The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-24
NEW YORK CANAL FRAUDS.

NEW YORK CANAL FRAUDS.
New York is having genuine sensation
over the exposure Of system of frauds,
alleged to have been committed by canal
contractors, with the collision OF the state
board of engineers or its representatives.
The subject was called to the attention of
the legislature by Governor Tilden, in
special message, and has awakened bitter
hostility to him on the part OF corrupt poll
ticians and contractors. Jarvis LORD,
state senator, and said to be implicated in
the frauds, thinks that Tilden has spoiled
his chances for the presidency, by his mess
age, and that he could not carry ten of the
congressional districts Of the state for dele
gates to the national convention in favor of
his nomination. We remember the time,
it was only three or four years ago. when
Tilden was said to have politically killed
himself. That suicidal act was consum-
mated when he went into the reform move
ment in New York city, and, by his per
sonal investigations in the matter Of the
Tammany frauds, furnished the evidence
which sent Tweed to the penitentary,
Ingersoll to states prison, and Connolly,
Fields, Genet and others into exile. He
can stand that kind of political death, and
well would 1t be for New York If ii had
more of the same kind Of self murdereIs
The m0dus Operdndi Of the "canal ring" and
the contractors, Is thus described by the
governor:
Whcn the engineers estimate of qua IL
ties and kinds of material are published by
the commissioners, the contractor will find
out by collision, or in some other way
what quantities of each kind Of work or
material will, in fact, be required, or he
will sec what influence he can exert TO
change the contract after it is made. If il
10 changed no new i, ing is had, but he
claims The job as his light.
He then puts in his bid, offering to do
such work or to furnish such material as
he finds will not DC required at all, or in
small quantities, al absurdly low prices, at
quarter or. in some instances at a TWEEN
lieth part of its cost. The items which
will be required in full and probably in
extra quantities, hc will put at unreasona-
bly, high rates, anG it turns cut that what
INC tODlTdClOI NIl'IS Ut INV pIICtN - 'lilSu
for in small uulntitias q, if at all, while those
which are put at high prices are not only
required in full, but in most cases in eX-
traordinaTy quantities.
An example Nh more clearly illustrate
how the state is defrauded by these de-
vices.
The engineer having estimated certain
work and material as follows
100 cubic yards of vertical wall at 81 $500 90
1855 cubic yards OF slope wall. at 81 50 5,Is2 30
2,4on feet Is. NJ. white oak, at S50..... 100 20
G0,oon feet i. NJ. hemock, at slj....... 800 90
Total estimate. .......................s1,lO2 30
amounted to. Observation-Disclosures. s7,iO2 80
BIS bid for the same was, for
100 cubic yards vertical wall, at So. 5000 90
1855 cubic yards slope wall, at 80 cts. 1876 so
2,4eo feet b. NJ white oak, at s70...... los on
10000 feet u. NJ. hemlock, at s3..... $50 90
and aggregated Observation-Disclosures. s2,lO4 80
The proposal of B, apparently so adj
vantageous to the state, was accepted and
the contract awarded to him as the "lowest
bidder" But nfterward, by some intlu-
ence, it was decided to make. only vertical,
and no slope wall, and to use only oak and
no hemlock timber There was no relet-
ting, although the agreement had been in
fact revamped into anew and different con-
tract, which enabled b to collect from the
state for
1855 cubic yards OF vertical wall at So s33, ,9C
81, 400 feet b. NJ. white oak at SO. .... 1896
The sum Of. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .s2s, 09s
II appears that in ten contracts, the
amount for which the letting was made
was 1924, 1880, while the actual amount
paid was ST, 500, 100. Sand that although
the excess is now considerably over one
million of dollars "some of the expend
lures are still going on with no prospects
of completion" The governor well says
"By man9uvres OF this character the cost
of public works are run up to cxtravagan
sums. Appropriations are absorbed, def
ciencies are created to be paid by new ap
preparations, and the people are loadc(
down by taxes" 1t seems passing strang
that these frauds have not been unearthe(
before. The original estimates, the bids
and the estimates on which payments wer
made, were all matters of public record
and were open to the inspection of all
Why were they not exposed TO public gaz
before Was it because democrats and re
publicans were alike implicated, and it wa
feared it would hurt the party2 1t is sal,
that the "canal ring" has been potent il
councils of both political parties, and ha
dictated their nominations. So it was will
Tammany, but it was oyerthrown, ant
great was the fall thereof. 1t is a matte
of public telicitation that Governor Tilder
has given this corrupt canal ring fata
thrust. All good men, no matter wha
their political affiliations, must reioic
thereat. Let them sec to it, that 1t doe
not rise from its ashes with rencwe
strength as quickly as Tanmany did. Gov
crnor Tiden has his foot on the neck o
the monster let him keep it there. Than
God for such governors as Samuel j. I'll
den.