The New York herald., 1876-03-25
THE CANALS.

MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR ON CANAL
poLrcY-IM IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT RECON-
MENDATIoNs- UNNECESSARY CONTRACTS FOR
REPAIRS TO BE COMPLEMENTARY OF
THE WATERWAY.
The following Message was sent to the Legislature
to-day
STATE or NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE cHAxpER,
ALBANY, March "a, 1876.
To THE LEGISLATURES
The result OF the investigate ordered at the last
session into the work the Eric and other canals
purporting to be improvements, and known In the
language of legislation extraordinary repairs
have been submitted to you. They establish these
conclusions
Firs-Thc expenditures for these purposes during
the last 1--WE years directly about $1l, O00 900 and
indirectly about So 000 900, making $l4 900 O00 and
involved taxation amounting 10 nearly $5, ,0U0 000
This is IN addition to vast sums expended in former
years
!Sccond-Thc mass OF the work for which these OK
pcnditures were made was OF real utility to tho
public The waste in construction, which furnished
Jobs to Contractors, but OF value the State
has been even larger than the Illicit and fraudulent
gains
Third-Most OF the contracts were obtained by tho
system Of unbalanced bids aud other dishonest de-
vices.
Fourth-Much OF the work was executed in violation
OF the contracts and IS worthless The advantages TO
the state OF the Investigations have been limited
to the discovery Of the particular frauds,
ino ucsuuctlpn OF n system lnVOlVlng vast annual
loss to tho taxpayers, demoralInng to the public
vice and corrupting TO all governmental liio Incident
ally, ~ arresting these practices, iund has been
rescued from sboliaon, out Of which real important
and valuable Improvement can be effected In the nam
trunks Of tho canals on the LIST OF last month there
renamed, as neatly ascertain OF the funds ap-
pcable extraordinary repairs and new work unap-
proprated specific objects, $633 900; existing ap-
preparations for objects not under contract f300,0O0
estimated necessary TO settle existing contracts
Eric Canal $347 900; Champlain Canal $50 900; oneida
Lake Canal 0O0 balance, after settling contracts
proposed, t3OO, 900; sum available for new work
Champain Canal enlargement, 500 OOO; Oneida Lake.
SAL 600 Total, 81, GOA, 900.
respectfully recommend tho enactment OF laws
providing Tor the following mcasures;-
First-hmpowering and directing the Canal Board 10
close all existing contracts for extraordinary repairs
except In those special whore the Judgment OF
the Board be done without dclrimont TO tho
Interests OF the State and repeating all existing appro
prations for extraordinary repairs.
Ncond-Approprialing not exceeding t400, 900 10
such payments may be just and necessary TO close
existing contracts, but providing that such appro.
priaion shall become eectua IN respect to payments
any contract until the shall DO certified by the
State Engineer IN writing TO the Canal Board and
acrward duly approved by tho Canal Board and pro-
vidng further that nothing in any such act OF APP
preparation shall operate or be construed TO
validate or recognize any contract tainted with illegal
ity fraud or TO waye any defence Of the state In
respect 10 any contract or any right OF action the
state growing out OF such contract OF work dono
or required by the same; and likewise appropriating
not exceeding 500 600 Tor the purpose OF protecting
or finishing such work the judgment Of the Canal
Board the interests Of the State may require TO be
protected or finished.
1htrd-Appropriating not exceeding $500 900, 20 be
expended with the approval OF the State Engineer ana
under the direction OF the Canal Board, 70 the inn
provement OF the waterway Of the Erie Canal with
Wow OF giving feet depth OF water, 80 far as
may be practicable. the opening Of navigation Ia the
present year Appropnating not exceeding SlsOVO,
for survey and measurement OF tho waterway OF the
Eric Canal for the purpose OF determining s real con
dton ana tho places where u specially requires
aa pmnpcable 10 V exir,orSnapv
repairs the Erie Canal which are now or nay como