New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-07

for IL. The idea OF increasing lhc siHc VI '"0 '
in Buffalo within two miles of Lake Erie. ana on
the same level with the Lake for this purpose is 100
ridiculous to be gTavely considered.
In reply to the second question whether the pan
of this work was an economical one or not, tho
eprirecr who il employed by TIE TRIBUNE, and who
has examined the work with me, aifrms that il was
mot have shown how one-half OF the money
expended might have been saved by utilizing the
old division bank between Black Rock Harbor and
the canal aud leaving the latar Mt its old capacity
TIE TRIBUNE's engineer suggests that the new
division wall which 1t was found necessary to con-
struct, might have been built of earth with both
slopes paved, and this would have been much
cheaper than the crib surmOuntcd by walls
that has been put there. Then, if it were Thought
necessary to increase the capacity OF the CANAL
bv making it wider and deeper, the amount
Of excavation necessary would still have been much
less and the earth removed might have been USED III
building the embankment.
In reply TO this suggestion it is said here that such
a division bank would have encroachod too much
uron the ship channel narrow part OF BACK i'ooA
Harbor. fnd on inquiry that this ship chan"ei Is
very seldom used for navigation By means Va
yessels NAV pass from Lake Erie about lour Iii'cS
down TO the mills at Black Rock. oil when h',o
o,ol.on Drt ii II were closed entirely the mills
R1aci Rock Har6or is connected with the Niagara
pivor near the International Bridge by means of
shin lock. 50 that vessels from Buffalo may pass
down the Niagara River 70 this lock and thence
info Rack Rock Harbor and to the mills. Inc
bui,dine of a cheap wall of earth such as
have described would interfere less with navigation
than with the watar-p0weT of the mills which nave
90 often mentioned As the fall of water which they
use is only two feet they have to make up III guam
ty what they lack in hight and if, when ihey nave
been cut of from their supply from the CANAL 'he
quantity of water that flows through the snip cdha
should be much reduced. IL is doubunl II tn''i
water-power would be worth much. The dreagins
which has recently been done in the narrow ship
channel is more beneficial to manufacturing tnan 10
uayieatlon To what extent the State ought TO ap-
! propriate money for the Improvement OF water
powers and the encouragement OF industfiai MANU-
features is question which shall not discuss.
Nv first letter from this city substantially ans
werod the third question: Has the work on MoWr! 3
| contract been honestly dones While the walls he
has built are the best of those recently constructed
| which have examined. they are in many respects
! mnerfect great many small irregular stones
! have been used in the walls, especially on the top
| and in the back. which weaken it and make 1t
liable to fall to pieces In places also the crib
does not seem to have been properly tied together as
if has aDparenty spread several inches. The engl-
neer who planned the work did not intend to have
a white oak coping placed on the top of the walls
| which surmount the crib bnt this has
been ordered by the Canal Commissioners, and
explains the fact that Mowry has furnished
| 10000 feet b. NJ. of white oak timber and
plank instead of the 10000 feet for which he bid
The contractor has received an exorbitant price-45
cents cubic yard-f0r the excavation OF earth aud
has already done 40 per cent more than he BID for'
making his profit on this item at least S@'oto' lie
also receives high price for vertical wall bnt loses
heavily OH his soft lumber which he agreed to fur
nish properly framed into crib, for S15 per feet,
b. NJ less than onehalf what it actually cost INN.
While, therefore, Mowry's bid was badly unbai-
/ anced and he has done increased amounts OF some
portions of the work for which he has been overpa,
| the engineers assure me that when the work shall
have been completed it will be fOnnd that its cost
has not greatly exceeded their estimate, which was
| low. or the contractors original bid. T. L. W.