New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-04
ESTIMATES MUCH TOO LOW.
rxORNOJJs SUMS NECESSARY TO COM
p1ETE THE WORK ON THE CANALS.

.ook further testimony to-day IN relation to canal
contracts The evidence to-day. as previously
shows that the cost OF the canal contracts Is
largely exceeding the estimates of State Engineer
Adams The increased cost of the work is largely
due to the discovery Of 'rock or hard pam ciaSsi-
fed as ROCK
the first witness. He said he had charge OF con-
tract No o. OF the Furnaceville Iron Company 1t
COMPRISED six and one-haf miles Of the Erie Canal.
near Albion. State Engineer Adams estimated
,ba, this work could be done for slli.iiO The con-
FACTORS bid was $4,000 Up to May ]. 1885, the
sum Of s7s.5l2 367 had been expended upon the
tract There must be expended. additionally, to
comulete It, the sum OF sl35,13+ IS. This would make
tho total cost Of the work 1914 1875 9j This was an
,ncrease over State Engineer Adams's estimate Of
EWaS95.
''Nha: the reason" asked Mr. Blackmar.
.for this Increase of the cost of the work 20 the
an,oun, Of $50 900? Was It rock?'
Eyes, SIR partly.
WAS any rock mentioned in the original esti-
mateT'
NO SIR
And therefore price was mentioned"
al see" said Mr.. Blackmar, that YOU have added
1900 cubic yards of riprap on the BERN bank at
cost Of $1,000 Under whose advice did you do
that
"of the resident engineer"
what was this rock?'
ut hard pan"
HON much OF this material had been excavated
up to March. when you first made your measure
ments?
About half"
cavation.
WHO superintendent the earth excavation"
ut was superintendent by c. F. Ford. the sub
contractor"
What, was this work suhlet?'
Yes sir; most OF It,"
who the sub-conractor for the stone
work."
The Arm of Degraff & Roberts"
who was Mr. Degraff?'
"He was a resident OF Albion"
"And Mr.. Roberts?"
"He is the State Controller"
William W. Waldo. secretary OF the Furnacevle
Iron Company. was asked about Degran & Rob
srs.
Mr.. Roberts, the State Controller is member Of
iae firm Of begralf & Roberts; what do you know
at is not firm; il is corporation. tho, Degran
BO0 sou k SHPSc@ onroS 0Hs at
y 90 not and until you m me lion it Just now
hi " Corporation ma" r pesfa is the only man
known of in connection With this corporation; w, We
build some vertical wall Tor US
us there any State official among your stock
holders"
"Iias any State official any interest in your CON-
Not the slightest"
>
"The stockholders L. II. Hartman. Of New
York: William ii. AverN. Edward NJ Parrot John
NJ PARROT and e. NJ. PARROTS wife. Of Rochester.
and William Hartman. Stuyvesant Fish and Il.
Fulton Cutting. Of NewYork Mr.. Hartman Is
the chief stakeholder
one OF the Canal Commission said that the ex-
PLANTATION in regard to Mr. Roberts being stock
holder merely In the Degran & Roberts Company
was perfectly satisfactory. Another said that II
was difficult matter for business man not TO
be a stockhoder in some concern.
u. u Waldo. an assistant engineer. TESTIFIED That
he had charge of Section s. which embraces a con-
tract extending for eight miles along the Erie Canal
near Medina. The contract was awarded to the
OF $50 ST. 81 had been erended upon the contract
UP TO May, 1898 There must be expended s2s).6ls 20
additional 10 complete It. This viii make its total
cost 81 80 10. sl73Sj 45 than the contract
price state Engineer Adams estimated there
would he 1000 cubic yards OF rock on this con-
tract which, 81 ~ yard the contractors price.
would have cost Sl4 600. Already 2OcO cubic yards
have been taken out. and 740I0 cubic yards remain
10 be excavated. The cost of removing this Will be
sls2 o0l-an increase OF sllscO over the engineer
estimate. ,- 1870
testimony about contract No T. OF Baker & Banker.
FOR Improving the Erie Canal for a distance or SIX
miles between Medina and Middeport: state En-
glDeer Adams estimated the cost OF this WORK
would be ses 100 UD TO May !. 1895, the sum OF
81 go had been expended. and s24O9 must be eX,
pended additionally complete IT, ms Wouiu
bring Ilp It's total cost to s5i3l9
dispatch from Buffalo to- night states mat t0'-
troller Roberts is not stockhoder In me DeeraH ~
Roberts Company ana has no pecunisry interest
direct or Indirect in its canal-work contracts