,
walls upon the old lines, though az icTease Ci
capacity was one Of the preteAts py WHICH 'nc o"'
| has been begliled into this folly. r. .,o o-o.s.
We have instituted comparison OF tne III M
sectional areas q canal can Inv Which would
have been provided by the substitution "a s ~,
wall for the bench wall and have Obtained tio ioi,
lowing results: The sectional area OF wa.
wal is now IL square feet less than it
would have been with tho proposed slope ,;opI
y,aIls is less by 40 square feet between locks and
the area of waterway is less by 81 square zee,
between locks and i j. less by % Guare feet
between locks and il is less by - square feet
between locks and 10 it is less by 1G square seet
between locks 10 and It is less by ~ sImre tset
between locks and ~ il is less by 40 square Zee,
between ocbs ~ and IL it is less by IA square rect
between locks - and ii it is less by 80 square ieel
between locks If and 10 it Is greater ny = s4'ie
feet above lock it less by IS square dest on
the West Troy level it is greater by square re-
From these details II appears e9nensiveiy wa, .o
SECTIONAL area Of waterway and consequent capa,
ity of the canal has been reduced along tns "hoe
stretch covered by this work an average OF I'VE per
cent below the dlnens2ns willcn wonln hs'' '''"
| realized from the construction OF slope WILLS
now VERTICAL WAS SUBSTITUTED FOB SLOPE WALL.
We will now endcavor to explain the processes, as
they have been developed in the testimony taken
before lis and from official records, by which ver;i-
cal dry or cement walls came to be substituted iOf
| slope wall on this work.
The circumstances in which this contract had ITS
inception all point TO the conclusion that plot had
heen formed 80 defraud the State under the law ior
| removing bench walls between Port schuyler Ghh
| the Lower Mohawk Aqueduct, which ~ oder tlilii
the contract Itself, ANA that The cooperation o. co'-
uyauce OF some, at least OF the state oucer9 was re-
garied az an Indispensable and an assured element
of Its Success. 7,
! All the annual appropriation acts for new work
and extraordinary repairs Of the canals iron 80! -
| aud including 1913 nave contained me following
SrcToS L. No part portion ~ the mon
eys errn appropriated for new work % wof on change
OF pan shall De expended paid. nor shat any coAtrf
Involving 81 cxpcnliturc aud plSIent be mad" on DO
half OF his state anil the mars p'sns ana r3'llios Tor
proved % the Canal Board and the worA shan he ad'er
lis,I AM let 20 the lowest SlGder. ava Of
1850 already cited at page tGnr defines tis dot4 OF
the division Engineer u yet more eArhcit terms.
We have already cited thc proof t9dt 40 surveys,
maps. or estimates. rs required ~ law, were tv +
made, much less submitted 20 ard approved by thi
! State Enginoer and Surveyor and by the tahal
Board, before this contrast was jrl.
Mr. Crocker, tie DiYision l-uSueer al ihat iluie'
and whose duty il 90 have ca Sed them II pc
| made and Submitted, sFears that none wer" mace
Mr. iafes Iht DgFiOn Engineer, swear ihl0 r@Ie
WAS evidence IN MS oee tna any ha'l D'5n N''e
prcplrat0ry 10 tlo letting OF TINS, hor dso 10 Ie
letting of any other pending contract on 'hiS III
in The face of tlis undisputed state of facts We
find the following record III the Official piocoelh
Of tbe Canal Board for July r. 100
BY Mr.. Das.O.i ~ tle Canal Load: -.
Te Eaa n T9 esaS5 rs da; st eNf be- W.
CrocErr Division Engineer for tine construction OF the
following WON 10 VA
18Th. For removing wall benches and constructing
slope. paycn It, 'oitiea ana ret;i'ihg W1ls, ana ans.
Lower Mohawk Aguuiuci. 900
Act Chapter 81, Ldas of 1869
Hereby approve i'll same and recommend their adop
ton. .. ba-L0h'
Canal Commissioners
rial the ~ Us plans and estimates this DAY submit
tea to tn Canal Board aud having Den approved by .he
Board OF CANA niA'sioerS he adoi, and '9e NcfH
advertised foI cl2S III pursuance u S5ct'oh - |"'pI
On ealing TIC Yeas and Nays, the resolution Was
Ipon references 10 the minutes of the Board Of
Canal Comm. .:iOners a here ced. we ma that, Ia
point uf fact, they never took an action Whatever
upon hi. POr! Schul Ter work until after the Canal
board bad authorized it To be ei and their first step
WAS IN eXecut Ou OF pOHcIS Wltn winch bI rtsOIti-
ton of The Canal Board, jHst cited clothed them.
II appears further by the testimony ot Mr.. Acin
1Iayer. thai such was tie uniform pIaetice OF the
Board OF Canal Commissioners aud mat ihe record
therefore, which presents that tie action 81 the
Canal Beard III authorizing the letting follow d tie
presentation by tine Canal Comnissioirrs OF I9al g.
plans, estimate and siecihcit"iis "iiIch ma po"h
approved BY theAn i, was ahd has always bceh' d
pure fiction.
CONTRACT GIyEV 10 THE uIcHrsr TIDDE8 IN
STEAD OF TIE LOWEST
We hasten on 10 another phas, OF this cXtraordi-
nary business.
TIE Constitution. Art VII. Sec 2. provides that
" all CONTRACTS for work or materials on ary canal
shall be made V III The person who shall Offer 20 do
or provide the same ~ ihc lowest price, with ade-
/ quate security Tor their performance"
This contact, instead OF being gwen rs tie Con-
stitution required aud according e. the rms "a tc
proposals to the bidder who offered 10 ID ,he work
and provide ibe mat rails ut the lowest price, proves
10 nave been given 40 that ore, of All oh'rs. VINO, rs
ne was c.ln.t M to in,ofpret tie coltra"i actually
bid .e hIgcst purV, TAi.9 inc bds oi clci N DINER
/ coapetitols, every one Of WhoiA-,IviHg Tie con-
tract the sainc ucrpfetati"n-oierc To ta@e IL al
prices moro ityCIa lr 81 Tie stair, were REJECTED.
h Official llc, Ids make his rell, cly clear Ar
Cracker, the Dis ,nl Eng nccrs exhibit "a Iuaut-
tb for the lcr'ng. based he says upon " a par
tiai Ocuiar survey was a. foiOws:
baiilug ald drainiu. -..-....---. 500
10000 cubic Sd-. tn - earth M -nc... s,o0D
1909 cable istss rock blasted ... q 30. Loco
.,U0 cubic yards rock nos ola, ted &C.. o.. 900
LOO cJh" yards eu. .Ginicti. ..---. u. -
1850 cubic Yards lining ............... %. l,~I1
100 cnnc yards pgdiiiue....-....-.. 30. 30
lt,UO) cubic yards $40 &c 3nd pavement 49,
wal i ~ - t'"'
SlrOn cubic yards vertical wall dry. Co. o3,VVb
l0'DoO i.ri l.. >. %hitr "ak timber. 30 ~ y
as, OO fcci T.. u. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ~. -. ~
800 pounds spikes ana nails ......... s.. y
TotaI....................... ssl.oi5
81