The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-11
Report of the Investigating Com
mission on the Cham
plain Enlargement.
THE BoULLARDs BEND CONTRACT.
How Sixteen Times the Amount of
His Bid Was Paid to Denison.
DELIBERATE FRAUDS ON THE STATE.

To His ExceIlency SAMUEL j. T1LDES Governor Of the
State of New York
sR-n the year 1870 the Legislature OF the State of
New FORK decided that the Champain Canal should be
enlarged 10 depth corresponding with that of the Erie
Canal and ~ the Same time the sum Of $75 600 was APP
proprateu Tor the purpose provision in the act re-
strcted the use Of this appropriation until survey
and plan OF the proposed enlargement had been made,
but permitted that the expenses of such survey should
be PAID Ior from the fund. In the summer aud
autumn Of 1870 this survey was made and the 25h
OF July, 1871, the State entered into contract with
Henry d. benson 'ior improving the Champlain Canal
from the south end Of Guard Lock, above Schuyler
vile, to Boullards Bcnd.p Immediately prior TO the
letting map, plan careful survey of this special
work, such as We think the statute required was
made, the State Engineer Canal Commissioners and
other members of the Canal Board deeming a tracing
taken from the general map and computations said
be based upon quantities ascertaned by the enlarge
ment survey fully sufficient for the purpose. We
quote the pertinent clause Of the statute IN question
srhe state Engineer hereby authorized and it
is made his duty make be made the necessary
ment the earliest time practicable and by the LIST day
Of OCTOBER 1870 and under the provisions Of chap
Of said work No part % portion of the moneys herein APP
be expended paid shall any involving such
expenditures and payments be made on behalf Of this State
until the maps plans and estimates for such work shall have
been submitted 70 and approved ~ the Canal Board and
We understand this TO mean that the statute
pressly forbds the letting OF any contract for work TO
be done under its authority until maps, plans and cst
mates such work THAT is the specific work covered
by the contract), shall have been submitted, &C. &c.
The enlargement survey named was made by stephen
i. Babcock then assistant but now resident engineer
of the division of the canals and the compua-
tions of quantities exhibited al the letting by
=. II. Crocker, at that time division engineer
for the district 1t is represented 70
us that the book containing Mr.. Babcocks
menls and cross sections lost last winter and Is
where 10 be found Indeed, all tho books relating 10
this contract disappeared mystcrously from the En-
cheering Department for many months but finally, with
the exception Of the one named-the most important OF
all-were discovered behind coal bin in closet at
tached TO the DIVISION Office The
exhibited at the letting folows:-
grubbng and clearing
bailng and draining.
40 900 yards earth excavation
800 yards rock excavation.
800 yards loose rock excavation.
600 yards embankment
5000 yards lining.
80 yards pudding
1000 yards slope wall
so yards loose stone.
200 yards vertical wall. dry.
200 yards vertical wall, cement
10 yards coping.
10 yards concrete masonry.
$50 yards masonry in abutments.
1000 feet white oak timber.
10000 feet pine.
1000 feet hardwood.
80, 600 feet hem0ck.
1900 pounds wrought iron.
1,200 pounds cast iron.
200 pounds spikes and nails.
40 square yards painting and sanding.
100 linear feet snubbing posts.
The engineers estimate was $25, sos.
When these quantities are multiplied by the prices
AS in former instance and upon equally erroneous
assumption that Dennison the lowest bidder tho
contract awarded TO him for the said sum OF
$500 so The quantities credited Dennison in the
final account and for which he received the sum OF
$l46,316 o. nearly sixteen times the amount of his
bid, and Sl20,5ll OIL more than engineer Crocker's
original estimate
/ grubbing and clearing. ........... 81 90
baing and draining .............. / 90
% 972 cubic yards earth excavation, also 2,317 10
81, 392. GO cubic yards solid rock excavation,
at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 112 1T SO
207727 cubic yards loose rock excavation,
at ......................... 1921 81
4,197 % cubic yards embankment at &c.,. 200 So
g. 704 81 cubic yards lining, at 10c....... $40 40
403 SO cubic yards loose stone, at &c.,. 12l 10
5729 62 cubic yards vertical WALL dry, at So IT. SS Sc
351 cubic yards, vertical WALL cement
at $3.... ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1858 90
q. IA cubic yards coping, at $S.......... 2l7 IL
SO. 90 cubic yards concrete masonry,
at s3.......................... $50 So
454. 80 cubic yards masonry IN abutments
al Observation-Disclosures. 1,s17 SO
4,394 feet white oak timber, at S40...... 175 10
81 ,429 feet white pine timber, at $780,. 2442 81
1882 feet hardwood timber at S30...... los 96
"a, 1913 feet hemlock timber, at Sl2..... 2g6 68
5,62S pounds wrought iron, at cents. 337 6S
5,O52 pounds cast iron, at 5 cents. ...... l52 so
200 pounds spikes and nails, at ) cents 10 90
WORK.
u stone monuments and setting same, ATS 90 90
5s7 cubic yards rip rap wall, at S1.......... 5s7 90
l53 80 cubic yards extra old masonry, at 81 1853 90