New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-24

amount of any one contract exceed the sum OF mve
hundred thousand dollars None OF the WORK ca ..
Engineer shall have ascertained with all practicable
accuracy the quantity Of embankment excava.ion,,
70 be used and oil other Items Of work to be placed
under contract. and statement thereof Win INC y,
those adopted by the Canal Board and file In the
Office Of the State Engineer Is publicly eanoi.en r 10
posai FOR such work. The quantities contained in
such statement shall De used in determining the
ais received and when the contracts for any such h
work are awarded every such statement. with sucn
maps plans and specifications and all other papers
relating to the work advertised and which are neces-
sary identify the plan and extent OF the wota a
embraced in such contracts. shall be filed IN the
Office of the State Engineer with the certificate OF
the state division resident engineer stating the
time and place of their exhibition. No alterations
shall DO made in such map plan or specification or
the plan OF any work under contract during IT'S
progress. except with the consent ana approVs OF
the Superintendent OF Public Works and the state
Engineer nor unless a description Of such alteration
ard such approval be in writing and signed oy tne
parties making the same. and copy thereof filed In
the office of the State Engineer No change OF plan
which shall increase the expense OF any such WORK
or create any claim against the State for damage
arising therefrom shall be made unless written
statement setting forth the objects Of the change
and the expense thereof. is submitted to the Canal
Board, and their assent thereto at meeting "heh
the State Engineer was present Is obtained.
STATE ENGINEERS RECOMMENDATION.
Speaking about this important bill In his an
nual report, maze PUBIC To-Day, state Engineer
Adams says
which should be changed In order that the work can
progress more rapidly than would be possible under
visions of Section I. which provides that each and
every to De AWARDED iha De wa
newspapers in each county OF this State In which
Of Kings and New-York" This seems to be alto
gether useless and expensive provision, for II
Involves advertising every piece OF work. however
all N "A lraS
State, and II will be found that the cost of such
advertising will be altogether out Of proportion to
the cost OF the work while the duration OF time
required for advertising VIII he found equally as
a number Of small structure that viii certainly
have 70 be repaired or remodoed in order to DO the
Jobs are so small that It should be possible for
TO advertise the same award the contracts and have
the work completed before the opening 81 navifa-
ton next spring. but 1t will be found impossible
to DO 50 II six wscks o. he intervening tine IL
wasted In advertising. In this age Of daily news
papers Ten DAYS, or two weeks at me outside. Is
ample dine in which TO advertise tbs work. and !
uTse mat the law be amended IN ing r.spsct anI
also thai the newspapers in which the work sha
be adVsFed IN aadon To- tne SV 81 me- spc
intcndent OF Public Works. Practically that puts
R bc ha OF M cN w0IS oGwe ae in HS
with al other puli. cork done by The STATE on the
fault has been found with former methods in this
line
AN OBJECTIONABLE PROVISION.
Another provision OF this Law which Is far moro
Objectionable than the features above mentioned.
and winch believe must be changed II the W).k
IS 10 be prosecuted in rational. economical and
husinessuhc manner. Is the latter part OF Sect Jon
which says: Each and every contract LEI as here
IN provided shall state the gross amount for which
the said contract Is 70 be performed, and all bids
Public Works for the performance OF any OF the
work herein described must state the gross amount
Upon S" WITH the bid or proposal is made adj ana no
extra chSrse VII be alioTel: eNcept in cases
where change has been made IN the original plans
end approved by the Canal Board or majority Of
Al frs, gancc this would secm 10 most pco1.e
- b" q reasonable lnl safe provision Tor great
an undertaking., bug on closer Investigation It will
be- found be decidedly impractic7tb,e. In II.
Of bridge culycr,. te-weir. other small
OF the locks. II might be possible 20 enumerate each
and every lite ,"rn that would ~ to make up the
our estimates u c'st would conform very COSBY =
tho Dds of the contractor But It must be borne in
pic,ci espcl!,oas,y. large portion OF the work
must be contracted FOR in long sections and II viii
pare me plans aai engineers estimates for one OF
these long sections OF work 80 closely that abs)-
ipi"ly no change would be- required. either in the
manner o' doing the work or In tho amour, OF the
same To prepare such plans and estimates would
take a very large AMI unwarrantel force OF men
many months and would cost a ridiculous sum OF
/ money.
PRACTICE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
For great many years the Canal law has directed
villa, thr practice OF this Department should be in
relation to these matters and believe such practice
has resulted .dvantageousiy to the State while At
the same time protecting tho Interests Of the con-
tractor and carefully guarding the performance Of
u" work the management or the finances for the
san" Why not adhere to methods which have
proved sati'faCtoryP
Undoubtedly there viii be numerous 9ppropr.a-
lions for the bet'"rmcnt OF the canals during the
time IN which tho Improvement contemplated under
tine law IN question IS progressing and they will be
done In accordance with the old laws. Would il not
b." better to have all these operations carried
uniform basis ana In accordance WIKI m" law that
has proved IN every way to hc worthy, equitable
I and adequate In general way there Is Atm r.
other reason for changing this feature OF tho law IN
question: and that IL. that there is probably not an
important piece OF public work under way In
this country that IL being done the plan outlined
by the law but In nearly. II not quite. every
Investigation will show that the estimates bids and
final estimates made and the work done sub
stantiay the same lines that have been In use by
this Department and that Of the Superintendent OF
Public Works for many years past. In conclusion.
wish TO add that II II rarely the that the pro-
posalA received 70 doing State work exceed the
Inmates OF this Department.
HER Uneasy CONSCIENCE.
From The Chicago Record.
Assistant Postmaster Hubbard was sitting In his
private Office when gaunt woman OF uncertain
shown In.
Il come to about IT," she said. she took
seat.
Yes madam; about WHAT
That letter"
Il guess / don't quite understand you" tho post
master observed. looking about uEessily 10 see II
there any chance Of the visitor having bomb
THAT letter OF BIZ Hunkinson's. you know. Dill
IIunknsol, OF beautiful Shore. Neb"
you will have to be more explicit madam. said
the official with his voice still laden with care and
! al prehrnsion.
''Oh I thought you'd remember that. sure. I'm
Mrs Marthy Walters, the postmistress OF Beautiful