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


Difference against state sl4sI36 40
Charles De Graw prices, &c s0o9sl 40
difference against sare..................sla O5s s.
Charles Van Derkers prices. &C $302055 II
Difference against state $4,000 81
Flood Coleman prices kc.... S364s7 50
Difference against state sll6537 81
Philip norchs prices, &C.. $sas7 S4 90
Difference against state ........... slo7, 100 Os
John v foomer's prices. $685. $50 70
Difference against State. 1884 80
JACOB sehaubs prices $780, 100 O3
Difference against state ............... ss2I76 %
Charles A. Harrington's prices &c 1906 $50 40
Difference against state ............... $50 22 81
Archibald McArthurs prices &c.......... sfI74l2 %
Difference against state................s l5582 50
such was tne process by which the Canal Com
mlssioner5 managed 10 give Bhis contract not to
tRe lowest, put 20 the very highest bidder. TO a
man whose Prices Tor the WORK actually done were
Slb2,eOO more than the prices for the same work,
oy perfectly responsible competitor, and all Tor
an Improvement not authorized by any law-not
provided for by any contract ana from any point
OF view In which It may be regarded, several
times more expensive than there was any occa-
sion for
Other aspects OF the contract were deyelopea in
Tue testimony taken before tins Commission whiCh
merit attention, but they can be more suitably
presented IN maj report. ConhDing ourselves
therefore, as exclusively as possible TO the mode
In when this contract has been let and executed
We nnd:-
Frst-rhat il was let without any preliminar
survey or the production OF any such survey, map
or estimates OF the WORK to be done ara materials
furnished the law required.
Ssc0nd-IhaT h. Il. Croker the Division En-
glneer, whose duty 1t was to iurnlsh them, never
made any such survey, map and estimate,
IRtrd-Tnat V. X. Richmond, State En-
Gineer and Surveyor. whose duty 1t vas TO submit
them never submitted any such survey, map or
estimate, with has approval ndorsed thereon, or
filed any such documents IN his otlce.
F0tTth-rhat o. BascOm ana John u. Fay, the
/ n IN and
prior TO the letting or tAis contract certified TO
the Canal Board that they had that DAY examined
and approved OF maps, plans and estimates sub
mitted the same day oy the SAID Z. H. Croker
DIVISION Engineer, Tor the work aterward de-
same and had recommended their adoption,
though no such maps or estimates had been made
or examined by either OF them.
Fyl-rhst sac Canal Board, on the same 21st
day OF July, resolved, ''That the maps, plans and
estimates which had that day been approved by
tAe Canal Commissioners and submitted to the
Canal Board be adopted and advertised Tor
letting" though no such survey, maps or estl-
mates as the law required were Submitted either
TO the said Board or TO the SAID Canal Commits
soners.
Sirth-That the said contract was advertised
and let by the SAID Canal Commissioners without
their having In their possession any such knowl-
execution as the law required them TO obtain be-
lore they were authorized to invite proposals Tor
SeUe7sth-Ihat the recorded minutes OF the Canal
Commissioners show that the first action taken
" that Board in relation 10 this work was TO
direct the issue OF proposals Tor letting it,
report signed 30. Bgscomu and John D. Fay,n
presented to the Canal Board on the 2Ist July,
1869, which represented that maps, plans and es-
Inmates OF this Port schuyler ana fourteen other
works had been submitted TO the Canal Commits
soners by +. II. Croker, Division nglneer, ana
that the SAID Canal commissioners had approved
tae same and recommended them for adoption,
was entirely false IN each and every particular.
