New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-29
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSI.l

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. L OSBORN EXPLAINS soAK
OF HIS BIDS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNI.l
ArnANY. April 2S-The interest in the proceed
incs Of the Canal Investigating Committee was re-
vived this evening by the summoning to the witness
stand Of Nehemiah l.. Osborn, q contractor on the
Champlan and COnocs Engagements. For the po-
neer of the contracting family on the witness stand,
Mr. Osborn was remarkably self-possessed. He was
supported through the ordeal by the encouraging
presence of Doctor Denison and A. C. Belden, the
brother Of the Syracusan ruler, both OF whom
evnced by occasional hearty laughter their sympathy
with the witness in his trying passages. Mr. Osborn
was a shrewd witness, and had evidently determined
at the beginning that il was safe general prnci-
ples TO avoid direct answers but Messrs. Smith and
Peckham compelled him to make several damaging
disclosures before he released. Mr.. Osborn adj
mitted that he had bid 50 on white pine timber for
which he would have TO pay between $40 and $2o,
and could not imagine why he made euch Dld eX-
cept that he did not know much about that kind OF
timber But when this answer was proved to he I'M
satisfactory he declared that he made the bid on
impulse, and from that position he would not recede.
There was also a bid of a for vertical WALL for
which fair price would have been from - 80 to
IS, but he had not made that bid on impulse ana
thought he could do the work at the price bid. lie
had also offered TO put mp 1000 yards OF slope wall
at 90 cents yard, which he admitted was unreason-
ably low, hut in the present case, he said, he knew
that there was not going 10 be any slope
wall TO put up, and he knew the bid
was safe. He had always estimated that
the high bids would make him right over the low
ones. and he generally found that reasoning sound
Mr. Osborn said, also, that he generally thought 1t
advisable to keep on good terms with the engineer
cf Al bo latter coul1 Iuin his
poets on a very good contract by being too strict,
and holding bin too closely TO the terms. lie i'll
fered indeed that contractors generally held them
selves In alect fear of the engineers and thus re
yersed the popular notion of the relations existing
between The two classes Doctor DenisOn and A. {.
Belden will probably be called tomorrow The ma
ture of Mr. Denisons testimony may be inferred
from the remark he made after Osborn had finished.
. He was scared said Mr.. Dennison; che didn't
bike To give plain answers Just wait till get on
the stand"
THE TESTIMONY.
AT the afternoon session OF the Joint Legislative ives
gallnG Committee John b. Yates testified: Am civil
ngnecr by professions have been in the employ Of the
Central Railroad; had charge OF laying tho two extra
racks from Utca TO HerBiner. In this work the final
.etDses exceeded the preliminary ones about 30 per
,ent The cause Of this owing TO the fact that
The first estimates made IN midwnter, when the
snow was on the ground ana an accurate esthdte was
impossible. The work Of the Donison contract at Port
DabcOck is my resident engineer; W. :. Scott is the
engineer in charge Of the Dennson work. which is in my
DpnOD, very good work So far Ihc railroad pays about
s. so per yard for cement slope wall and about ~ 80
for dry wall the State Is paving - per yard for the
DenlsOn vertical wall the railroad work IL diff
cult and more expensive for the contractor than the Den
nSs S! mo, hsa 70 take and re a@y me
l was engineer at the time the final esti-
mate made for the Barnett contract near Utica
little about the but the custom, relied
upon the davts OF the resident engineer and the engi
nccr In charge. The certificate gave that had
ma thorough personal examination OF the work, and
vet had but walked the work. and assumed and be-
yed il was done from my own personal ObscIvao and
belief; the certificates given by the engineer made
up from what the resident engineer says the resident
in Charge trusts To the inspector the inspector 10 whom
he peases. Inspectors not always competent
YtcS as the represcHtativc Of the state the work az it
progresses in practice, this man is the only safeguard
il is possible for cOllu-On between contractors aud in
speciors, but know of no case where anything Of the
kind has occurred
VIM q. Youngove was the next witness Have been
member Of the Assembly and Speaker OF the House. was
member of the committee 10 examine into the source of
the water supply for canals my Office is az COhOcs my
residence at the CesceD for years had noticed that
during seasons OF active navigation there was much OBJ
structOn curious TO find out the cause Of his de
tcntiOn OF bonts inquired into the cause and asccr-
tanned that water drawn to the arsenal winch made
the current rapid Colocs II bend i'll the canal and
d il cut through solid rOcS the bench walls were not
removed for them and boat would often strike
thereon and 9ef0 boats would SSad be be G~ia9a
by it; made this statement 10 the Canal Committee
NJ lie Assembly and secured committee 10 examine and
zee il what stated not fact; when the canal APP
preparation up insisted that S1o0oo should be set
lrt for the improvement 0 the canal IN THE respect
,ceved that those dctcntOns amounted In the aggregate
@ what would BE- equivalent to one round tflp OF the
,nls pnd made ths statement Ut the time the apprO-
Dration wac made, but ii not sucienttO accomplish
he entire improvement, and did not assume maj IL
aould he when It was made. have some Of the
ork done by DeuisOu and 30 far as my 0bsnr' alton
yocs looks To me to be good work The contract 0f 1r
work had been commenced until IBIS
stenhen T. Babccck being sworn testified follows:
Have live at Troy for Tie past years; have been en-
oycd the canal since 1869 as assistant and resident
,nsinccr; occupy Charles iItOns place; nav" been
Engaged in railroad engineering; had charge of DeJn-
on and Beldens work in 1871 was resident engineer
Turing the Barnet contract examined the work OF
Inherent times intervals Of from two weeks Ia Month
lansing: can only swear 70 facts coming under my
,ernsona1 observation during the examination If The
Vork as far as practicable examined the assistant
70 Il" will The original estimates of the Demsnn
optracts think IL will cost 100000 10 complete the
york through the 10 locks section, IL beS ono oi inc
worst portions OF the canal
A recess was then taken. , .
At the evening session Of the Canal Investigatng Com
ni,ten Nebemiab L. Osborn testified that he Is
raror and had four contracts now. He asked how
was that he bid 10 do u certain piece OF wors I9r
20 O00 when the engineers estimate wac SaJooo re
aid that the contract just 10 open or excavate sun
lent for the passage Of beat thrOgh he could do That
or the amount he bid, but the specific 'tion was not TO
anal Board and received therefor additional oompensa
ION my contract tor vertical wall IN cement was al
a. could do IL for that but - would be none too
much for it. and fulfilled to the letter the specifies
IONS IL would cost me from - TO SO; l took the
on Iact on the assumption that / would not nave
follow the specifications iteraly the engineer has
he power u insist upon the work being done TO tho let
en- but he seldom II ever, uses that power Know
about the DenisOn contract, having boen over
often his work Is very similar to mine II he gets "
ward for the vertical wall, he does lac has good
hing mis- work is no better than mine ana 90 iof "a
ward aud can do for that white pine in this section
worth about $40 IA thOusand my bid was Tor ~ u
bOusand. 49,. -, 49,, ~,
What possessfd you 10 DO Ill
~ IInuune."