New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-18
THE CANAL INQUIRY.
SENATOR ERWIN DsCoNCERTs THE COM
MITTEE
GEORGE P. SMITH, OF ToNAwANDA' TELLS
ABOUT MATTHEW scANLoN's PERMIT AND
apu1Lp-MANY OTHER WITNESSES
HEARp-THE DIVISION WALL
rry TELEGRAPH TO THE Tribunal

nj IL
a., ronawspda Lumber Company, who were nAieo w
,ore the committee as witnesses. Both Mr. Lr"
No., smith directed the eyes oft he committee 70 cer"
tacts which they have apparently aVolooo 'oe' 49,.
oo,soousnce. the members OF the committee nro
cot q. bappy tonight as they have been pre'i'u''
senator Erwin looked the picture OF innocence 90
,ooh the wItnesschair and the connh'0'o ". -.
Thought that they would dispose Oh MN ~ .d him
u,,n-tes The stereotyped question was asho' -'.1
~ ,h.r or not he had favored certain caiiAi spp
es,"n LIN introduced by Assemblyman Cornwen' u
Lewis County ,,.,a,x aand we
... .o,S nv the Democrats that we could ho' nav .
the appropraton unless we gave =,
Hannah. Of the Department Of Public WorR'' ohAis'
the expending Of the money" 49, n.uo
This answer did not please W." ", rrwtn
oro+s Init they ventured to ask MT Ell win
On. more question. and this was In rcia'ion
nU,onr,ation hill introduced to improve the ni~0A
River. ,,, vuw,r srt
as introduced by Assemblyman Could Democrat y.
Lewis County. 1 should advise you 10 Inquire 49,
.hot bIy There was general suspicion up III NY pe
Of the state that 1t was intended to further Mr.
numbering schemes by al ne" ~
YOU can about that BILL"
General w IT Mcmahon the Democratic chairman
., IN. committee then thought he would divert inc
lnoury into another channel "1s there any suseee.
lion that YOU can make in regard to this lnvestgaon
aYes.n answered Mr.. Erwin, with a dslneresoeo
air AT were you, would send for lot OF oanAi
contractors and make specific inquiry among them as
70 their contracts and would have them bring lheir
books and put expert accountants at work upon them
Learn for the people Of the State what has boon the
actual cost Of frightening the canal locks; learn
whether there are certain favored contractos learn
the cost Of doing the ordinary repairs upon the cana
The people arc highly curious upon all these points,
Your present plan OF summoning before you members
Of the Legislature and people whoshave no connection
with the Canal Department is silly one. You ough'
to turn your attention at once to making the nVesuss
ton a thorough one and II you WILL the people OF inc
state irrespective Of politics. viii thank YOU III you
do not they will denounce you for wasting their money
upon sham Investigation
The committee here concluded that they had had
enough testimony from Mr.. Erwin, and abruptly dis
missed him. But the next witness, George p.
smith, OF Tonawanda, was also "a PICKLE" he
gave highly interesting testimony regarding the grab
bling of state land within the blue line" OF the
canal by Matthew Scanon, the Democratic "boss' OF
Tonawanda under permit granted by Superintendent
Hannah OF the Department of Public WORKS MI
Smith also had the kindness TO inform the committee
minutely OF the particulars OF the employment OF the
law firm of Tabor, sheehan, Cuneen & Coatsworth, by
the village OF Tonawanda, at the dctation Of Scan
lon, and the payment TO that firm Of $1,000 Of the
towns money.
Mr. Smith said he knew the site Of Matthew Scan
Ions louor store which had been built over the
State ditch In North Tonawanda. There were public
sewers which emped into the ditch. A number Of
boat houses also had been constructed upon the
ditch near it's mouth There platform over the
ditch at Backers Hotel There was bar In the
hotel A man named Warner also had build
ing partly upon the State land and partly
upon private land. There Democratic
newspaper "The Tonawanda Herald" published in the
building. "No but Democrat" Mr.. Smith re-
marked would be permitted to remain upon the
State lands.'
Mr. Smith said he wrote to Senator Van Gorder, call
ing the later's attention to the fact that Matthew
scanlon had been permitted 10 erect building over
the State ditch He also said he had heard in
Tonawanda that Mr. Scanlon had received permission
to erect buildings upon the State ditch at all the street
crossings in Tonawanda. This was a common report
in Tonawanda Mr. Smith gave the committee the names
Of witnesses who, he said, would TESTIFY that super
ntendent Hannah and George Chambers disagreed as
to whether or not permit had been granted to Scan
lon. "Mr Hannah" said Mr.. Smith, denied that
he had granted permit to scanlon to build the build
ing A committee came down here to Albany and
Jaw Mr. Hannah and Speaker Sheehan about the
matter"
saw me J" interrupted Speaker sheehan. Who
said he saw me? l never saw the man.
Mr. Brownen and Mr.. Warren" answered MT.
Smith, said that they saw you, ana that Haan saiu
scanon was to have the permit If Sheehan said So
IaughterD The idea that Sheehan, scanlon and
Hannah were all linked together"
al seeo said Mr. Mcmahon, I" that you say In your
letter 10 Senator Van Gorder that Scanlon has been
ruling the Democratic politics Of Tonawanda and
that he has been fighting the waterworks company In
the Board of Trustees Of the village, and, further-
more has voted to pay large fees to the law nrm OF
Tabor sheehan & Cuneen of Buffalo. Is that true ~
at is true" answered Mr.. Smith. The village
| trustees paid the firm Of Tabor sheehan g. Cuneen
thousands of dollars The sum involved was 81 ,OOo
| ain what other way has Scanlon crossed your
PATH"
ave asked for permission to lay naturalgas mains
in Tonawanda. The application was referred to Scan
on as member of the Board OF Village Trustees, and
he never reported upon IT. We also put In an applca
ton for street railway franchise and that also was
| referred to scanlon, and he suppressed it."
| "Did you make these charges against Scanlon foi
putting a building upon the State ditch because Of
| these grievances Of yoursY"
| "No, SIR" answered Mr.. Smith, "because have
made money by his very refusal to permit US to put
| gas and water and streetrailway line into Tona
wanda The result OF that refusal is that NORTH
Tonawanda is growing rapidly, and am selling land
there at higher price, while Tonawanda itself is no
| growing"
"Have you any charges to make against Attorney
General Tabori"
| 81 have mott
Are you aware Of the fact that he has not been I