Etghtit-Ihat the resolution adopted by the
Canal Board Importing that maps, plans and estl-
mates for the Port Schuyler and for fourteen
other works, approved by the Canal Commission
ers, mad been submitted to the Canal Board on the
2lst day Of July, 1869, was based upon false GER
tlfcate OF Canal Commissioners Fay and Bascon
Nifth-That 1t was not the practice in 1862 nor
has II been the practice since, for the Division
Engineer OF the Eastern division to submit, for
the State Engineer to approve, nor for the Canal
Commissioner to submit TO the Canal Board, any
such surveys, maps, Plans Specifications and esti-
mates as the law requires TO be made preparatory
10 this letting Of contracts, wnIle 1t has been for
the same period, aud stlll 49, the practice OF the
Canal Commissioners and Canal Board. before In
wiling proposals Ior contract, to proclaim 1t IN
the printed record OF their proceeding that such
surveys, maps, plans, specifications and estimates
actually mad been submitted, examined and APP
proved by the boards respectively.
Ienth-That the estimates OF guam Titles exhib-
tied by the Canal Commissioners at the letting OF
this contract were not based upon any actual sur
vey and estimate OF the work 10 be done ana ma
terials to be furnished but mainly upon caIcula-
ton OF the different kinds OF labor and materials
that would suffice In the aggregate 10 absorb the
money then recently appropriated by the Leglsla-
ELeoentl-That over $l5oooo OF the estimates
for work done under this contract have been
allowed Ior WORK aad materials WroIgiuLy estl-
maJed.
TloeLrtn--That very considerable percentage
OF the meney EXPENDED on all the recent contracts
In the Eastern Dlvslon Tor Constructive work was
credited to the contractors with full knowledge
that 1t had never been done.
ThtTteenth-Inat not single yard OF the struc-
lures built under this contract up TO the specI-
1cations that much OF the wall is already out OF
line, and in need OF repairs and must continue 20
be scource or considerable ana permanent ex-
pense.
W wal lot m TAR ,lfo
placement OF wall benches between Port Schuyler
and the Lower Mohawk aqueduct, mainly with
slope wall which the ntractor bound himself to
build for ninety-ive cents yard, he has built no
slope wall but has 0uilt vertical wall exclusively,
ana at the rate when dry OF 81 yard, and when
laid in cement az 81 yard though at the prices
at which he took the contract the whole WORK
might nave been completed with slope wall for
less than Inc STATE Engineers original estimate
OF $S4,645
FV1eenth-Thst many yards of this vertical wall
were constructed along rock face on the bernie
side OF the canal, Uhere they we're utterly worth
less
Sirteenth-That, although no cement wall wa.
estimated for IN the contract and the law ex-
pressly prohibits the making OF any extraordinary
repairs except by contract, let according TO law
10 the lowest BIDDER, or upon conditions, in tots
case utterly dlsregarded the contractor was al
lowed TO construct 1878 cubic yards of cement
wall, at the rate OF 81 cubic yard more than NO
contracted the same day 10 do similar work Tor on
an adjoining level, ana Tor which lie mas already
been credited the sum Of Sl07,C4G,
6 SeCerlteenth-Tnat tue vertical walls quilt ur-
necessarily unWisely, ana TO O large extent, II
not altogether, without any Sukh0TiCy or law, uu-
der tiis contract have bseu so constructed as 10
encroach upon the waterway OF the canal ana re-
duce It's cross-secEona area average ef at least
i've per cent below what 70 would nave been II the
contract had been faithfully adhered 80.
EJgRteenth-Inat the measurements were habit
ually made Dy assistants employed rom month 10
month Tor specific JOBS. VINO gave no bonds, many
Of whom were ard are cOnsplcu0usly deficient Ia
tne more important quaLhcatons Tor such a DUTY,
who seem 10 nave na0ltualY accepted Inferior
work aud TO have measured ana estimated the
work incorrectly Wlth tne iull knowledge OF the
resident and division engineers, and usually under
thar Instructions.
Ntnetscnth-Ihat no responsible ofIlcer OF the
Canal Department proiessed 10 nave any accurate
knowledge OF the manner IN which the work was
done by the contractors from direcG personal
supervision or inspection.
1tcentteLh-That no instance has come to our
knowledge Of au assistant being removed, or even
rebuked, by any superior oficer, for making false
measurements and estimates or for accepting bad
WORK.
TtCenty.frst-That none OF tire laws or regula-
lions IN regard to me making and preserving she
reCOrus OF Network OF OF materials supplied APP
near complied with nut from the