New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-17

that Williams had drawn the altered contract ecvera
thousand dollars in Of his Just due But at tnat
time he was delivering material to the work this engineer
took and estimated witnesses ,Chapmans suggestion
and IL was enough TO make the state good so nothing
lost although had not the fraud been discovered the
State would have been swindlcd largely
Mr.. FauIkner-why did you, after you found quaint
ties given in the original estimate at exoreitaht
prices had been furnished allow contractor TO furnish
them to mch very great excessi A. 1t had been the
usual custom and there may have been design Id H.
The witness then explained the system Of canal lettings
which had already been given by previous witnesses
The next witness Charles A. Sweet resident OF
Syracuse and division engineer OF the middle DIVISION
Of the Erie Canal He testified he had been an engineer
before 1868 and 1870; did have connections with the
L. Belden contract for raising leak on the os~eso
Canal reservoirs made the field notes Of the survey pre-
sumo the notes are In Syracuse; the measurements
made we're done for the purpose OF constructing th'
work made this estimate and 1t was FOR eompie'eo
structure; measurements taken every month"; ana
az far as know believe them to be correct the prices
for that piece Of work have not been
with any other port Of the contract
VIM. b. Cooper stated am an engineer, living ~
Fort Edward was an engineer from 1s49 to 1881 was
again installed 1889 and have since been an engineer
ut different times have been both resident and DIVISION
engineer; was division engineer from 1872 to 1874.
On the Denison contract he said, II was almost I'M
possible to get good work did not know who made the
having his book with him. he could not furnish any other
information but would have 1t to be ready for TIE
evening session.
At the evening session OF the Canal Investigation. Mr.
Cooper putting IN appearance Canal Commissioner
Reuben W. Stroud called and said Am Canal Com
missioner have charge of the Middle Division nave
been a Commissioner since 1873 knew OF the j. j. Bel
den contract made the final estimate know nothing
about 1t only from the time came into Office 1t was
nearly completed ut that time one OF the Comnis
sioners that signed the Barnett contract was IamU
with the provisions when aligned 1T know but H'uc
about the work. it not being on my Division sui am
familiar with all the prices of that work know OF no
case where false have been taken and had
awarded contracts for more than the engineers
prices
Witness here produced bids OF the Candee eontrac for
COO chains of slope wall the Jordan level OF wMch
400 chains finished, and Thought II the best
paying job had inasnnch as the conirae
ors had taken il at very low figure and had nied pohs
to the amount Of $4,000 for the performance OF the
work He said there had been great fighting for years
for this work. and that il the contractors knew what
he knew, they would get out OF 1t now, OF as soon
az possible, and lose the 100000. He thought
the contractor doing cheap pccc OF work. doing II
for sos 900 or $50 than the engineers estimate
At the conclusion of Mr. strouds testimony MI Cooper
who had put appearance, recalled, and pro-
duced the final account book OF his WORK, and was exam
ircd length regard TO prices but nothing OF interest
was elected lie thought the present system WAS as
good az any system that could be devised. He would
have the subordnates removed only through an invos
CATION the State Engineer he could make no snsges
tons That would in any way improve the system
GERMAN APPROVAL OF THE EXPOSURE OF THE
CANAL RING.
At meeting of the German Democratic
Central Committee last evening, at which Alderman
Gross presided, the following resolutions offered oy
Michael Gross, were unanimously adopted:
The Central Committee OF the German Democratic or
ranizatiOn the City and County OF new OK lels
}tsef called the following declaration: All leis
lat We and executive eInanetlng from me De
mocrary MUST bc the voters OF the Efforts oil Inc
Marty 10 remedy abuses and evils tlia cret
In n.rtlv IA a REQ alt Of the civil and partly through
The neglect ard corruption OF the ruling party In the
he Exposes the abuses in the administration Of the tate
canals we recognize the effects OF the demands OF dny
and OF in the Democratic party
While fully with the Governor with regard 10
the stems taken In the canal question: we urge Our
representatives the Legislature 10 give their utmost
suppor 10 the enacting OF laws for eiectng thorough
reform in the cement of the canals Considerations
az in this regard would be disastrous TO the
Democratic party. IL is better that the party should
suffer the loss of considerable number OF adherents
than that should fall In the esteem 0f all reslccbie
citizens. temporary dis0rganizatioD and weakening,
after the breaking of corrupt ry 10 OF itss inOeh'
than losing the confidence OF the great mass OF voters
We desire and demand that the men for whom we gave
our votes gave seats IN the Legislature should
and decisive measures to obtain thorough
canal reform.