New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-12
CANAL INSPECTION.

II rock cutting prices were paid for mud cx-
cavaton in the enlargement Of the Erie Canal Il
IS not IN the least surprising that the taxpayers
are called upon To foot enormous bill for the
completion OF that Improvement The testi-
mony taken on Tuesday by the Canal Invest
eating Committee IS OF n kind which should
attract the attention even OF n community In
tent on the search for war news. II raises an
issue Of absolute corruption which cannot be
put aside by merely attacking the particular
witnesses who are the first 10 bring the matter
before the public but which must be met by
the Superintendent Of Public Works and the
State Engineer with convincing proof that The
contractors actually did In Kind and quality the
specific work for which they were paid. The
testimony Of inspectors and engineers that they
called earth rock and accepted ashes for gravel
u.s. of course not irrefutable proof, but II utterly
discredits official reports as to the character
OF the work and makes necessary independent
evidence and surveys to show what was actu-
ally done BY the contractors Mr.. Aldrdge and
Mr.. Adams cannot rest on official figures after
dlscredt IL thrown on the honesty Of these fig
urcs.
John G. Wait. an assistant engineer, testified
that he refused 70 classify earth as rock 10
please n superior, that he was threatened with
removal that he wrote to Mr.. Adams protest
ing that attempts were being made 10 have
false reports rendered. and that after that the
plan TO remove him was abandoned, but
leave Of absence" was granted TO him. so that
the work In question was no longer passed upon
by him David Lee. who succeeded Mr. Walt
as supervisor Of that work. testified that he
classified excavatod material. regardless Of his
own knowledge Of the facts, as he was directed
10 do by the resident engineer, who, Mr.. Wait
had protested 10 Mr.. Adams. WAS working In
the interest Of the contractor and urging that
earth be called rock. Robert VI. Walsh. an In
spcctor and Mr.. Wait both testified that ashes
had been used for slope filling where gravel
was required by the contract. The resident
engineer had instructed Mr.. Wait to allow this,
and when Mr. Walsh had told the contractors
that they must use the material specified in
their agreement they told him TO shut up or he
would lose his job He did not shut up and he
did lose his job
This testimony to system OF coercion exer-
cised by contractors over those who nre sup
posed TO watch them MS guardians Of the States
interest is the most serious feature Of the case.
Three men agree that their superior told them
to allow practices by which the State was de-
frauded Two who were not willing TO do this
were removed from supervision OF the work.
This arouses suspicion that only inspectors who
were amenabe 10 the contractors were per-
mitted to retain their places, and robs all re-
ports Of value as testimony 10 the honesty OF
the work. Beside the question Of tainted rec
ords that Of the actual money value Of the i'm
provement so far made and the cost OF finishing
it Is in q measure subordinate Before we talk
Of spending money we must he satisfied that
our machinery for spending is sound.