New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-11
DEALS IN CANAL WORK.
BID REJECTED BECAUSE OF ALLEGED
POLITICAL QUARRELS.

POLICE COMMISSIONER CASEY MAKES STARTLING
REVELATIONS BEFORE THE CANAL CON-
MIssIoN-No DECISION By GOV
ERNoR BLACK.
ley TELEGRAPH rRIRuyg1
Rochester. n. Y. June 10-"Potics" according
10 ons witness before the Canal Commission to-day.
deprived him Of two canal contracts on which MS
firm was the lowest bidder. This testimony was
given by a Republican Police Commissioner or
Rochester. who further stated that State Engineer
Adams had admitted that politics was the cause
Of his losing the contracts An unbalanced bid. the
Police Commissioner said. was the pretext on
which one bid made had been cancelled He had
bid 81 a cubic yard on rock. This objection 1t was
pointed cut, was not made to the bid OF Grannis X
O'Conner who asked the high price OF s. cubic
yard on rock for a contract covering seventeen
miles OF the Erie Canal, and who VIII receive
SOB 900 for rock excavation when II was estimated
they would receive only 500. Thus the paipaoIy
unbalanced bid OF Grannis OConner was ac-
cepted while his bid which he declared was not
unbalanced. and under which the work would have
been done cheaper than 1t is being executed by an
other contractor. was rejected The same wilhesS
described an unsuccessful effort to induce MIN 10
make peace with the superintendent OF Pubic
Works they having differed on political matters
and the information given to him that he
would lose canal contracts 4 he kept on quarreling
The inspectors OF canal work living in Rochester
also gave testimony before the Canal Commission
to-day and the fact was disclosed that most OF
them lost their places under the city government
Of Rochester when the reform administration came
into office in January last, ard that they received
places as inspectors In the State Department OF
Public Works.
James D. Casey one Of the Police Commission OF
Rochester and a member Of the firm OF CHAMBERS
& Casey one Of the largest firms OF CONTRACTORS III
Western New-York was the first witness. He SAID
had ,ted
canal contracts and therefore he MADE oids lot
several contracts as soon as the canal Improvement
work was started. He only obtained one contract
on two others, although he was the lowest pidoer
he was deprived Of them. The contract he secured
was extending Lock q Of the Erie Canal his
firms contract bid s96 900. and they had re-
ceived sllsoco having constructed some extra YER
teal wall.
How many inspectors of the Department OF PUB
lie Works watched your work on this lock exten'
son?' Mr.. Blackmar ased.
six about all the time"
what six all the timer Well, they must have
thought the contractor needed watching. no"
many engineers did they have over your
There were nine Of them"
IAN extraordinary force How much ground did
this extension contract Govern
''Oniy about fifteen hundred feet
NOT GIVEN TO THE LOWEST BIDDER.
Did you bid on any other contracts3"
Yes sir; we bid on contracts Nos q and "A Of
the Erie Canal and contract No. So Of the Oswego
Canal We were the lowest bidder on contracts
Nos. q and 56. but tho contract was not AWARDED
TO us" Mr. Backmar read or the bids on corr
tract No Sc OF the Oswego Canal. and showed that
Mr. Casey was the lowest bidder, at s5o.oso Inc
other bidders bid respectively $50 ss5. $685. sS2O2o
and s63 80.
How long after you put in your bid ala you Rear
that you were the lowest bidder?' inquired Mr..
Blackmar.
we never heard ofrcialy that We were tho low
est bidder The Department Of Public Works
merely returned TO US our certified check under
stood from outside parties that We were not TO 70
ceve the contract Some six or seven weeks after
we bid F. C. Lauer. OF Rochester. said we were
not to have It. Alderman Englehard told me MI
! I.auer wanted TO see l went TO him. and he
said Jim. why don't you stop this Quarrel'nsY
said What quarrelllng?' Political ouarrelling.
he said; 1T means thousands OF dollars Of loss to
you and thousands OF dollars Of loss TO me- II you
don't quit you won't get contract No. g. SAID
then would do without II. He then said again he
wanted to stop the quarrelllns said did
not see Il that way; that II quit. people would
say | had been bought up for consideration.
Lauer told that he had had conversation
with George prior to his talk with me. Inferred
that the George referred to was George W. Aid
ridge the Superintendent OF Public Works. Lauer
said II you'll only let up and stop this. 1t Will DO
worth thousands Of dollars 10 both OF US
What did he mean by letting UP?
Il suppose he meant that ought to let up on
What dia you understand BY being worth thou
"Ail could take from i was that We could both
get some canal contracts, as he afterward re;
thar wo %h not S0g sot 10 IS e'" " " 'N
What hat Tepy dd yGp d,S no, 90, III. contract,
would i've without them. Mr. Casey said he
had never heard officially that contract on No
WAS no, your certified check returned TO your?
Not until three weeks ago
POLITICAL QUARREL THE CAUSE.
did you never hear any other reason assigned
why you did not get the contractT'
YES sir I was in Albany last winter and
called on state Engineer Adams IN his ONCE In
the Capitol had a long talk with him. and IN
the course OF IT. asked him right out what was
tho real cause said II was not not on account 6 o.
Wouldn't have got that contract II II was not
for the quarrelllng In politics. lie said. You
would have got that work; that was tho real
Mr, Bsckmar said, pla you , make any inquire:
one connected with his Department.
II did call the Superintendent Of Public
i was brought out that contract No. % was re
! A. Lodcr CO. the next lowest bidders on the
Ex-Alderman Englehard testified this afternoon
In regard TO the conference OF MT Casey and Mr..
T.auer.
They met" he said Just previous to the eau
It important that Mr.. Casey and Mr. Aldridge
be brought together.
did Mr. Lauer say that II Casey would make
peace with Mr. Aldridge. contract No. 36 would
be awarded 10 him. inquired Mr.. Blackmar.
! HE gave me TO understand" answered the wit
ness that It would be worth thousands OF dollars
10 MIR Casey / in politics at the time. and
he gave me TO understand that all opposition to
me as a candidate for Alderman would be with
drawn"
When Mr.. Casey declined to mako peace with
Mr. Adridge what did Lauer say7"
! ''fIe said Casey foolish"
Have you anything further to communicate
about canal matters here in Rochester,
| "Ony that Charles F. Miller who was around
lust before the late Republican primaries getting
/ I'm IN, on roIrent for George Aldridge was