New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-06

been constructed in manner which may be de-
scribed as follows:
The foundation is composed of crb-work made OF
bemlock timber 10 feet wide and sunk to the bed
rock which was found at depth of from to 10 feet
below the bottom of the canal. The crib extends
from TO feet above the present water limo OF the
lake and is filled with clay. On the top OF the CID
have been built two parallel courses OF vertical wall
laid rv with their faces in the plane of the exterior
of the crib and the space between them Is iled WIN
earth and powders dredged from the bed OF the adj
iacent ship channel. The walls are 3 feet wide at
the top 4 feet wide at the bottom, and feet
high. and they are COPIED with white oak timbers
10 by u inches tied together at intervals of feeb by
pieces of oak 6 by inches. The original estimate
did not include this coping. but it has been ordered
NV tbe Commissioner at the high price OF $50 per
NJ H. t. NJ The greater part of the faces OF these
walls are composed of stones which are con-
sideraby larger than the section specifications
reouire and these make up about one-half the vol
ume of the wall. We found the same defects in con-
struction that we discovered further up the canal;
namely the use of very small stones in the upper
courses of the wall and in the back which deprive
that part Of it of tho proper stability. The least dis
turbancc causes these small stoneson the top 10 fall
Off and already, before the work is completed,
many of them were loose that we could push them
out with our umbrellas The greater part ol the
material for these walls were taken from the
bottom of the adjacent canal, and tie contractor
received 81 80 n cubic yard for eXcayatinG them,
and So 80 yard for laying the wall. The price
paid for taking out the rock about far one.
but that for LAYING the walls was eXoIbitart and
especially so when the contractor had the stone
right at hand and was paid for blasting it out.
The space between the walls on the top OF the
crib is, as have already said, filed with earth and
powders drcdged from the adjacent haIbor or chan
mel This dredging was done by another contractor,
Andrew Spaulding who has been well paid for
DONG it, Mowrv has also, hear. been paid for 1t rs
embankmcnt at the rate of 80 cents a cubic yard
about twice what il was worth-so that, on the
whole the filing Of this space has been an eXpcn-
sive Job for the State. We walked over tho Whole
of this division wall to FerIyst. bridge the point
to which the work is completed. and there we found
men AT work putting mp the abutmcnts of a bridge.
The stones they used were immense and will make
"A very substantial wall. Oar only criticism upon
them was that they were left rather rough upon the
face The excavation of rock has all been made on
the east or tow-path side of the canal nothing but
earth having been removed on the other side.
Three questions at arise III regard to this
work They are: a. Was il necessary! 2.) Is the
plan an economical one? g. Has the work been
honestly done2 The discussion OF these questions,
about which | find a great diversity of opinion
among citizens of Buffalo shall have to treat Of in
another letter. L. L. W.