New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-13
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Amount not estim

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2,G7i Gu. Yds .Embankment-- 20 w o'4 y"
Amount not estimated ................$S,O5 S 80
AN ENGINEERs BLUNDER.
The first thing about this estimate which arrested
my attention was the fact that the excavation OF
earth which is paid for al more than twice its value,
had already exceeded the amount bid for by 1925
cubic yards. asked the Engineer if the contractor
had finished the excavation, and he replied that he
had not, but that there was nearly as much earth
yet To be removed as had already been taken out so
that the full amount of this item, when the contract
is completed, will probably be about twice as great
rs the Engineer estimated it would be before the
work began This is very serious disparity, in view
of the exoTbitant price that is to be paid for this part
of the work. and the Engineer, who is responsible for
the mistake in the original estimate is evidently
little ashamed of it. At the same time he has an
explanation which it is only fair shauld be stated in
full in order that it may be seen just how far the
blundcr was an excusable one. He says that about
four years ago the wall benches were removed from
the towing-path side of this section of the
canal and he then made the estimate for the eHca-
yation At that time the water was out of the
canal and he made complete series of very careful
cToss-sectiOns throughout the whole length of the
work | examined them they were plotted up,
and the work seems TO have been done with great
pans-taking and accuracy. After the excavation
made supplemental crosssections for the purpose of
determining if all of the earth had been removed
aud of deductng it in case any that ought to have
been taken out remained. Where an estimate is
made in this way serious mistakes are impossible
and the final account of that contract shows the
original estimate TO have been correct.
Last October the engineers received orders TO make
an estimate for removing the wall benches and build
ing slope wall on the bernie bank of the canal
directly opposite that done Oh the other side or
8 years ago. At that time the canal was full of
water, and it was, therefore, impossible for the
Engineer TO make cross-sections with the same
accuracy with which those on the opposite side had
been taken Soundings might have been made, but
even then the contour of the bank could only have
been guessed at. The truth is the Engineer did not
go upon the canal at all TO make examination but
prepared the estimate in his Office in the following
manner: He assumed that the bank OH the bernie
side was substantially the same in form that
the tOwng-path side, which eXcavated4 yeaTsago
lie therefore found from his old cross-sections the
average amount of earth per chain. that removed
performing that work. and. multiplying it by 600.
the length in chains of the present work obtained
10000 cubic yards. This he assumed as the amount
OF excavation 10 be done. But there were two things
for which the Engineer failed to make allowance The
first of these which, with his experience "a canal
engineer, he certainly ought to have remembered,
was, that loaded boats, in passing through tho
canal always hug the towing-path side as closely
possible, in order to make the angle of the tow-nes
with the axis of the boats sharp possible and so
reduce the power necessary TO propel them. The effect
of this is to keep that side of the canal freer
from sediment than the other This would Of course
cause the amount of excavation TO tho chain in the
present contract to be greater than in the for
mer and the estimate ought to have been increased
OH that account. The second of the causes and tho
principal which increased the amount of excava-
ton TO be done under Candee's contract, the en-
gineers profess 10 have been entirely ignorant of
until after the contract was awarded and the work
had been begun. IL seems that 10 or ~ years ago
Mr. j. j. Belden of this city, the leading Of the
firm which has become 80 well known lately in
nectOs with canal contracts had contract TO clean
out the canal on the Jordan Level and that instead
OF putting the earth he removed outside he left it
the inner slope Of tho bernie bank where it has
manned TO this day. This the contractor whose bid
was the lowest knew all about. while none Of the
present engineers had ever heard of it.
ANALYSIS or THE LAST ESTIMATE.
Ibaye given at this length the excuse Of the En-
gineer for a mistake which has apparently resulted
TO the great advantage Of the contractor. because
this is one of the contracts which is likely 10 be very
carefully examined in the official inquiries that
TO be made this Spring and Summer. The engineer
who made the estimate has the reputation of being
one Of the most careful and consideration, Of the
tire corps employed the canal bt m. 'al