The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-04


work or an aggregate representing a loss to the
state OF $50,3Sl 93
ascertained to have been allowed 10 tae eontrac-
tor under THIS contract for work which does not
appear ever TO have been done:-
ASio cubic yards excavation Of eartn. behind
1850 cubic yards excavation ofrock s2.... 2OIO %
+o1 CUBIC yards excavation OF earth esti- - =.
s2s75 a cubic yards em6apk ment Sossl g
~ 3O cubic yards lining, l5iS 80
seS cubic yards vertical wall dry and IN CO
27l cubic yards vertical wall in cement SIS ASS ii
oo-os eet b. d. docking pine, L3-o 50
Total........ SlO31 "
Large as this sum is--ruly one third OF the whole
amount already credited on this unfinished
work-it Is stu very far from expressing the en-
tire loss which has been sustained from the sys-
bematlc disregard or the states interests IN It's
prosecution.
No estimate OF that loss would approach com.
pleteness that did not include the difference In
value for the purposes IL was intended 10 sub
serve between the work as Il vas done and as it
was contracted TO be done. We must defer our re-
port upon thst subject however % a more ad-
vanced stage oil our investigation.
We have already sRown that considerably more
than third OF the money already received by the
contractor FOR account 81 ths work was gwen
without any equivalent We shall now proceed 10
snow thas the remainder 81 tae expenditure mas
been incurred IN deliberate violation OF the law,
i'll manifest disregard o. she Interests OF the State
OF the contractor.
when tbs work Of removing benon wall was
authorized II was the oOvlons Intent on Of the
Legislature TO have them replaced mainly by slope
wall verlieal wall 30 be provided only where the
exigencles OF commerce requires docking. That
the Canal Commissioners so Interpreted the pur-
pose OF he Legislature Is apparent from the state
Engineers original exhibit OF quantities, which
1900 OF vertical.
But as If distrusuul OF the influence OF the con-
tractor over It's own agents, tAe Legislature
within SIX months from the time TINS work could
have been begun, In approprattng money to
carry IL on absolutely prohlolted the expenditure
OF more tnan nVe per cent OF the appropriation
for vertical wall
Regardless, however, both OF the contract,
which provided for nearly twice as much slope as
vertical wall and OF the statute just cited, nearly
ninety-hYe per cent OF the cost or this work has
been Incurred upon vertical wall and work Incl
dent to such construction, while not single yard
OF slope wall has yet been laid.
The reasons why this preference was given to
vertical wall ana the means by which that prefer
ence prevailed We shall notice presently. We refer
TO tais feature OF the case now TO show that for
less than the original appropriation or SS4, 645 the
whole work from Port Schuyler 10 the Lower Mo-
hawk Aqueduet could have been compile ted under
thfs contract and in far strieter conformity WITH
sound principles Of canal engineering.
A careiu, Inspection OF that portion OF the canal
embraced Ia this contract has satIsnea US that
none OF this vertical wall was needed Tor docking
our investigation has further satisfied us that
there is no excuse, in an economical point OF
view, for such expensive structures as vertical
walls In the prism OF the canals, except where
they are required for discharging and taxing
cargo or where contiguous and valuable ina
provements demand the minimum breadth OF
waterway; and for the simple and obvious rea-
sons that the banks OF q canal can be protected
by slope and pavement wall st much less than
half the prime cost OF vertical wall, and as the
former repose on q neutral slope, they are, II well
built practically permanent, While the vertical
wall is constantly subject to the thrust OF the
bank, to counterfeit which 1t must be thoroughly
and therefore extensively built.
Not only has the money been wasted that has
been spent in building she costly VERTICAL In
sIead OF the parltIvely inexpensive slope
wall but IN doing IL they have not secured so
great reservoir capacity OF these levels as
would have been secured by slope walls upon
the old lines, though increase OF sucn capac-
NV was one OF the preteXts by which the State
has been begued into this Jolly.
We will now endeavor TO explain the process
SEES as they have been developed IN the testi-
monV taken before US ana from of1cial records,
by winch vertical dry cement walls
came to be substituted for slope walls on tnls
work.
had It's inception all point 70 the conclusion shat
plot had been formed to deraud the State
under the law for removing bench walls be-
tween Port Schuyler and the Lower Mohawk
Aqueduct, wAlch Is older than the contract IT.
sell, and that the cooperation or connivanee OF
some at least, OF the state officers was regarded
as an indispensable and an assured element OF
its success.
We have already cited the proof that no sur
veys, maps or estimates, as required by law. were
ever made, much less submitted TO and approved
by the state Engineer and Surveyor ana by the
canal Board. before this contract was let.
Mr.. CrocKer, the Division Engineer at that time,
ana whose duty 1t was to have caused them to be
made and submitted, swears that none were
made MIR. Yates the Division Engineer, swears
that there was no evidence IN his onlce that any
nor indeed TO the letting OF any other pending con-
tract on this division.
In the face OF this undsputed state OF facts, we
find the following record In the Official proceed
ings OF the Canal Board for July Il, 1867
BY Mr. BAscoM
examined the maps plans and estimates this day'sub-
United by E. II. CrOcSer Division Engineer, for the
strueton Of the following work TO Wit
7Biyteena-For removing wall benches and construct.
Ing slope pavement vertical aud retaining walls and
strengthening the erie Canal from Port schuyler 70 the
Low Mnl WI
Aeil' eaaPd'e cost 81 $40 s1gi o. i'''
Hereby approve the same and recommend their adop-
ton S e Bz1 ). FAY. Canal Commissioners
By Mr. BAscoM.
10 the Canal Board and having been approved 6y inc
Board Of Canal Commissioners, be adopted ana the
chapter 81. laws OF 1862
On calling the yeas and nays the resolution was
adopted.
We hasten on to another phase OF this extraor-
binary business.
that "all contracts for work or materials on any
canal shall be made with the person VINO shall
oner To do or provide the same at the lowest
price, WITH adequate security Tor their per-
iormance.u
This contract, instead OF being given as the con-
stituton required, and according 70 the terms Of
the proposals to the bidder VINO offered 10 DO the
work aud provide materials at the lowest price,
proves TO have been given TO that one, OF all
others. who, as be was permitted TO interpret the
contract, actually Did the highest price, while The
bids or eleven other competitors, every one OF
whOm-giving the contract the same interpreta-
tion-oTered 10 take it at prices more favorable 10
the state, we're rejected.
me onicial RECORDS make this perfectly clear
Mr.. Croker tine Division Engtneer's) exhibit OF
quantities for the letting, based, as ne says upon
"a partial ocular survey was as folOws:-
baling and draining &c. ................... $50
coo cubic yards excavation OF earth at ~ cents 500
1000 cubic yards ROCK blasted, at 81 1900
700 cubic yards rock not blasted At 81 $40
1l0J cubic wards embGnkment at ~ cents....... 20
75O cubic yards Inning at p cents lS75
100 cubic yards pudding at 20 cents %
81 50................. '.................. Ncoo
900 cubic yards vertical wall dry at S4... So 90
10000 feet B. w. white oak timber, at 30 cents. 5O0J
ass feet g. g. hemlOck at 20 cents .......... g71s
900 pounds spikes and mans, 9t cents........ "a
3iJ
When these prices are multiplied by tnc quanti-
ties set ortn IN The Engineers estimate, tue ag-
gregate Of sach bld Is found 10 BET
Bid
H. D. Denison So 1888 90
Rood Coleman lllN %
G. = sElnueI 1855 %
~ etunton 76023 20
John Fhean...........- ................ gO IA OO