New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-11
A CdNdL TEN.

The Canal Commission. having on the STAND
tho other day the contractor for large amount
of work within the limits Of the city Of Buffalo.
disclosed a keen and becoming interest In the
arrangement by which he received Tree GIT
OF some 10000 cubic yards Of stone, worth ABOUT
$4,000 excavated from the bottom OF the canal
in the process OF Improvement 1t hnd EVIL
IDENTIFY occurred to the Commissioners thar these
valuable nuggets belonging to the state might
have been sold for the benefit OF the state IN
stead Of being presented TO the contractor IN
one Of the incidental emolnments OF his 1oo' ana
their counsel accordingly directed several per
t,nent inquiries to this point. 1t should DE saio
Mt once that he ascertained without the slight
est difficulty by whose authority the contractor
had possessed himself OF the stone. HIS bene~
factor was the Superintendent Of Public " orKs'
as he was prepared TO prove by means OF
letter from that functionary. can we nave
that letter." asked Mr.. Blackmar. Yes. sir.
replied the contractor. but should Ike TO pre-
serve the original" Il should think you would
under the circumstances. remarked MT. Black
mar: and so that particular incident was closed
presumably 10 the satisfaction OF the con-
tractor and tho illumination OF the Commission
Other questions relating 10 the gift and sale
OF stone were answered with equal promptness.
Thus the contractor desired the Commission TO
understand that the State made An excellent
bargain when he consented TO accept the stone
md take care OF II until he could effect sale.
Inasmuch as he had facilities for storing ana
disposing OF II, whereas the state would nave
found II an awkward and expensive thing to
handle. and II It had ever succeeded In selling
u would have got the worst OF the bargain as
a matter OF course. To he sure. The most
natural thing In the world. Poor old state!
T, was bound TO come ont second best In the
end in strict conformity TO all the prccedents.
II contains six or seven million energetic ana
thrifty people, who contrlve To manage their
private affairs exceedingly WELL but how alb
surd il would be to expect that the men who
are deputed TO manage their public affairs
should possess the capacity or take the trouble
To do a good stroke OF business on their &C
count or course n contractor can make money
by selling 10000 cubic yards OF stone which
he was paid for digging out OF the canal hut
equally. OF course. the officials chosen TO direct
an undertaking costing from s9.oOO0oO TO So
100000 coud not begin 10 compete with MIN.
The best they could do was TO avoid heavy
loss by inducing the contractor 10 take material
worth $4,000 10 him off their hands
Such at least Is the opinion OF the contractor,
and doubtless the Superintendent Of Public
Works and all his admirers, Including the men
who having been turned out or the municipal
Offices in Buffalo. were promptly set to work
as canal inspectors at 81 day. VIII insist that
the contractor takes just the right view or IT,
But we shouldn't be surprised If considerable
number OF the energetic and thrifty people who
manage their private Affairs exceedingly well ar
rived at a radically different conclusion respect
ing this particular transaction and the whole
operation Of which II appears to be character
istlc detail.