New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-06

tina, it would be well to be conservative and eco
ncmical ,,.,- ,o,or, roco,od the communication
from the constitutional Convention?
was anything said about the amount all the
canal improvements were TO Cost?
II believe there Wa. and it was said that the
figures Anaiy used Some absurd estimates had
been made The condition OF the strMc luIe OF me
them without repairing them. ~ IS fact that at
this conference the argument vas made that the
than estimate, I'm order 10 secure its approval
by The convention and the people
"What commercial bodies were rcprescntodT
The bodcs represented answered Mr.; Adams;
were tho Chamber OF Commerce. he Board OF
charge. Of New-YoIk the Merchants Exchange.
and he T.umbermcn's Exchange Of Albany. II is
my recollection thar two or three members Of the
Canal Committee Of The Constitutional Convention
WEI present
HOW PREPARATIONS WERE MADE.
"When Ole YOU b,sin to make preparations for
this canal improvement work.
"A week after the election in 1896" answered
Nj. Adams. ard as frs; step called in the
that must knox the ac'uai physical condition
n rom n end TO- cnd Ne da4 the Erie canal into
ah2H: thirty scr.ions FOR ih'. work ,.o,so,.
and the Civii Servic- Commission'is IN regard to
the emp'oyment Of larger fore OF engineers.
appointed after competitive examinations.
Al Of Tie leading cmP.oycs "'Ig 4Ipont"G unqcr
ra, ss - eir scco 70 The Other end
The base line was tho controlling line - the sur
vey. The cross-sections were made each lo| feet
ing to the prism OF tho canal At the end Of each
measurement the elevation OF the surface was
al the three canals The location OF buildings
within the blue line was also 70 L. stated by the
vaIious poln's in the canal TO learn The amount
OF excavation which would Toe necessary The
plcted as to its major portion about May the
same year The SLOPE wall on the Champlain Canal
was IL a worse condition than those on tho Erie
SUMS PAID FOR ENGINEERING.
did Controller Roberts ask you to state in June
1886 VIVA, amounts had been paid for ensincerns?'
He did. and informed him that up to that time
sl2e 0o0 had been expended. The sun came directly
out OF the 100000 appropriation. Tire accounts
and vouchers are all in the Controllers office
respecting the engineering expenses. portion n,
the Erie Canal was deliberately divided into small
contracts in order to enable men ~ small means
10 @ d'iio,ato ottennt was mad to induce
those OF large means to take large contracts mat
80 "a Rrr,i Fs,in,a,es as 10 the cost Of tho
WORK cane 10 me from the district engineers The
division engineer fixed the price after conicien c-s
in my ofce wiz. the resident and divsio" engineers
and myself"
Mr. ADAMS ,hon explai9cd a; great lereth the
mH,mCa 81 ysr,cn norons Of the canal on mo
average 1t was estimated that II wof COSY :, c'iyS
ravate rock The estimates being made IN winter
when the ground frozen and c2yorcd WIZ
snow. were made on QUANTITIES whch ni6ih1 w.
needed OF various articles and not OF the tolai cost
When did YOU reach Your avon h, rais 30
Ing the banks and partly by doepening the canal,
II was made before we made tne , cliss or
villages We at once resolved TO deepen two ret
Bridges or any notifications Of buildings"
ESTIMATES MORE THAN 10000
when you got together all your estimates what
cid you learn?
We learned tina. tho cost of the Improvement
would be larger than the appropriation OF $'""""
do you carry in your mind when you reached
that conclusionY
(. would cost sl3coNcoo. without regard for en-
gineerng. advertising or Inspection
Did you have any communication with the
Superintendent OF Public Works on this subject OF
tho increased cost Of the canal work.?
Il DID. or August e. 1896. The Superintendent OF
puhlic Works and myself had held conferences be
fore his day. II became OBVIOUS !" us rom umo
70 time tnat the work was go.fs TO cost NOR 'han
s. 10000 and agreed together 10 devote inee
mon,y 20 this or tnat portion OF inc 'a"d's VIM"
NJ ADAMS then exhibited an estimate from me
Diyifio9 EnfnCe b1 2 and 81 Ai5rlce ,ha 10
work could not be done for <''."" Ihs c 'e &c
un also lad similar letters from TIC division eng
neers OF the otter divisions q the c"na' Mr,
AdA an. s sHs9c.r Of se Mddc Division Estimated
that the Improvements Of TINS d'''s'o" "'o"' "O"''
cost over 100000
MISTAKES IN ESTIMATES ADMITTED.
Mr. Adams stated that by December. lS''' MS eS-
inmates showed that the canal Improvement
work would 1T least cost the following amounts
Erie middle division. ,a73j,5l2. Erie w'tern n'V'-
sion So 81: Erie eastern division. Eso9"-' 'hafn-
plain Canal 81 2soO36; grand total. az No. a5
The Oswego Canal work estimate Is included IN
ina, for the middle division OF the Erie Canal Mr..
Adams Acknowledged that he had made n mis-
take" In some OF MS original estimates owing 70
lgck Of accurate Information. and SAID mat ~
eonr he Of what had occurred ne de-
cided on the policy Of concentrating the work or