The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-06

such changes Of plans were adopted All these were
subjects OF inquiry naturally suggested by inyestigs-
ready alluded OF course VIII De that to 49,
spaes ct thirty days was total mpos.ibt Your
committee have worked faithfully day and night Nld ~
alluded 70 they were compelled 70 leave antoache1 many
many many Witnesses after examination " regard
y their knowledge . o. tne contracts In cues
WON Y Eare led e
perhaps equally important matters To nave doae So
your committee hrst adopei ami - detract the
nrst inquiry even mat amount Of N9reqghness which
WAT ZEN rnT !. TssTyo% snhtoo t
very history Of the contracts already alluded TO-
The testimony win show tnat perfectly thorough aud
stances Of ten contracts, yet achieved
witness Of Tue class Of engineers and contractors VINO
have been connected with those ten contracts and
Connect ted with such contracts have not vet had
those members OF the Canal Board who are connected
in any way with those contracts and heIr history has
been yet attempted any further than to call the
Canal Commissioners in cnarge of the division which
ana also TWO former State Engineers The same
reason o. want Of .me has prevented your our
subject canal awards or cana damages, which
Save made into that SUBJECT would Of
have been so as to have produced no ben
o'o''' FURTHER rIME NEEDED
Your committee satisfied from the results Of their
inquiry thuS Tar hat must be regarded only the be-
81 shU nSi M IL le 3" eny
and prosecuting :, contracts Tor work upon the
poTtunlties Tor numerals and varied receptions
haSe FaO S:es maj 2 Ss Time az
lowed il would probably be impossible to make even a
indicates in addition q those when concu
ever Will be useful IN pointing the way for further in
yestigaton as Sel as IN showing some Of the iegsa
o. the cyl; shown by the testimony coud not have
sSd the PuSs oeeTs hd nhS deSrgsd
their duties under them Others appear have been
m The
- - - EXTRAORDINARY REPAIRS
brief description OF the mode Of prosecuting what
canals will best illustrate the defect OF the system Some
lock; perhaps the enlargement mproyenent or re- 3.
pair OF section Of the canal Boatnen forwarders ana
subject aud the canal officers certify its necessity.
favor OF an appropriation ior IL and the bill
after more or less discussion ana amer some reduction
law Generally this appropriation is for less Than the
concerned being the Legislature viii
70 VOC n a. ns ep Ia Men!e e.
the locality IL situated directs the Division Engineer to
measures the ground and Prepares an estimate q me
prices each II he is honest and capable tits prepared
with care and exaetness II he Z neggent or dishonest
AMI for the benefit Of some Of the persons who are in
estimate not for the whole OF the enterprises it is only
much material and labor as the Legislative appro
division Engineers office, in order to invite sealed pro
In the ne newspapers large number are received ana
the close Of three weeks the Board OF three Canal
Commissioners meet to open and examine the bids ana
award the contracts But these three Comm
S teres S or in the matter eT il Wholly a
T. oe sf and erw IN Sdsphs e
OF the wo X Ills two asSocia es give tier
seem give the matter such attention enable them
to any distinct remembrance Of its "details.
The first bid that is opened usually reveals the fact
labor at prices varying greatly from The engineers es
s s 6 wh yas
excessively low Thus for instance he viii oer 70 do the
specified amount OF rock excavation at few cents per
cubic yard, While Tor the same amount o. earth exca
Hai9n ne OF and 1 %
DRAINING hniag pudding hsmloeS and oaS timber
added y appears thar the amount which the state i
neer had estimated. In other words the bid though
what Is called an unbalanced one, seems on its
state When the other bids are opened ali
Character all are more or less unbalanced and those
winch least are the ones winch regarded
higher price on aggregate Inc desired WORK me
state says:-All contracts or materials on any
shall be made with the person who shall offer do
! quate security for their performance They
the ground o that h 00 @ oIs' uRba ds
and ng ns door rsc o5 contingent
The bid and the next and the next They saw tlat
though better balanced, higher IN the sggregse,
they violate the constitutional provision Furher, they
add that they reject and throw out an these bids and
readverse ior new ones they may get none better and
circumstances AMI entertaining these views the
they have usually pursued pursued Gas y appears BY the
ment or by The advice OF counsel learned IN
IA conformity with VIVA. they deem letter d The
the lowest and this action MISUNDERSTANDING they have
already announced IN their published notice thar
the testimony there hardly case upon record Where
new ones better balanced and more honest
rHK WORK AND IRIS cHARAcIER
b win his 8 tS q employs i
OF the com misoner In charge Zach month he resi-.
dent engineer makes measurements OF what has been
mo1shy estimates which are MED u MS once, and his
The contractor the sums thus shown be due As the
work proceeds Is usually becomes eyiden' that The
aPSn very large experience and famiIlsriy win the
out there 81 Of work 10 h done
tor which he bids low prices than the original Is.
more q thar sind o. work tor which his prizes
gregate considerably than the footing either OF
The estipate or the bid sometimes, 4 true, the re-
verse happens - and his unbalanced bid sub
JeGS nun 70 oss IN that case he usually
nrovsA annius, ana snoIn,, st ~ terms nave
Of more money o. me plea that ne has encountered
the contract is found sufficiently profitable to warrant
him ~ continnng me work q. Ions as the appropria
the worst and most detective features OF tue system
Inc OrlAlua APPROPRIATION having proved efficient
the Legislature Il applied TO Tor another ITO
the work. When tins obtained Il Is assumed 10 N I'VE
also continued the contrnct The work goes on and
the money = expended not under any letting but
under the old Que aud tins process Is repeated with
cessive appropriations durlug
contractor has performed far work than vas
originally estimated for and has received double t1pe
qnadrapie perhaps even ten times the amount his
original bid II here mat the unbalanced items OF his
bid most profitable. The Engineer was limited in
his estimate 70 the amount OF the rst hut
the contractor having had faith roni tic outset that
would be needed aud more appropriations
made had regulated his scale Of high low prices 10
the coming requirements OF the future work
REAPfNG THE
Here he reaps his harvest and his profits are common.
10 the skill with which he made his caIcula
on What warrant Of law there Is for this extraord
mary stretching OF contract in order enable
holder TO have the benefit Of subsequent appropraon
committee have been unable to discover ftdocs not
appear from the evidence. IL only that
long standing custom meeting doubtless with the general
approval OF contractors and appa ently officers
How, when where so grossly improper and unjust a
usage begnn Is not eeArlY expalned