New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-10
MONEY FOR CONTRACTORS
ExCAvATED ROCK GIVEN AWAY AND
AFTERWARD SOLD
WITNESS SAYS THAT THE STATE PRoF1TEp BY
THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF COMMISSION AP-
PARENrLy scEpTrcAL-MoRE VERTICAL
WALL. BUILT THAN WAS PLANNED

pARnyr1y scEPrrCAL-MoRE VERTICAL
WALL BUILT THAN WAS PLANNED.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSrl
Rochest,r " " June 9-The Canal Commission
beean TO gather the particulars to-day of the large
increase In the actual cost over the esuIh"'7u
cost OF Contract No Of the western DIVISION u
the Erie Canal. This contract covers worn W
be done upon the Erie Canal within the limits OF
tho city OF Buffalo The Donnelly Contracting COM
pany had the contract. and 80 dificult was us
task the canal bottom at that point not having
been disturbed In over forty years. that for ono
season OF navigation the canal-boas were smut OIL
from this portion OF the canal and entered II AZ
Black Rock after being towed through iuHa'o
Harbor. The State paid the cost OF TINS towing
Of boats State Engineer Adams estimated that
the cost Of doing the work on this contract woulu
be- S433 z25 The contractors bid s39s53. But al
ready $685. sss has been expended upon the contract
or s20S ia than the State Engineer estimated
that II woulds cost This increase has been que 10
large in the cost OF excavaiing eart ouulng
vertical walls and repairing old walls when tumpeo
into the nAl when the water was Withdraw" from
Tho Canal Commission seemed particularly bent
to-day on aacertaning why II that rock ex-
cavated from tho bottom Of the canal on tns CON-
tract had been given 70 the contractor his OK
PLANTATION that he compensated the state ny
providing storage places for the stone He further
State In rentals at least $4,000; whereas he was
able 10 get them at an expense OF 5000. The mem
bers Of the Commission, II clear from their
questions. thought the States ability to make a
good bargain for storage places for the rock eN-
cavnted had been moderated by the contractor Ahu
the State authorities and that he should not havo
received Atty thousand cubic yards Of stone. worth
at leas, forty cents cubic yard or $4,000 IN all
GOOD WITNESS FOR CONTRACTORS
James r. Donney. OF tho Donnelly Contracting
Company was the first witness He denied that
the operations OF his company In blasting hah
caused the falling OF some old canal wall. and It's
reinforcement by him az the States expense. Such
old wall as fell was on a quicksand. ana ne left
the Canal Commission to infer that the quicKsahd
perversely ran from beneath the old walls and top
pied them over into the canal. He had a speciai
agreement with the State authorities in regard to
tho places where excavated materials were 20
be stored. The State had som" such places ana M
leased other land FOR the purpose.
How much rock d'd you excavate7 asked MT.
Blacknar counsel Of the Canal Commission
1--WE excavated III. 90 cubic yards. saw the as
sistant engineer In charge Of the contract ana
claimed a certain portion OF excavated material to
be hard pan and he granted the request that 1t he
classed."
HOW THE STONE WAS SOLD
did you sell some OF the stone you TOOK OUT o'
the prism Of the canal?"
yes sir some OF Il in Dunkirk. some OF It 20 the
New York Central Railroad. and some OF II TO me
Buffalo Dredging Company Some OF the stone re-
mains on the spols bank: should think at least
fifty thousand cubic feet We sold some stone also
that we got At Jersey-st.. Buffalo
From whom did you get authority to sell THIS
Jersey-st. stone7'
From the superintendent Of Public WORKS
WAS this authority IN tho shape OF letter.
Yes. sir"
.Can We have that letter.
ives CTR. but should liko TO preserve tho orig
inal letter"
Il should think you would under the c'rcum-
stances" said Mr. Blackmar He then added
From whom did you get authority 20 sell the stone
from the prism OF the canalY
.'From the State Engineer. and the state author
,,,., think the operation Of selling the stone saved
than Ss0 900 because we leased a spells bank for tho
storage Of this material at various points II mo
State had hired spells banks II would have been
wears IN selling the stone. and meanwhile would
have had 10 pay rental for its lands We p@id
5000 year rental OF land ourselves We ha'e
had better facilities than the State as contractors
for the swr, disposal OF stone: In two years l
think shall have II All sold
M Bsck~AF 9en Sned ~ 81 @ sn s 10
and drainlngY' he said 10 Mr.. Donnelly;
YES answs5es Mr. %. Il; an1 wby To wa h moi
to take care OF all OF Lake Erie We had to build
several dams to keep out The water o,. ,o- a.
GLIDING cans-bosts from your portion Of tho canal
during one season OF naysaiion -. oor,n,.,. al
though had done more work than was REQUIRED
BY t our The ne n uaen we aha The suencnden
o, Public Works by which we were ron sense, s,
and avoiding the portion OF the canal upon winch
NJ x 9: s e fer ss tho S"a ANAL Tss
the rate OF 81 a day for an engine and men ,d,, -.
What wsrs you pad for the e, TEX co you so yara DE-
nvered That is rather low price but We were
anxious to get rd OF II IN order 10 save 'e"'"' OF
CAUSES OF INCREASED COST.
To what DO you attribute the increased cost Of
500 ia this contractY"
'I think It due TO An increase OF earth exca-
walton. TO extra crib work. TO bans and drawing
of water. TO extra vertical wall and TO some In
crease In rock excavation
"Did you ever hear OF the contractors meeting
work?'
no sir; never I'D" ...s
that state Eneineer adams rnado the arrangement
with Mr.. Donney by which the latter was au-
Of the canal and stored on his own land Superln-
tendsnt Aldrldge Of the Department Of Public
Works, the witness said, gave permit TO ne Don
nelly Contracting Company authorizing them TO
sell stone BOTH from the state spells bank ana their
Buffalo Mr. Nchcr also acknowledged that IN re-
e To for pr by the as
walton and as embankment Further, ne riaied
had already cost sl23.0o more than the estimates
Over hundred sewers eTnpticd into the canal al
Buffalo and navigation greatly impeded by the
deposits Of sewage matter. New vertical walls had
been built at Macedon and at Fairport beyond
State Engineer Adams's first plans.
Milton w. Wilbur. first assistant engineer Of tho
Western Division: testified that he formerly lived
at Fairport, tut he had no personal knowledge OF
tho great quantities Of rock that underlie the
country there and which Will lead 10 an expcndi
ture OF $1,000 for rock excavation. when the bid
ding sheets made mention OF only 100 cubic feet OF
rock mat to be excavated at cost OF only
800. He acknowledged thar an uncle Of his WAS
employed by Grannis e. O'COnnOr. the contractors
on this FairpOrt contract. ana could not remember
whether or not ne had suggested his employment to