The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-25

n those charges were true. as he believed them to
be, not only were private gentlemen snorn OF what
ever reputation Tor honesty they may have htth-
erto enjoyed, but persons, many TOO many per-
sous. nigh in oncial hle, would snare similar
late. lie read several OF the contracts mentioned
III the Governors Message. From these he de-
duced CONCLUSION that the Division Engineer, the
adjudged guilty Of the highest crimes Mr. Jacobs
was well fortified with data, and seemed July con-
Al the conclusion OF MS speech t presumed
that some OF the republican senators would fol-
until tomorrow. on motion Of Senator fox.
THE CANAL RIson SIDE or rHg CONTROVERSY.
Commissioners and others OF the so-calied ring 4.
s9ppn h ne %aa Fave
missioner Wright, Doe Dennlson ana
I others OF their friends are stopping ~
tne Delevan House. Their tables are covered
WITH documents and pamphlets IN relation TO
night TO the bitter end and looks upon the Cover
nor's ATTACK with all the seriousness winch such
their rooms hs evening and i in the interest or
lair play asked some OF these gentlemen 10 give
In connection with the onslaught made upon
DEFINITION OF CANAL CONTRACT
A gentleman VINO has grown very wealthy in
| the business sat down courteonsly at table and
gave me his OPINION In the matter as i.llows:-
The STATE lets all the WORK TO be done upon \
certain portion OF the canal-lor instance, all be-
tween two speclned points. q distance OF one, nve
| work and material. rho contractor agrees TO do
the work Tor the prices named. All of this WORK
may cost 100000, but the Legislature at first APP
propriates only s75ooO or 100000 to begin. me
| Canal Commissioner designates what part OF the
| work shall first be done and which can oe accom-
| plished within the appropriation, directs the en-
| glDeer 20 make an estimate OF the cost OF each
| Kind Of work and material required IN the por-
| ton thus designated, according 10 The prices
fxed IN she contract, and sets tae contractor
under the contract, NJ It's prices aud according 30
It's terms. Next year the Legislature maEes an
additlonal appropriation for continuing the work,
! a.
the contractor "t0 do all the work and iurnlsh
| all the MATERIAL which may be necessary LO
! finish the Joo the Commissioner ana engineers
lay 1t out the contractor goes on under the oirec
ton OF the authorities and his WORK Is estimated
and paid for as before, under the contract and as
| It's prices And according 10 the undisputed
General barlow, as given in his official opinion
on one OF these contracts, the cont actor can
nSsnedS Without ms rendsrns himself liable ts
| heavy penalties. These contracts ana the WORK
far az the question OF fraud OF integrity is con
cerDed from other contracts MADE by the state
OF years. The Legislature makes annual appro-
priations for annual work. Nor DO tney diIer In
any essential feature from work done for the New
YORK Central Railroad, the Croton AQueducG or
any other continuing corporate or municipal
WORK. wrong impression IS produced upon the
mind or the puDlc by the inference, created oy
the Message, mat the SUN total paid upon one or
these contracts Tor al! the WORE done under 1t has
been PAID simply for the WORK that was designated
to DO done under the first appropriation. As we'll
might 1t be required to complete the new capitol
CANAL ENG CRITICISM.
next questioned gentleman interested in the
canals, VINO Objects Ior the present, to the OF
his name, Tor ln expression OF opinion az 10 the
Message. HIS remarks were substantially a. oi'
| lows
The Governor says treading IRON the Mes
saRe) :-"These prices are looted up, and the bid,
winch amounts to the smallest sun, Is accepted.
inc sums thus agreed upon average but little
more snan oneonald sne amounts estimated oy the
| tageous contracts. On examination IL Will be
found tnat The prices Tor the several items bear no
| relation to their real valuc.' Inc Governor con.
tlnues :-"lt IS Gear upon the face OF such Dr0po-
sails that some fraud Is designated, but the COM
ceDting them.n The truth is the Commissioner
has but one alternative, either 20 accept the low
est bid and award the contract, or to reject all the
bids and readverise dd ir,VsituUl. the constitu-
ton and the law ore imperative. He renders Nina
sell liable TO impeachment II ne does not obey the
law. The Governor further says:-"M hen The En-
gineer's estimates OF qusntities and kinds Of ma
tractor Will lind out by cousion or IN some other
way what quantities OF each KIND OF WORK or ma
terial wl in act, be required: or he WIN see what
after IL Is made" the truth Is, COLLISION Is re-
CURED Tor the purposes Of the contractor nor Is 1t
necessary for MN to seek or use any influence to
change -the consS.c.. The state changes It's
or three years, who estimate work Of which they
know nothing whatever. The contractors Know
sns %sx and Tass oT YES
oc1cials will be obliged to have and they bid ac-
sordingy; and this is al there Is in the some n
Governor says;-~Eor the purposes OF showing
actual results OF shis system state the following
ten cases, which give the amount the State has
paid on certain contracts In comparison with the
Gum Tor which tho contractor agreed to
do the work at the leitings made by
sne Commissioned And he adds
'Srhese show snat the state has ALREADY
paid nearly four times the amount which was in.
voived % tue terms Of the contracts" This
oearIy means that tRc contractor has secured
iour prices Ior his WORK, and tnat ne has done no
more WORK Tor the whole amount he mas received
1han ne was 70 40 Tor tine sum mentioned In the
contract This is false and intended TO deceive
the public. TAKE the hrst cited by the Cover.
nor. 1.-THE amount Of contract upon exhibited
quantities at contract Prices" was $7als3 40.
''The amount actually paid Dy the State up to Feb.
ruary l. 1875" 10 Sass la r. lfthis means anything
at all, II there is any wrong In IL Whatever, is
10 that the sum Of s45s, la was paid to the con-
tractor Tor doing the WORK which he had con-
tracted to DO or $74lSS. Thus Is false in toto, and
was said to misleGd and deceive. Take one item
alone. For the s74.lss the contractor was TO con-
struct, among otner items Tor instance 1900 cuDic
yards Of vertical wall. He actually constructed
45,07o cubic yards. should he not be paid LOT ltf
The contractors also allege that no part OF the
SASS, ia was paid TO them except lOr work actu-
ally DONE not only at contract, but az fair prices.
They assert that this case Is fair sample Of the
ten, and illustrates them all.
THE PROCEEDINGS.