New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-16
THE CANAL INVESTIGATION.

TESTIMONY OF EX-CANAL COtISsIONER ALEXANDER
BARKLEY, GEO. s. OLIVER, Toward p. soULE,
JR., NORRIS g. KINBAII, AND THOMAS GOoDsEIL-
TBr rHLBGRArn TO THE TEIDUSE.l
ALBANY, April 15-The Joint Investigating Com
mittee cantinue to work arluously holding sessions
every afternoon an evening. They have al
ready advanced very rapidly toward the pur-
pose of the investigation. They have exam
ined number of division, resident, and as
sistant engineers, continuing the test to-day by
taking the testimony OF four Others and have pretty
fully acquainted Themselves and the country with
the manner in which the estimates and contracts
made. They propose early next week to begin the
examination of some of the larger con-
tractors, when the revelations under
the sharp examination not only of the
counsel bat Of Senators Cole and Jacobs Of the Com
mittee, will doubtless elicit more new and astOnsh
ing information. To-day they examined ex-Canal
Commissioner Alexander Barkey, who has also been
a contractor, and George l.. Oliver Howard +.
SOule, jr., Morris S. Kimball, and Thomas
Goodsell, engineer The Committee dscov
cred among other things that the Canal
Commissioners not generally very ObseTvant of
affairs about them, Mr. Barley declared that the
first he knew OF any trouble in the office was when
Attorney General Barlow came and took away the
papers.
George 6. Oliver the first witness. lie said he
and had been a civil engineer for ten years an
engineer the Champaign Canal for three years.
He continued follows The work the DenisOn
tract on the Erie Canal placed in my hands in the
Fall OF 1868. At that tame the work had not been
mencod. Ny first duty TO make eross-sectons for
the purpose Of estimating the work TO be done. Those
measurements 1 kept in small field notebook.
Took the necessary measurements day. The note
book containing these measurements was destroyed by
fire in office in December 1873 All other notebooks
Of mine in the Engineers office with the exception OF
enc book which was incomplete and, therefore, uninte
nglble. That kept. The book was the only voucher
! had for the approximate estimate Of the work
done. The only l had for retaining the
book because thought IL necessary TO me IN
hold my reputation az an engineer; .Oud have taken
Mr. Hogan probably day to make the measurements
probably thought il important that should take the
myself with compensation from the State
during the progress OF this work took measurements
preliminary to the beginning Of the work more
do not know whether he is there not
Mr. DennsOn two three times during the prsgreSs
OF the work; Mr.. DennisOn did not make complaint to
about the prsgess of the work OF the amount or
the monthly estimate had nothing 10 do with the
work except far lock 20. The reason why was
discharged because Mr.. Croker said IL neccs
sary to reduce expenses Know OF other reason for
my decbarge. BY taking away my field nOtOs all
OF testing the accuracy of the figures removed.
Alex Barklcy sworn and testified: Was Canal Commits
sioner from Jan. l. 1872 to Jan 1874 was somewhat
connected with the canals before; superintendent Of
section OF the Erie Canal from 1850 10 1861: the
first indication / had that anything was wrong
Acknowledgement Barlow came and took the papers
away the first connection / had with the West
Troy contracts with Thompson making out new
prieeiss; thought that the estimate was made Tor
tract fair prices nothing very eXOrbiaDt in my
opinion think the work is irSt-claSs work.