New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-23
CANAL NCES1IG1TION.

THE COMMISSION AT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF WORKS
IN THAT yIClNIIY-THE TAKING OF TESTIMONY
BEGUN.
BUFFALO, y. Y, June 22.-The Joint Com
mission OF Legislature consisting Of senators Cole Of
Orleans Booth of NewYork. and Jacobs OF Kings and
Assemblymen seward of Ncvl olk. Faulkner of Lvinss
ton and sherman of Oneida. appointed tn investigate
the alleged Canal Contract frauds held their first session
in this city to-day. Mes-rs Henry smith and H. W Peck
ham of Albany are the cOuns, TO the Commission At
10 o'clock this morning III onms sion, accompanied by
Canal Commissioner Jackson. Controller Hopkins tol"c
tor Flock and r. c. Davis. made tour OF the canal to
look at the Black Rock improvements recently made and
in progress The condition OF he Bird Island pier extern
sion was closely Inspected meeting was held at
the office OF T. C. Davis afternoon for the examina-
ton of witnesses.
AT $3.50 o'clock this afternoon the members Of the Joint
Committee with counsel and vii nes'es, convened IN the
law Office of T. C. Davis to begin the work of nveStiga
ton into the frauds The examination was conducted by
the Hon. Henry Smith and H. ". Peckham
HOratio ymOur. jr.. WIS the fst witness ana teSt
fed as follows In reference the wall at the eastern
end of the nine mile level comprising portion OF
what is known as Nichols contract examined
it and found it composed Of small stones, some
Of them being FROM one to one and half
inches thickness only, and five or >ix inches sguli
For distance along Dr Top tle wan Was p.lt III
very irregular way line. II is not nj wall for the pur
pose. Inc water Was ou' OF the canal Thcn 20, !
II is condition 10 iast took down SIX OF Sven
portions Of the wall near Franklin That portion III pro-
cess of building was all night.
piece Of vertical wall on the toT-Path I'D. side
VS. LANG vas tori down in two places
examined it made no measurements It's genera cha,
TO the size Of the stones and the cement, winch
was not at all good croaiar c'Gld hc forced through
full minutes of tLcsc ~. minatonS. Hey are al
at Albany in the hands the s"Nernoi Colp i
was directed TO DO 50. nave D0ok "n tIa
Produced My measurements do not agree with those
Contained therein have learned sTSe ' and re-
placed by vertical wall which would ac' ount lor
u's 400 feet lam willing 10 swear that in the places
wncrc Investigated and 10 the depth whch urONr'
non although the contractor has received his
Day for the rock excavations ON those very places
, TsnS tn tae depth iiD Of three feet found
no rock The wall rested on plank and nat ON pine cay
the building stones themselves were tihn. !, ..,
mouy being as follows: | am fi'il ensin ,eps, anu
reside in Waterfowl, n y Inads measure n
ments for slope walt WAN "i hy tIe last Wines
e cn1 account for the discrepancy in the length
y, ,n Of a vertical insead Of slope wall:
A. it was done before cane IN cannot explain ln,;
mciIts extend from station To station plus %.
was at work Nichols contract loD Inc stones IN
- 30, Tim and narrow. also at WORK where
tnr crmelt walls already referred TO- shouIu say
the cement when put On was OF s"d on parf
cement and suitable for the PURPOSE 20 Lar a.
know all the dealings Of cOntrtctots WIN inc
state were honest. After the Memoirs contract
was declined 10 the other SIDE al lh' cIdI us
tions. | reported that fact. Ny MEASUREMENTS "e'c
NJ Indncy j. Cantwcl was recalled and testified; In
the places referred 10 by seymour ~ naNmg IN
dlcated no rock, 1 say that the Original cr",s-
sections .or the construction ~ the canal nov ~
The olice OF Oryille ". story AZ Albany
SLOW The rock t. be there hy specified dhghha, dHl'
from the books. know thnt rock rAl-tu sin VIZ "a
vafci A. claimed by the contractors VIII swear that
whenever | Indicated rock m the measurements, thdt
inch was the case. / will definitely ana AIS
tinrtly swear that thfrc was IOck. tAcdNhiri
where Seymour there hiss been none dnhl ihlhh
cnnned for on difference Of classification for material
by each Of us 1he timber that USED was req peanh
N waz certified 10 be white OAK anu IN Tue
end a. such paid for although no white 0aA coun o. oo
tanned al that time. White oak cost. more 'hhn Ieu
beach This was done by order Of the resident engineer
MIR. Hogan II, 49,. .,ror,
Edward b. vandnsen, who was next called and sworn
saId. have had a good many canal contlactsi tho
re.son vhy | asked be released from the
contract on Slip 3, between iOfk-st ana
Back Rock harDor, ana loI INC ueep'n' 5s " he
wld.ning OF the canal below ferry,st was pe
cWse / objected 10 pumping OUT 90 nIies w.
sewers for the city OF Buffalo when was not M
I'M, moi ce published 10 secure bids, nor specimen 10 TIC
contract Itself 60, ,,..., ~, ,h,s ats,
was neyt called and sworn. oar firm purchased con
r cf for 900 We expect To make fl3ooo ana more
100 Tne stone costs ~ per cubic yard 10 lh{ ~ We
eve ~ so Der cubic yard Tor cOnhTuc'nB INC w'.
Anther profitable item u excavation. We are piln -
,er tLous,u for Oak timber which costs $50 nave re
ceiycd about S25OOOO on the contract; apout WV
thirds OF the work L. d ne. s-.,..
Adjourned until 10 O'Clock tomorrow morning