New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-11
CANAL INVESTIGATION.
AssEMBLyMAN HILL EXPOSED.


HILL AND GABRIEL L. SMITH.
ALBANY. Nov. 1O.-The Joint Legislative
Canal Investigating Committee met at the State Hail NJ
IL O'Clock this morning. There were present Senator
Cole Chairman and Assemblymen Seward and Sherman.
and the counsel OF tho Committee Horny smith aud X
W. Peckhsm.
Mr.. Pcckham announced that tho Committee would
proceed examine tho awards msdo by the Canal APP
praiscrs Chapter 1853 OF the Laws OF 1869 Said
chapter entitled "An act for tho rclof OF OVID PuD
Freeman Banks. md Others" requires the canal APP
pTalsers Ia determine tho claims OF Ovid Plumb ana
others for damages alleged to have been sustained oy
them consequence Of the letting OF the waters OF the
Chenung Canal Cathsrine Creek by cutting out the
waste wors and breaks in June. 1887; and In case
legal liability should he established against the State the
appraisers award to the individuals,
respectively, such damages ma each had SUSTAINED SUD
ieci 10 appeal 10 the Canal Board.
Cornelius Glenn Chief Clerk In the Canal Appraisers
Office recalled He produced the record OF proceed
ngs of the Canal Appraisers. making awards under this
act read the claims put In, amounting in the agsfe
gate TO SIS OPS together with ~ years interest when
wac allowed. making the total amount to S6l5SO So
showing that the claims II III number, were cut down
only 80 1877 - lie read the testimony Of tho witnesses
before the Appraisers who said that the Hood was caused
By tho neglect OF the canal officials to open the paddle
gates IN the locks
Charles W Sleeper was called and sworn. He said:
1.-Two in MIlport, Chemung County; ! am the son OF
Thomas Sleeper aud have lived there since 1916, with
Is54 which cost some 81 700 or 81 500; there was
boat ard on tie farm. which enhanced us ya,1 ht ne
time Of the overflow It was rented anI yielded a.. III
Of G or 3 r and the the t ch%n M cana
ran through tho farm; rccollect me h~h Gccuron
Innc II, 1877; It was unusual flood the dauages
done orr farm were to the maan: saw hn, c t
or OF the farm the aluyal SOIL ahu Is worm
r. ~ SbcrfnSJ-Tha Is what it was worth In 1857.
To- Mr.. PcckhaG-Thc whole farm was worth sb'EOo,
inc uding evcryhng father was Ollie" ma soV orth
less the boat-yard considered worth $1,000 by my.
father: was about one acre. II was worth that, ne
causc il was valuable a bOatysrd; the shop was worth
300 or 800 then the sawmill and dam were carried
- 300 il was about rs feet wide and about feet high
then the crops and fences carried away were oi co'u0
able value.
The witness here gayo in detail tho value Of these Is
near a. he could guess.
Mr. snth-Iow much did Your father get of this award
OF - 900 251 WiDcst-Opc-n%h m. ,.
sir sinith-who got tho rcsti Witness-Tho lawyers
D. b. Hll and Gabriel L. smith.
Mr. smith-so Gabriel awoke this claim and your
ICES ~ - j00f Wltness-Wel suppose ii
qured skilled laoor" to get IT, Lawyers charge hgh
Wr. Smith-Do gou know how the LEGISLATURE came to
take mp this old claim of II year. standing aph pa,s
speoia for the hearing after had hp-ed NthCSS
7 do NJ know how they came to take It mp lkngw we
had nothing to d 81. We we're to hllow 9pci'at our
10 Mr. shcr1nan-IIll member OF tile Legislature
no Mr smth-The raddlecatss three by four feet
They will let large amount Of water OH might nave
pre- vented the 1ood if opened
4 icccss was here taken until $50 p. ~ On reaSscm-
bling. Miner L. Sherwood .ss called end sworn. He
said:
Reside in Mountour, schoharie Co.. about mile and
naif from where zee lreshyd Occ1rrcdi 'n,u w.
tain price that Time think tho farm WIS worth 20
Per acre a. the ule OF the iIesnet In S'l,hn ia,
ruaes all the improv think would nave bien
va III and hnkhc,d charged 10 tor lis labor
Nc
bnIkhoaG aloue Wtncss-lle mill was built 10 years
MIR Sinith-Woud YOU recognize this as good descrip
lion the dam lie then read from Tue testimony pc
iin.her plank. with two pourways aud aprons nhd 20
MR. snith-Whyi Witncss-There ia 600 Duch Of 1t.
Mr. smith read other items which wines, aad were
esorLlntly extrays3an: the cmbanknent, Instead OF
bciug 20 feet Wide not over feet wide at any part
the boa;-ya ard WAS worth ABOUT 80
hlr smitli-Thero w,s u shop worth 300 according 10
buiimg Il and ali would worth about s25 the fats
washed ARE worth about 500 per scle w ',is 'e
of the r. iet that land worth sbou; $40 per aerr
ia. frc.hc caused 10y the giving way u BanAss DAM
b. lm,ih~Tbcn tho canal did not have much to do
Tho canal was not hcrc remember when th- case Wa
before the Appraisers all not know the state Official,
were looking for any Witnessed freshetS nave oocutd
,hrre before and damaged the land each tme The croA
could not have got over all the Tour acres '4Om what
Ynnns sleeper said on the stand today
Mr.. Smith-l'd you know Banks's dami WINE 81 lea
Mr. SuitI,-Wha do tiBk tItt cost; hc pat down
A SOOi Witncss-i think it could have Dceu built for
500
witness cat down other items In this bill He reduced
charge OF $40 per day. charged for Bankss mill lying
idle, To about - per day.
Mr. smith-Dd Augustus Bottsfcrd haye MIL M
there ! Witne-s-Ie had old thing NJ thai which
he didn't de much with.
Nj 3miih-How IL thati He Las got bill In here Tor
S per day lying idle Witnc5s- never 81" the day that
hc could make that ,.
II worth Wi.ucss-Abuut 800 1890 49,
.ir Snitll--Ncs. but he was allowed 800. Witne's-
o. pshaw! 40 -. vii.
IL had not land worth that. 49,
Mr. Smithlhcn he got FOR damages more thsn All his
linG j. worth do you know the Howell property Wat
rr>---Ncs, SIR.
Mr. smi,ii-Thc bill Is made out In behalf OF Joseph
Howell son and herr hig father being dead was he TIE
only borq WiuessNo, Sir hc Jeff Two sons ana three
Mr sn.thJoscph did well In taking care OF himself;
NJ got 500 Tor a docl What WAS II worth witness
About -.
Witness was examined at length In regard 10 all tho
claims and told the story throughout, that The
claims were excessively eXtravagant He wound ny by
saving that hc would not pay the amount awarded io'
the entire property In the valley.
Adjourned ill tomorrow morning.