New-York tribune., 1875-09-02
THE REPORT.

THE REPORT.
wRETC!nD CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAM
To the Canal Board: Pursuant TO resolution the
following statement is submitted For the purpose
of supplying the Jordan level of the Erie Canal
during periods of drouth the project was conceived
in the Summer of 1865 of constructing reservoir
by building DAM raising the water of Otisco Lake
about 10 feet. Howard Soule, jr., then resident
engineer, made detailed estimate to the Canal
Commissioners that the proposed work, includ-
ing engineering and contingencies" would
cost SIS, 900. Oct. ], 1868, contract was made
with A. Caldwell Beiden to execute the job at rate
of prices specified, he agreeing that the work should
be complete and finished by April 20, 1869. and that
the full compensation to be paid therefor should be
S9,344 The work continued along about three
wears, when the account was closed with the con-
tractor S43, 753 - having been paid him. $4,000
having been awarded for lands flowed and interest
The contractor was paid for a dam, $50 feet when
in fact it was but 100 feet long. The contract
required that there should be carried up in the
enblukment of the dam wall OF puddied
earth; this was not done, and the result was that
when the attempt was made to fill the reservoir, the
"t,am leaked like a sieve" There was to be slope
wall on the inner sle Of the reservoir embanhment
the wall to be of average thickness OF 10 inches,
no stone 10 be laid III the wall less than II inches in
length ut right angles to the full, the JOINTS TO
be properly proven, and the foundation OF the
wall 10 be of timber and plank; while 1t was
built Of field stone laid in single course Of an
average thickness Of about six inches, upon no
other foundation than was formed by scIaping
away the mud and starting the wall on such
earth a, was there. The result was that when the
first frcshct after the dam was put to use the
dam bcgaa to slide down into the lake. and teams
had to be employed at the expense Of the State TO
draw in gravel at the rate of 26 loads an hour for
considerable time to the whole work from 60
ing out. 1t was estimated that three acres had to
be chopped grubbed and cleared, to prepare for the
supcrstructurc and to prepare new road 10 take
the place of one that woald be submerged The new
road was never built, and all the grubbing that
done Oh the work was digging out one stump.
FRAUDULENT PROFITS on THE TIMBER.
To enable the contractor to clear of the wood land
that was to be flooded temporary dam was built
by him TO set back the water that would freeze
on the timber land and allow of the trees being
moved on the ice. This work was for the whole
benefit of the contractor. The timber used in It's
construction was obtained from tire lands to be
flowed, and portions of this timber worked
into the permanent dam. portion of the
Temporary dam was carried away in a freshet and
injured the dam Of q mill owner below on the
stream. The State has paid for the timber so used
TO the owner Of the land from which it was taken.
II paid for il again to the contractor when it went
into the temporary dam, and portion of it the con-
tractor was paid for still again when it went into
the permanent dam; besides, the state paid for
building, repairing, and watching by night, as well
day, this temporary dam and the expenses of the
contractor in repairing the mll-dam below that was
injured by tie temporary dam breaking away. No
estimate was made for "choppins and clear
ing" the timber land; but Mr.. Soule
thought the timber would pay for the
"choppng and clearing" and in this it was
evident he was entirely right. For this reason,
there was price in the contract for choppng and
clearing" The contractor went on these lands and
cut such timber he wished to Use In the work IN
question Large quantities of the black ash was
made into rails and sold, and besides considerable
,:rber was drawn Off and large quantities of logs
..ere drawn to the mills and sawed into plank and
amer timber. AS much IS $4,000 worth of lumber
~as sod by the contractor. The elm timber was
aEen oh TO Camillus; but what was ultimately done
.ltn it does not appear, except that one of the
-aasters said that they were taking 10 down to tho
,.one dan on Oswego River 10 sell it 70 the State for
Mnte oak.
less TO TIE STATE FROM sLOvENLY WORK.
Aiar,her appropriation was made by Chapter S77
o. the Laws Of 1869 for the completion of this resor
voir "proviGing the contractor Will complete the
work remain 1g to be done at the prices named i'll
from tine to time to chop until all the timber Of
value was taken off, OF clearing, lie did little 10th
ing leaving all the evil that was ap?rehendcd from
trees logs, stumps &C., floating down upon the dan
to he experienced. For all this timber taken Oft the
State afterward under the award of tie appraisers
paid the owners OF the lands, and for Il It it usc in
the permanent dam and for the les on which it
rested, they again paid the contractor, and while
the contractor was well paid for "chopping
and clearing" by the timber he took, he sue
coeded in making contract with the Com
missioner that he aloud be paid $40
an acre for "chopping and clearing" while
under the contract this the sum fixed TO be paid
per acre for that work aud removing all the stumps
roots, &C." grubbng," as 1t la oalled-besides
$33,534 STUMP.
Under this contract the contractor was paid
S33,534 20 for chopping. grabbing and clearing"
476.6 acres at so per acre or in other words,
as the value of the timber paid for the work
of chopping and clearing" and all the grub
bing done was taking out one stump 1t cost
tue State to get out that one stump 1884 70
The measurement Of the lands cleared is not salts
factory According to the engineers figures, ana as
he still insists, there was 357 acres Of timber land