New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-14
ALBANY.
Contiuurd from First Page.


at tho evening session ~ he had been In the
afternoon, to protect, as far as possible, his
own interests and those OF the Ring. 3ir' ray
WHOM Commissioner, had charge OF the Western
Division Ee questioned about the contract a"Seeo
20 L. +. Van Duson June %, 1868. on the Genesce'
Valley Canal in connection with slide bank Tho esIi
mated cost was $4,000 Daniel Richmond was the d.
vision engineer and j. Nelson Tubbs assistant on
gineer Mr. Fay explained that navigation was mpedod
by hill sliding into and filling up the canal IL was
necessary the hill. Citizens In the tennessee
Valley and shippers asked for the Improvement OF the
canal and for additional water to supply the summs
level Repeated appropriations made to continue
the work of excavation, and $7S.963 20 was
paid finally on tho contract. In this con-
tract 5000 cubic yards OF earth excavation
were estimated, and $4,000 cubic yards were
finally paid for Mr. Fay stated that was impossible to
ascertain beforehand how much excavation would BE- re-
CURED because the hill might slide after part OF the
work had done. 1t assumed that 90 900 yards
would sufficient He questioned as to the meth
DDS Of ascertaning the amount OF work actually done
by the contractors and the amount OF materials used ny
Them and his showed that the methods Tor deter
mining these things imperfect and are not Thoroughly
carried out He gave 1t his opinion that the prices IN
tis contract were reasonable and that there was no
cheating about it, and that there was fair equivalent
OF work given for the States money
The next contract taken up was that OF Charles Z.
Skinner Aug 49, 1868 for raising the surface
OF tho OIL Creek Reservoir SIX feet The estimated cost
was $4,000. For completing the work "a specified IN
that contract there supplementary contract maze
In the year. which the price OF earth excavation
was raised from to % cents embankment from Il
to 80 cents.
work the supplementary contract was not ht 70 tue
lowest bidder 1t continued by the contractor
because Of the delay in the work which would have been
caused by reetng and because the contractor had the
materials and equments on hand
ton m
Improvement mt Buffalo were afterward considered.
Tho first wac awarded to Charles 3. Kiuner, Aug. o.
1870 for deepening and improving the narrow canal 10
Black Rock Uarbor Tho canal 70 feet wide At the
surface and IS feet at the bottom Mr Fay said
that be recommended the Improvement to be
made Mr.. Behn, he thought, made the est-
mate. Mr.. Fay admitted he only bad general
idea of the work. Tho Canal narrow, the current
rapid and navigation dicut In me Skinner contract
7o64s feet Of white oak used $50 thousand
which was worth about $40 per thousand 2339OO
feet pine paid for ut $780, which was worth about
$50 per thousand In the work. laid on tax, pine was
worth about s35 and oak $i5, little more than the
worth outside. Ten thousand rect oil pio was INC
estimated quantity necessary.
The work done under this contract until the nrss
Monday after letting OF the contract because the City
OF Buffalo desired change in the plan and an additional
appropriation. change Of plan was authorized by the
Canal Board and crib work built to separate the
canal anu tue ndrUOr
The great amount Of timber used was In the crit-wors
for purpose Mr. Fay explained that the contract
was not reet when the change OF plan was made, al
though the price. Of timber high because the Com
mi..ionprs did not consider the contract eN
travagant, as other items In IL were low.
The first appropriation $4,000. It was ex-
pected that the change OF plan would involve
AN Increase of outlay Of TO S135OOO MI skin
ner assigned the contract to Geo D. Lord The contract
was Cancelled by the Canal Board. aud aterward the
work rcct to r. B. yandsen He prosecuted 1t TIL
February 1879 and then he stopped Vsndusens cousrrt
was Cancelled In the OF 1878, and the Work was
Henry j. Mowry But Clark and Bennett went TO
work under the contract and prosecuted 1t TO this time
Mr. Fays impression that the work has cost about
100000 under aowrys contract. Under Van Dusen's
contract 900 paid. The whole cost was about
s2s5 900. Besides this there awarded to Geo. ID.
Lord $4,000.
At the conclusion OF his examination MI Fay stated
that be knew OF irrcgIlarty in connection with the
any state officials OF any combinations conson
between contractors engineers or between other PEI
sons in connection with the canals predjuhcial to the
interests OF the State In regard to the acceptance oil I'M
balanced bids he said that the Commissioners tried TO get
proper bids. but did not TO advertise again lie
thought contracts generally let too low aud that
unless contractors could rely Legislative relief, OF
other modes OF subsistence besides their contracts they
would be ruined