New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-06
ALBANY.
A CANAL RING PLOT.
WHY TIE SUSPENDED ENGINEERS WERE REINsTATED

WHY THE SUSPENDED ENGINEERS WERE REINsTATED
THEIR SIGNATURES NECESSARY TO THE con-
TR.CToRs-TrIE STATE SAVED A LARGE SUM By
GOV, TILDENs SUSPENSION OF AUDITOR TuAYER.
lBr I8LEGRAPu TO THE TRrBUSB.l
ALBANY, Jan. 5.-When the Canal Board re-
instated the suspended engineers Messrs Yates
and Babcock, several members were greatly
aggrieved because THE TRIBUNE denounced
them for serving the cause of the Canal
Ring. The facts given here will show
how far The TRIBUNE was right The meaning Of
the reinstatement of the engineers never under
stood by the people of this State at large Ii was
done through the influence of the canal contractors,
and was done because the signatures Of the cngi-
neers necessary to the certificates OF work. on
which the contractors could get their money The
certificates are signed by the Division
Engineer and approved by the State Engineer
and Surveyor. A draft is then drawn upon the
Auditor by the Canal Commissioner, and the Auditor
draws his warrant upon the Treasurer. The state
Engineer and Surveyor and the Canal Commissioner,
Messrs. Sweet aud Adm Thayer, Democrats and
Mr. Ranes the Treasurer, Liberal, all asked for the
resolution to reinstate and Auditor Thayer was, of
course ready for any jobbery that might come III
his way. So the Ring was complete
The engineers made out the final account on all
the contracts which bad already been condemned
by the Commission, including those OF Willard
Johnson, Barnett and Nash, Henry j. Mowry, John
Brown, Flager and Reilly, and other well known
members of the Ring, and sent them into the state
Engineer and Surveyor. This would have been only
their duty under ordinary circumstances; but when
these contracts had been pronounced largely traud-
lent and excessive by the investigating commission,
and the auditing officers of the Department had
been warned to pay no moneys on them.
For these engineers TO certify and swear to esti-
mates and measurements which they knew to be
fraudulent, would seem 20 be near approach to a
grave crime. But this only the beginning. All
of these tainted accounts approved by the state
Engineer and Surveyor, and the Ring Canal COM
missioner began to draw his drafts, az pro-
yided by law, upon tho Auditor, his brother'
All this time the investigation going on
into in the Auditors official acts, and
The first of the new year was close at hand when the
Ring members of the Board would go out of Office,
and the circle would be broken. The Auditor lost
no time. He had already audited a certificate
amounting TO go 900, when the swift suspension OF
the Governor overlook him, and the remaining final
account, were worth no more than SO much waste
PAPER The amount Of tho certificates winch
would have been paid, if the old Canal Board had
had one month more of life, and Auditor Ihayer one
month more of interrupted business, would probably
have exceeded 100000; that Gov lldens
prolnpt action saved the State a good round sum Oh
money. The Treasurer was warned by the Governor.
the day of Auditor Thlyers suspension, not to pay
the CERT fcates which ho had audited.
Meanwhile Mr. Babcock has resigned, in accord
ance with the custom OF engineers the advent OF
new administration. and makes no secret of his
hope of a reappointment by the Canal Board. Prob
ably he forgets that Mr.. Bigelow and Mr. Van
buren,, who are now members, have met him before
under different circumstances.