New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-27
THEDEADLOCK TO CONTINUE
ONLY THE TAX-RATE ELL TO BE PASSED.
SOME MORE REASONS WHY THAT CANAL IN
vEsuGATIoN SHOULD BE ORDERED
PEOPLE WHO USE STATE LANDS AND
ARE NOT COMPELLED TO PAY RENT
AWARDING OF CONTRACTS.
SRo, THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TnIyuyug


AWARDING OF CONTRACTS.
sHor THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TniSu1aa
Albany, April Ex-senator sloan said today: The
introduction by the Democrats on Friday OF the Dill
authorizing the Governor and Senate 10 appoint
commission TO investigate the administration OF the
states canals. In my opinion, strengthens the eASV
ing deadlock in the state Senate and renders II iess
likely that IL viii be broken before the hnal ADJOURN
mcnt of the Legislature upon Thursday OF this week
My for thinking so is that the Democrats VIII
now be OF the opinion that they have something 70
excuse their conduct TO the people In opposing the
adoption OF the Senate's resolution instructng the
Canal Committee to investigate the Canal Department
and therefore will prolong their resistance to the
adoption OF that resolution
1t would appear therefore that the Senate VIII
transact no business other than to debate the canal
Investigation resolution until it finally adiourns upon
Thursday at noon. Whether Governor I'LL VIII cau
a special session of the Legislature or not Is yet
undetermined. Some of the Democrats say ne VIII
not If the Legislature adopts State tax rate before
adjournng 1t is the purpose Of the Republican leaders
in the Senate to pass the state Tax Rate BILL ana tat
only, before aGjoarning.
Senator Sloan, visited Controller Wemple yesterday
to make arrangements with that officer for drawing up
the state Tax Rate bill. That measure viii not DO
passed. however, until the last halfhour OF the Legs
latures life on Thursday. The Senate Republicans VIII
push the canal investigation resolution up 10 that
moment and they will only admit the state Tax kate
bill because the means must be procured Tor support
ing the state Government. The state tlxrate should
be law as many bills appSopratinG money VIII iail 10
pass the Legislature, owing to the deadlock Mean
while the Senate Canal Committee are having ther
attention called to many matters relating to the cansi
administration which will merit their attention II tley
are empowered to make an investigator OF inc NdnA
| DEPARTMENT The encroachmeuts upon the stauS
lands within the "blue line" of the canals VIII receive
good deal of attention hom them If they take evl'
! tal man aOpm
las played a great part in these encroachmehtS'
Political favorites have received the privilege OF occu'
pying the State lands and of paying no rehal IN
return these favortes make contributions to the Demo-
cratic campaign fund 1t is no wondec that DaNid b.
hin the executive head OF the Democratic party In
this State doesn't wish any evidence taken upon
such a subject except by persons appointed by
himself In 1884 Senator Robinson, Republican,
demanded information from the Democratic eahai
officials as TO the number Of these encroachments ana
they stated in a report, that there were over looo
encroachments and that the persons who had acquired
| these valuable privileges only paid So4Ooo year.
The report also showed that railroads were occupying
over fifteen miles OF canal lands, for which they ought
to pay $2O154 in rentals; and that there were over
100 persons who had diverted water from the canals
for mills and manufactures for which they should pay
s34 3GO but were not paying dollar. Since los4 OF
course the encroachments upon the canals and the
diversion Of water from them have grown far greater
Last week Senator Van GOrder received from Tona-
wanda photographs OF the building erected within the
| blue Hnes there by Michael scanlon, local Demo-
cratic boss" 1t is substantial looking wooden bua-
ling two stories In height and is apparently about thirty
feet in mdth and eighty feet in depth. Mr. seahloh
Sels deeply hurt evidently, by the exposure Of his
invasion Of the states lands, and in newspaper inter-
view he has pointed out persons in Tonawanda VINO
are as guilty as himself. lie says:
