New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-10
JANUARY 10. 1S9S.-TWELVE PAGES.
DEMAND FOR MORE LIGHT.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CANAL con-
TRACTS NEEDED.

CONTROLLER ROBERTS THINKS COMMISSION OF
PROMINENT MEN SHOULD CONDUCT THE
.INoUIRY-coNTRACrs GIVEN OUT
SINCE LAST AUGUST.
AIhanv. Jan. CSpccia D-James A. Roberts.
| the State Controller arrived here from Hufaio
last evening after few days absence 1t was
while he was In Buffalo that his letter appeared
addressed to George w. Adridge. Superintendent
! OF Public Works. suggesting that S3.21O'oVo OF
/ canal contracts be suspended pending an IN
vestigation as TO the probable cost OF compiet-
! ing the cnlarremen; Of the Erie, Oswego and
/ Champlaln canals. Originally estimated a'
/ $4,000 900. the improvement now. in the opinion
! Of State Engineer Adams. will cost SlooooV".
Mr. Roberts stn believes the canal contracts
should be suspended and an investigation made
and the taxpayers consulted as to whether or
not they are desirous that 900 shall be
/ expended in this way Public opinion. as ex-
| pressed by those interested in the canal COM
merce Of Buffalo sustans Mr. Roberts In his
policy, believing that such a course OF deailhe
with the present unfortunate situation VIII IN
/ the end be in their interest. George CLINTON
grandson Of Dewitt Clinton, the leading spirit
in the creation Of the present system or state
canals and himself on authority transporta-
ton problems has said within a few days that
! Mr Roberts's police ought TO be adopted
CANAL BOARD TO MEET THIS WEEK.
! 1t Is probable that the Canal Board will meet
this week to consider Mr.. Robertss suggestion.
| Although Mr. Aldridge. the Superintendent OF
/ Public Works is the only officer Of the State
/ who has the legal authority to suspend the con-
| tracts, yet II the other members OF the Canai
| Board. Lieutenant-Gove Woodruff. Secre-
tary Of State Palmer, Attorney-General Han
Ctata L"f10 1sa
Adams should support Mr.. Roberts, Il would
! doubtless have great weight with Mr.. AdrldSe'
Besides, Mr. Roberts has put the Canal Board
in a more favorable situation for suspending
the canal contracts by stopping the sale Of So
100000 worth Of canal bonds. only S6,I'OOOo
/ worth have been sold by him thus far
Governor Black has said that not cent ought
10 be spent on the canal improvement beyond
/ the SoOOO.OO0 already authorized. unless such
| an expenditure receives the peoples sanction
which. CT course means a vote at the polls on
/ the proposition. In order that the people may
/ vote intelligently there must first be an inves-
/ tigation as to the plans Of the state Engineer
for the canal enlargement. and the manner OF
/ their execution by the superintendent OF Public
Works.
NOT JOB FOR LEGISLATORS
There has been some talk Of an investigation
by the Legis,ature. but the members Of the
Senate ard the Assembly are busy men as well
as intense partisans. aad the objection has been
made that they would not make thorough in
spectlon Of the canal work thus far done nor
a report on the probable cost Of the canal work
which would be trusted by the people. Con
troller Roberts said today that he thought
canal commission. composed Of citizens OF high
/ character. in whom the taxpayers and trans
portatIon interests would have confidence. ought
TO be named by the Governor and the Leglsat-
ure and charged with the duty Of learning
whether or not the canal Improvement has been
extravagantly conducted. and whether the work
can certainly be accomplished for SI,OOO'HD ad-
dtionaI He doubted II such commission
could complete It's inquiry in time for the sub
mission Of the question to the people at the
November election this year. but it could he
acted on in November, 1890, when there would
be no general State election and no other
proposition to distract the attention of voters.
ALDRIDGE AND ADAMS BLAMED.
There is a good deal of criticism expressed by
many persons interested in the prosperity Of
the canals because there concealment by
the State Engineer and the Superintendent OF
Public Works OF the fact that more than
50 10000 would be required until contracts had
been made exhaustng every dollar OF this large
sum- Frank dealing with tne voters ana TAX
payers would have been far better. In their
Judgment Moreover. II the other members OF
the Canal Board had known that SI,OOOooO more
would be required, they might have decided TO
concentrate all Of the S9,0OOG00 on the Erie
Canal Mr.. Adams's latest statement says that
S11.O3l1o5 must be spent in the Improvement
~ the Erie Canal and that does not take into
account that canals share CT the engineering
oxrarees which amounted 10 S5l2,OOD In
stead Of putting all the S900oOOO on the Erie
/ conal the money was scattered over all three
/ canals and thus not one OF them has us I'M
provcment completed. and S'VOoOoo Is declared
necessary to finish the work
some taxpayers say that 1t looks TO them as
1, ,hn near approach Of the completion Of the
ctata CapItol with its annual million Of outgo,
had inspired somebody TO invent another big
/ ioh with millions for contracts ana that now
iila the Capitol the canal scheme must De
carried on TO the end or the millions already
/ spent will be lost
WHEN ALDRIDGE SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN
Contracts amounting TO nearly S4OOoOOO were
given ont in the latter part Of 1897. when 1t was
! ,o,,, 70 the State Engineer and the Supern-
,o,a.rt ~ Public Works that ii would take
s,c ooo oOO 70 finish the canal work. That was
- .,,,e for Superintendent Adridge TO have
onued together his fellow-members OF the Sanal
Ia apd disclosed the facts 10 them ana the
DIT Instead Of doing so, he let the contracts.
PS bore is list Of them, all or Whlch were
an ,arded after August 10 1897:
m