New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-22
DAMAGE SUITS IN VIEW.
PROPOSAL TO PUT ANOTHER BIG FUND
IN ALDRIDGE's HANDS.
ATTORNEY Y-GENERAL HANCOCK THINKS THE
TOTAL MAY REACH $4,000
PLANS FOR THE CANAL INvEsT1oA-
TIoN-RoBERTs WILL SELL
CANAL BONDS.


Albany, Jan 81 (SpecaD.-There is a strong In
dicaton in a bill presented to the Assembly to-
day that Attorney General Hancock may be
right in his estimate that damage suits brought
against the State as a result of the enlargement
of the canals will take S40O000O beyond the
S16.0O0000 demanded for the work itself out OF
the State Treasury. and that such damage suits
Will continue for forty years after the project
is completed The bill In question was intro
duced by Assemblyman Paris Of Washington
County. 1t amends the Caral Improvement act
as follows:
Claims for damages by reason OF any such ap-
propriation or by reason of any other appropria-
lion of or damage or injury to private property
incurred or occasioned in widening. Strengthening
or otherwise improving. enlarging or repairing tno
an2 may % be PuS Works snf h e thereof
can be agreed upon with the owners OF the lahae
81 such amo,int sRai not be paid out of the treasury
unless the Canal Board shall approve thereof
DEMOCRATIC DEMANDS.
Mr. Cantor Democratic leader OF the Senate.
and Mr.. Donnelly. Democratic leader In the As
sembly. had a conference this morning in regard
to the Democratic attitude toward the canal IN
vestlgation. They are in entire accord In regard
to the proposed investigation. and Will insist
upon the demands made by Senator Cantor IN
the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. After
the conference Senator Cantor said that ne
would prepare bill embracing the suggestions
offered TO the Finance Committee, ana tha' II
would be submitted TO Mr. Donnelly and then
introduced in both houses II the Repupicah
Senators should fail to adopt his suggestions
The bill will provide that the Canal lnvesu-
eating Commission shall consist OF five mem
hers instead Of seven, as provided in Governor
Blacks bill reported by the Assembly ways ana
Means Committee Mr. Cantor thinks the larger
Comnoission would be cumbersome and less er-
ncient than a smaller one. Instead OF an appro-
nriation of $4,000 his bill will provide per
diem, compensation for the Commissioners aswas
done in the Tilden investigation. 1t Will provide
mower for a thorough investigation. comforting
on the Commission all the authority Oh d coui'
to compel the attendance of witnesses anu the
production of documentary evidence. Inc Coin-
mission will be ordered to present It's report u
the LEGISLATURE before the final adjournment
and this report must be made public at once
- further time is then required 1t can be given
by the Legislature.
NAMING THE INVESTIGATORS.
The hill will also name the five Commissioners
10 make the investigation. Senator cantor says
that this provision will be earnestly ihsis'eu
upon as the only just method to all cohcerheu'
He thinks the Commission should be namen py
tho Tecislature and It would be rather emDar-
rassina to ask either the Speaker Of the AS
sen,hlv or the Lieutenant Governor to name
Commission to investigate their own acts as
members OF the Canal Board charged with the
responsibility for the improvement. Therefore,
he concludes. the only proper way VIII oe ~
name the Commissioners in the DILL
The Senate Finance Committee has agreed 70
consider the matter next Tuesday. and II IS
probable that If some action Is NOT taken tleh
along the lines suggested by Senator Cantor ne
will Immediately present his bill to the Senate
The Ways and Means Committee or the As-
serlbly having already reported a bill, Mr. Don
nelly may Introduce his measure in the Assem-
blv on Monday night, though Mr. Cantor Is or
the opinion that the Assembly VIII adopt the
amendments outlined above. The Democrats OF
the Assembly to meet In caucus on cahai
matters Monday evening.
BONDS TO BE SOLD ON FEBRUARY 49,
Controller James A. Roberts to-day announced
that tomorrow he would advertise the sale or
So go 900 worth OF canal Improvement bonds at
noon on February IS. These are the bonds
which were 10 have been sold on January o,
but which sale was postponed indefinitely oe-
cause Of a technical error in advertising It, ana
for the reason that the Controller considered II
unwise TO raise any more money for canal I'M
provement until 1t should be learned whether the
people were willing 10 spend SlOoOhoO on the
work State superintendent Of Public WORKS
George w. Aldridge refused to suspend opera
tions and so the Controller announced that the
sale would positively take place on February II.
The following inspectors OF canal improve
ment work were appointed to-day by Superin-
tcndent Aldridge: Thomas w McMorrow'
Thomas Baker NJ J. Shcehan. w IL. Dewitt
G y Ross and +. w. Brstow. Of Rochester, j.
n Shaerer of Syracuse; @. w. Robinson, of
I'tica. and Calvin Link, OF Rome.
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