New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-17

r,nt,v than TO lace the State in his power, now has
the effontery to ask the Canal Board TO canei Ais
contract. auaso assign. rcasohs fer his apphfatcn
That xe il possible acre fictitious than ins est'-
rnatex 4 Fl III AZ
We are sa+isfed from the evidence that he wished
to have his contract cancelled not. as ne pretehds
because the appropriation was exhausted. but pe-
cause he was required to give the State an equivalent
for what he received from it, because his work
cb,pccd 10 come under the supervision of officer
whose tirinness and fidelity. in honorable contrast
with the conduct of his Immediate Supporters and col
longues rendered further continuance Of bis deine
da,ions under that contract impossible.
ENTITIES AITrIgD TO sHIErD TIE CONTRACTOR.
But there is one feature Of this moro revolt
ing than any 80 which we have yet eferred Mr.
Cantweli, the CT gneer 10 charge before Mr. Sey-
mour not content with false measurements OF woIk
and materials in every monthly estimate that he
made, immediately previous TO his removal, ana
after the manner of tho unjustsstcward, deliberately
osiaced his feld-nOtes made IN 1870. winch siioweu
only $40 yards of rock expavaticl. and changed
l,45O cable yards Of earth excavation, nj 20
! cents the yard, into rock cutting at ~
| yard This alteration CT his books and
| increase a his estimate in favor of tho
contractor was made four yesrs after the work
had been actually dcac and paid for The original
| allowance Of $40 yards Of rock excavation was
as fictitious rs the later addition Assisted
by three engineers. we carefully tested all the Work
included in this estimate at numerous stations an'i
found no trace OF rock within two eot of canal bot
TOM but did find timber foundation which eiiectu-
aliy excluded all presumption Of rock excavaiion'
and demonstrates n loss te the State begitnng al
fra nd aud censu una ted in aine d ever $500 IL.
/ As to the motives which impcjed Mr.. Cantwdl te
petpet rate this crime and the Resident and DIVISION
Engineers to oouve at it, Gre mot yet quito pre-
pared to express an opinion. Had we been permit
ted to explore the books of Messrs. DeHson Belcen
q Co, this inquiry might have been greatly simPh-
! fed.
We should fail Of our duty if we dismissed this
subject without dcnouncing the inoXcusablc con
| due, both of those who advised and OF those WHO
sssen.d 20 the construction Of he vertical wall pro-
vided by this contract. There no Pfetext what
over for such an expensive style OF structure There
are few houses al eDd Of the work, but most OF
il is bounded by an open common, for which o"cf-
ing privileges entirely unnecessary The coil
tract provided for only 800 linear foet OF vertical
wall By the cos.nivaDcc Of the canal authorities,
, including the then Stale Engineer, Nr. Taylor. a
! resident Of Utica. who vay shortly alter die con-
tract was let became of the pioprietorS OF rc
adjacent iaid Hs wall WAS extended along the c'i-
fire ergt1, NJ bis property and beyond aggregate
distance OF over mile. Most OF the excess we lind
built While Mr.. Taylor was himself State Engineer.
Upon this subject we invite year attention to the
testimony annexed d Mr.. Seymour and OF Dir. VIM.
g. Taylor Go W
II is difficult TO regard this pretended Improvement
from any point OF view ~ other than proiiigafe
waste of the public money in the interest OF knot
of land SPECTATORS and lswless canai oficets and
contractors.
The parties interested in this contract re h. ID.
| Dos,ison j. j. Belaen, aud Meade Dedsil.
JOS. NJ BIGEIaw,
II. MhGoNE, JR.. "Reminiscences
A. =. ORR,
JOuN y. YIN BJEIN,J
| A1aay, AUG II, i,T5