The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-11

was f0e formation and that rock at the surface
feet q the surface for the entire line your FARM A.
survey DID make across my ID, ii Billiards. BeuF
when ey nnae ahe survey and did ascertain that the rock
Q Was that ne survey that nndo previous tho
previous to letting Of tho work
across q " Billiards Bend vas ' e tia. TGr TX
member the letting but cannot now give the date
the letting ~
This evidence appears to DO conclusive; in our opin-
ion there could have been no doubt 81 its actual exist
now THE WORK WAS PERFORMED
We new turn 10 another aspect Of this contract ID
might be inferred that in return Tor the large rc4
Enumeration received by Denison from the State the
work would have been faithfully performed and Of AMI
unexceptionabe character An examination, made by
this commission in May last, before the opening OF
navigation, does not warrant any such concluson-t
The vertical wall bad In every respect
and entirely unfit for the purpose; thoss
that We're of better quality were inferior IN
size and did not at all correspond with the requremenS
OF the specifications; the wall was built without boht
or through headers and in several places had allcn
into the canal Judging from these and other places
that We're taken down and examined, the wall wa9
bGt with front face 10 the prism, and with o9
small irregular shaped stones thrown in behind and
next 10 the bank by which they supported. In
speaking OF this wall, Mr.. Billiard testides:-.
state what the character of tho vertical wall Is that s
good some three or four places across my farm on bolts
sides i slipped into the canal the FIRST spring put
spring ater the construction thirty to forty feet fell down
q state II observed tho character tho with
Nc c in NM, w. I've was - Stst t a. a. aes slr,
a. They varied ~ size much sual OF them
rock excavated from the bottom OF the nal.
A. No SIR it would dissolve rapidly by frost action Of
A. Yes, sir; thrown up on the ground i viii all dissolve.
posed 70 the action Of frost and water do not know
sir should think would in frost it would tho
q About what proportion Of the vertical walls that were
constructed were made up from the slate rock A. did
q. Was there considerable proportionH A / Should
2 From . 4, sixth % a quarterf A. Yes, 81. !
fully with headers 2 as 70 give the wall good bonds A.
q Was il irreruiary laid in the backP A. Yes sir
The back was irregaiary laid BY stone thrown In ana
S SHs T az sam ee c No. SIR these slate stones ws'o
Q. Was laid make solid wan there
~ Mas there equal to oneqnarter laid with headers A.
q Anything like that proportion q henders' A No sr
Y Was this substantially the condition Of the walla ac
20 the canal and the mainder OF the wall built with
lar shaped stouesY A. Yes, sir
q Aud Of very different szess A. Very different sizes
q How small was any q the stone, about how smalf ~
inches thick averaging in size from squarel
ANOTHER PHASE
But there yet another phase of this contract that
needs careful and earnest consideration 1t has been
already stated that for time all the books of the
Engineering Department connected with this won1
missing from the Division Engineers Office. 10
was also discovered that Mr. Thorn the Assistant
Engineer in charge during its prosecution could
sary data Of our investigation, and believing that fraud
in the inception would be followed by fraud in its proscI
cution, caused careful survey TO be made by Mr3
T. Sweet Jr the Engineer of the commission) and his
assistants To test the accuracy Of the quantities thaH
had been credited to Dennison in his final with
the State From careful computations they give the
cubic Yards;
Total earth excavation Observation-Disclosures. III. lS2
TOTAL vertical wall ......-.......-... o. i0d
our examination also disclosed the absence OF gravel
lining and that no embankment was made from exca-
walton necessarily hauled more than POO feet parallel
with the canal The embankment therefore n ID
chargeable under the contract In estimating tho
quantity of rock excavation, 1t assumed that
surface OF the rock excavated in the canal in the
plane OF the surface of the rock found without the
prism on either side between each set Of cross Sec
tlons. In this assumption we are confirmed by tho
testimony of Mr. Bullard
Being very desirous however, to confirm the accuI
racy Of our own surveys aud estimates requested
State Engineer Sylvanus A. Sweet carefully inspccs
the line Of this work and make such tests he deemed
necessary satisfy himself of the correctness of the
results as stated above We are under many obi ga-
tons 10 him for the prompt and cheerful manner m
which he acceded 10 our wishes The result OF his
animation Is gwen IN his own words.
OFFICE OF THE STATE ESGIsEER Al AID sUEy7EYoS,
john BIGrLow Chairman Canal Investigating Com.
SIR have personal examination or that poror
Of the Champain Canal embraced in the Billiards. Bend
sch1yeryo Billiards Bend with references survey
made by direction Of your eomnisson examined on ao
sections the notes Of the borngs and test pits tao
ad them AND Se bSnr
nd the Quantities oSSnod fom these examnao
are correct lheye no reason why the quantity Of re
before the work was let also examined the vertical wnl1
80 ls as ann gd 81 ana OGr & M
the Dimensions called for in tho fnai account
substituted in place slope wall upon this work The char
% FACING inc & w at ss rock
water surface and above. Kespec 81 yours, e..
From the preceding statement OF facts we derive tho
following summary Of amounts overpaid on this con-
tract Denison, either through the medium OF eXag
gerated estimates or from improper classification Oh
work In the final account
26 10 cubic yards rock excavation at 3d. SO 43s 20
2 327 81 100 cubic yards vertical wall So. 6oSl 81
a. 1877 23-100 cubic yards lining at cents. 209 So
1904 67.100 cubic yards embankment, at 10
cents. ......................... 80 ~
Making ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. So, 900 80
Of earth excavation, in excess Of the
amount paid for in nnal account, at cents
ayard. -...-..................... li49Z ~
Total amount Of over payments predicated on
ialse I & H. osorci IA; $685. 100 -
ton IS male for inferior useless work. il simply
shows the amount that has been paid To the contractor
for work that we have no reason 20 believe
done, and materials that we have no reason to
believe were furnished. Large this
amount is, j. does not represent the total loss
TO the state The walls that were built-amounting To-
3 1853 cubic yards at cost Of Sill 239-are compara-
lively worthless and should have been accepcd
They will always be 4 of expense and trouble
until replaced by more durable aud permanent struc-
lures The Strengthening Of the canal at this poiak
was not a necessityt had been in its then conditions
for years-but granting That II desirable improves
mcnt to canal navigation with ordinary foresight tho
result aimed at could have been easily attain ed
at comparatively small expense to the
state Had the true qualities property
classified, been exhibited the letting,
thus securing competition and fair prices for
different items p work necessary TO is constructon
and had slope walls been substituted for useless and
pensivo vertical walls the statute directs the
cost based upon the estimates of engineers would
have been under $50, 900
Il RESPONSIBILITY
The question will very naturally BIO asked, Who 10
responsible for all these orrors of judgment" these
fraudulent ostimates2 Why should contract covering
territory only half mile in length through an or N
field and free from all difficult engineering problems bd
let for the comparatively small sum OF $3.50 80,
and finally cost the extrayagantly large sum or
Sl46,3l6? Why should an estimated amount OF rock
excavation q 600 cubic yards at an estimated expense