As regards possible investigation by senate COM
mittee, 1 Will that 50 far as am COhcerneu ~
would be a pleasure 10 have IL come: now Is tne
best time TO to settle TINS ode a'er ss 70 who 81 Shall yet on
or of the State property If the committee OF inyes
SaGna 6Sgpea dfSdT 5v pr9a as 'G Rdda 2d OF
corporaton the following buildings, which at pres
of te are t6Whs, and Which, together with the docks
railroads, etc, are helping TO pay our axes wiz
Died by The Hcrsid' Office. and owned by a son of
Franklin Warren, the president Of th2 Notn Lona &
P. ". Scribuer, the plCtoEaph gallery neHt TO H.
Sycns & McIntyr5s wagon shops Edward T. Evans's
on Webster ST. and Armitsgc ifer,cheil Company's
machine shops on ONverst These are all in
North Tonawunda ON the South side thGre
is the building Owned by James sweeney. Of Buffalo.
next to the central Railroad bridge, between the long
and canal bridges two stores North Canalst, next
the IG % Kent pf3Sf 3 O qaf5 e 6f track oGgs soSs
the berme bank of the canal. from the s2llway 10
| the ferry also q dock built over the splllWay slip,
owned by p. W. scribner.
Commenting upon this statement, The Buffalo
Courier the leading Democratic newspaper Of western
New-York which has urged the Democratic Senator's
! to pass the canal Investigation resolution, says:
1t does not so much matter by what official these
free lea5ehods granted 'as 1t does TO ascertain
their present value and TO change the Tenure as to
bring into the State Treasury proper revenue from
them. There is no why the state should give
something for n1'hng Tho rs rneI S VGT oSc Ia andors
docs. Tonawanda is but one point ana ~ no means rs
long list Of occupants Of state property there prob
ably longer HstS may be found el-c"hen, ana Whei
ali the lists, from Troy to Lake Erie, have been put
| flp Stat
tenants. To have all these looked up and made 10
| holdings are worth might be a fine thing for the
canals-it might lessen the canal burden OF whlch
| the northern and southern ter counties complain
Another subject which the State Canal Committee
will investigate if II is empowered TO do 50, is ths
granting OF various canal contracts 1t certainly ap-
pears, in gancing report submitted TO the AS
! sembly a year ago by the superintendent OF Public
Works II certain contractors were successful TO an
extraordinary degree in obtaining contracts The re-
port made in response to resolution offered by
Assemblyman Fish, asking the superintendent of Pub
lie Works 70 state the bids ard awards 0f
contracts the Canal Department for the years 1sso
and 1889. Continually in this report the names OF
| tie same contractors are 10 be encountered. some
have great art in obtaining contracts for engthenng
canal bridges, Others for eXcavating, ard Others stl
for building lift bridges. The Hilton bridge Company
of Albany CT which EInathan sweet, formerly Demo
cratic state Engineer IS member, distances all coUi
peors in obtaining contracts for building bridges
| The firm Of Lane & BTimckamp, OF syracuse Ooui
members being Democrats. and Brumekamp the super
ntendent OF the state salt Works, has great success
! In obtaining dredging contracts. The contractors WHO
heightened the canal locks were astonishlngy near
each other In their bidding Indeed, one might reason
ably suspect that they parcelled out the locks WHICH
ere 70 be Ienzthened and made the bids necessary 10
divide the work as they had arranged 1t 20 be done
Whether the states canal locks were heightened at
the lowest possible price under sach system Of
collnsive bids If it existed. the senate Canal Com
ittee could determine. Below is superintendent Han
nans statement In relation to these canal lengthenins
! contracts:
July 81, 188s-Lenethenng Lock -, Erie Canal
| Deimcl AZ smell, uerKimer 3 i,2j4 20. William {.
IRotHa's Jordan, S2519- 50; costello, Magic a Co.,
EImiro, s24,356. Awarded 70 Co-tsiio. Nsgle q co.
who be IL Oh served, not the lowest blddersl
July 81, ls8o-Lengtheung Lock %, Efie Canal
a I'm