New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-17
SECOND REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING
COMMISSION.

SECOND REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING
COMMISSION.
RELATING TO CONTRACT FOR IMPROVEMENTS on
THE CANAL FAST OF UriCA-H. d. DFSTsoN, J.
J. BELDEN, AND MEADE BELDEN INTERESTED IN
THE CONTRACT - EXTRACTS FROM THE TEsTI-
MoNY.
To His EJcellency the Gorern0r OF the State OF N-o'
York: On the 9th day of September, 1869, and the
same day that the Port Schuyler contract with II. ID.
Denison-treaed of in our first report--was signed,
another contract was entered into between the State
and the same II. ID. Denison, for removing wall
benches on the Erie Canal from the junction of the
Chenango Canal Herewith to the eastern limits OF
the City of Utica, and for constructing vertical
wall along the bernie bank of said canal from
a point near Clay-st. eastward, about 1,5cO
feet" As in the case of the Port Schuyler contract.
and in fact, of all the contracts pending on this
division of the canals far can learn, no sur
vey, map. estimate specification, such rs the law
requires in all to be made blythe Division En-
eineer approved by the State Engineer and Sur
veyor submitted to the Canal Board for their adop-
tion and filed in the office of the state Engineer and
Surveyor before a work can be let, was ever made.
approved, submitted adopted OF filed. Upon this
point your attention is invited to the testimony OF
the State Engineer and other witnesses annexed
no. u. The amount for which the contractor bound
himself 10 perform the work specified in the contract
was $1O617. The amount credited to him on tho
LIST of March last with at least third OF the work
unfinished, was $50, 700.
HOW THH WORK WAS DONE.
The Commission visited this work on the 26th Of
April last, accompanied by HoratiO Seymour jr the
engineer who had been placed in charge OF 1t in DO
cember preceding. The work done on the bernie
side consisted of about 800 feet OF slope wall COM
mencing some 800 feet west of the city limits, end
a vertical wall extending from the west end of this
slope wall to Clayst. Bridge, within the limit of the
City Of Utica 1856 linear feet. OF the latter, 100
linear feet were laid in cement and the rest dry.
The specifications required that the slope wall shall
be composed of field or quarry stone OF
good shape the wall to have an average thickness
measured at right angles to the slope OF 10 inches
more when the engineer shall think it necessary to
protect the work." and no stone to be laid IN such
wall less than II inches in length at right angles to
the face" We found the average thickness OF this
wall from 20 measurements in one opening, instead
of being Is inches was only 92o2o inches aud in an
other from % measurements only 9ls23 inches. In
no place did we find it nearer the specifications The
specifications require the rear OF the wall TO rcss
upon a base of clean, hard gravel, at least nine
inches thick at right angles with face, the compensa-
ton for the wall include the expense Of filling tho
hind this wall, and the weight o. the testimony 10
that none was used
The dry vertical wc,i commences 81 chains and 20
feet east Of Clayst Byidgc, at which point il termi-
mated. We tore this down in seven different places.
We did not find any portion OF it constructed accord
ing to contract. Only very insignificant proportion
of the stone of the minimum size permitted by
the specifications and although the contract required
one-fourth of the volume Of the wall to be composed
of headers or building stone as deep as the wall va
found none 1t was face wall, Laid so a. to expose
the largest face of the stone filed in behind WITH
small stones without bond, bedding Or disposition OK
any kind.
All the coping and ties were estimated and paid
for as white oak timber. There was not piece Of
white oak on the work, but with the exception 81
about 100 feet at the west end, of henlock, this
vertical wall was COPIED throughout with bastard
beech Birch and maple timber Of scant proportions.
Twenty- -four pieces, purportng to be ties only from
II to Is inches in length were found framed into
the coping within o distance Of $50 feet. What
they lacked in length had been originally concealed
from the eye Of superficial observer by earth which
the rain had since washed to u considerable extent
through the loosely jonted wall into the canal. The
portion of this wall purporting TO be laid in cement
we found of like character as to work. size Of stone.
and their disposition. The mortar had no more
tenacity than equally dry mud.
WORTHLESS WORK.
Though this wall was all bull; since 1870 IL 10
already badly bulged ard ds,oeated. Several Sec
tons have faHen and all Of it will stand in ed Of
considerable repairs annually. The coping upon il.
made as is. for the most part Of the most perish
able woods of our forest, was badly decayed.
Besides the difference between such wall as the
contractor engaged to furnish aud tho shameful
piece of work he has put there, the estimates show
that upon every item of labor ard materials that en-
tered into it, the State has been grossly ovcrcharged.
Over 1000 yards of rock excavation credited to
the contractor in places where, by sounding to the
depth Of two feet below canal bottom, rock could
be found. The space included between tho rear Of
the waM and plane inclined at Az anglo Of 45S
from it's base, was estimated both excavation and
embaakment, though very little earth was moved at
al, and what was, under tho contract, vas not
chargeablo ~ c.obankn,cnt. The excavation Of alb
the old bench was estimated to the contractor,
thovoh over the greater part VI &c work than