New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-01
yAGUENESS OF TIE SPECIFICATIONS GOV
ERNING CONTRACTS

ERNING CONTRACTS
The first contract to be exposed is that of
Henry d. Denison, who now bids fair 10 ENJOY
throughout the State the reputation which he has
long held in his own section and among his own
neighbors This contract, it will be remembered
was the one referred TO by Gov Tden rs being per-
haps the most fragrant instance of the system now
under discussion This was let for S.1,1S3 20, in
September. 1869, to be finished by the opening OF
navigation in 1870 and on the first Of February last
the estimates amounted already to $fJS,O0O, and
the work is still going on without any apparent
diminutiOn Of vgOr on the part of the contractor
But before this contract is analyzed and the results
of careful investigation as to the manner IN wblch
it is being executed shown ii becomes necessary
to detail some of tire moro conspicuous defects III
the section specifications" as they are called which
are intended to govern the execution OF contracts.
The section specification is made part OF the con-
tract and its provisions bind the parties or should
bind them, as efcctualy rs any other covenant OF
agreement. This specification. which IS too long 10
give in full gives minute directions for the eXecu-
ton of work. and is intended not only to provide
instructions for the engineer, but t. place
restrictions upon the contractor Ii provides for
the width of the canal at the bottom AMI the top
water line and its depth; for the angle of the
banks defines the terms "grubbng and clearing"
excava ions, g., and gives directions, minute
and explicit. for its execution. Similarly
minute directions also given i'll regard TO en-
bankment, lining, pudding, slope and pavement
wall. dJc;ng, vertical battered WALL roads, g.
Notwithstanding tho apparent care and fulnesS
with which the section specification has been
drawn it will be found, to be sngulary deficient IN
defnteness with respect to some of the most In
portant classes OF the work which it covers, 1t
gives the engineer almost Unlimited power TO de-
tcrmine, at his own discretion, the manner
OF performing all the different kinds of work TO be
done under the contract, as well as the amount OF
quantities called for. The specification in regard to
slope and pavement wall is open to The same olyec-
ton. Ii does not fix the size nor the quality OF the
materials to be used, and in other ways affords
opportunity for fraud the part of the contractor
The specifications in regard to docking which is
docking Of timber for protecting the slopes OF
the canal and those in relation to vertical
or battered walls, are equally deficient. Any Onis
sion careleSsnes3 in the specifications in relation
to vertical or battered walls is either blunder or
crime when it is considered that these haYo become
the most important items of extraordinary repairs
and enlargement and tho fdyOrte instruments OF
contractors for stealing the public money. IhiS
section fails however, to fix the form and dlmcn-
sons of the structures, where the location and
quantities, as with all the foIr classes of work
which have been mentioned, are left absolutely to
the discretion OF the engineer. And throughout all
the specifications. matters left to the decision
of the engineer which should, and might without
application, be settled and defined with such cx
actncss that there would DO room neither for doubt
nor deception. The constituents of hydraulic ce-
ment. the DESCRIPTION of coping to be used, and
many other items are neglected entirely.
These specifications, by their careful omissions
and premedtatcd vdguencsS, mako possible n COM
plete evasion of the statute requiring that the guam
titles exhibited at the letting of the contract should
show with the greatest possible precision, the guam
titles which must actually be done. These Canal
Ring specifications leave the Canal Ring contracts
entirely open and uncertain to their final amount
and result. They drive competent and honest con-
tractors from the business directly invite and assist
corruption, and work immense injury to the inter
ests and property Of the State.