New-York tribune., 1898-01-11
ALDRIDGE WILL NOT STOP.
Continued from First Page.

the, Champlain and osweso canals" This dd
and with ali the power at the hands Of the Depart
ment Of Public Works not sworn to &C com, m
placed at my disposal. | am sworn to direct the
completion Of the work on certain lines, subjec,
ching Of the Erie Canal i' to nine feet and the
rscd rho na nS. are no Of my own cSoos
ing: / could not alter them il would, j am, not
to exs fSr The aT ans fo or Ssd
eSmpsi,on on the part Of contractors have
That That the 10000 at my disposal will no, com
me woTk on the he nss markfa mar out py 'no
earnest study OF the needs of the canals. regret
qon as amy sh man c@ b sT r ION
OF the work already accomplished by such COM
may be delegated. either bv state authority or by
authority OF the commercial bodies OF the state
nenditure thus far made and contracted for, and
Improvement.
MR.. ROBERTs's SOURCES OF INFORMATION.
now come to your covert suggestion that you
have been purposely otherwise. misled or de-
ceived into approving action OF the Canal Board,
which you would not have approved had sou
not been misled or deceived. l am iRnoran; OF any
act or word my part, the part Of the
State Engineer. that would bear out your inter
pretaii92G Of what has taken place either within
Fomsc eG 'hs Csna Board sTGn n an
tenuation of his acts. bui certainly not by the
SRft Yofk ds0urSns officer of the great State of New"
All Canal Board meetings take place in the Office
ant-Governor and Secreary Of state tho Con.
troer has been been tie presiding officer The score @
troers office. Such attache is the custodian OF
Surely nT %s "ch n nos af at at hand Sind
not TO call to mind the weIl-worn Biblical quota
As chief dlsbursng officer Of the State Of New
York the Controller. even though he were not
Sisn; data Of ne m9s TgaRls sort 50 that he hs
Controllers
sumably they are INSPECTED by such officer; All
traorinary expenditures either attaching to such
contracts or incidental to TIE work OF me Dc
passed upon by the Controller Surely these things
the chief disbursing officer should be misled or
that YOU had recourse to the Same and did take
course the same. would point to the fact that
the Canal Board IN newspapers that have souSt
to make pafX caa'& M & 9T[ 9t & o 81 unon he
lated in ana ernanaed from the Contro!iers ofhce.
WHAT NINE MILLION DOLLARS WILL DO.
As regards your suggestion that the work he
suspended in order that in additional ap-
preparation shall not be voted the sum OF s3Socoo
may be saved to the taxpayers. desire to say that
the suggestion carries with II an echo Of the
claims put forth by persons. II not irresponsible at
the work thus far done mas been Of no avail, ana
that the work contracted for will nave been done
be granted. yr As member Of the Canal Board you
at least ought to be aware OF the fal'iiy Of sncA
a claim. When the pending contracts Shal hatr
been completed the canals for wo-ihirds Of ther
length will have been improved In a,'ordsnce VIII M
the directions accompanying the appropriation ana
in accordance with the wishes of tAe comnercIa!
plans and specifications prepared by tho STATE En-
cinecr and approved by the Canal board SuIeN
this is something. Though he claim which you
SET forth taai with the 10000 expended no larger
boat could use the canals than now. were CON-
ceded surely 10 will claim that the chances for
cticc
not been furthcred by lifting ihc Erie ana @ Ior
the whole Of ts length, lacking ninety niles. rom
a condition bordering on one OF torced aoamGot, ana n
the clear improved towpathS. new walls ana i'i'-
proved structures. - J.,
cline to accept your suggestion Not ONLY We ~puni q
such action seriously jeopdrdze the commercial IN
transportation charges by other routes oe'is e. so
increased In single year r. more tnah on bo
eanals thus working a great hardship 10 thc peo- @
pie of the State by increasnS ne coz o te ,b7n
whch they may prodaSiy dispose o. 'he things
And fnaily. should feel that had violated my
oath of office if adoptSd y2T " uSfDRipE
""' sunerntendent OF Public Works
A TALK WITH MIR. ROBERTS.
Controller Roberts. when seen al his home this
evening. said he had received superintendent
Hdr,dqe,s communication and although he had
read it. he had not given it careful consideration.
..1, is a fact however, he added. that what
a
ever ought to have known, did not kno" tha'
the expense Of the canal improvements was 10
exceed the S900u0OO Appropriation until De
cember l. ! should he sure that il was piece
of stupidity on my part had not me Attorhe!
General been equally misled. The statement
had been made in the Canal Board on several
occasions IN Mr. Aldridge's presence without any
denial or qualification on his part that the worK
was being planned and contracted for on the
basis Of completing the improvements Tor the
50 COO 600 AS late last June the statement
was made that the Erie Canal would be com
nleted and the OswegO and Champaln canais
Substantially completed for the S9,On'WD.
Mr. Aldridge criticises the fact that lntorma-
tion with reference to the condition OF the canal
affairs has been obtained from my Office. nave
alwavs felt that the Office was public one. ana
that any citizen, even newspaper man was
entitled TO such information as was thcre
have not however prepared a statement Tor any
one II seems to surprise Mr.. Adrl1sc that a
public officer should have nothing to conceal
ALDRiDGE SAYS HE COURTS INQUIRY
Superintendent Aldridge was asked to-day
what he thought would be the result OF the
passage Of a resolution by the Chamber OF COM
merce OF New-Yo~k City. authorizing a commit
toe of that body 20 investigate the canal work
He replied that he believed sucn an investigation
would be honest. practical and free from an
nartisanship inasmuch as II would be IN tne
barde of exnerjenced business men. II II were
conducted his Department would oifer every
facility for a complete and thorough inquiry.
1.-THE FENCING NASTER.'