New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-06
STATECANAL AND ROAD WOhh
EX-sTATE ENGINEER ADAMs's REPORT
FOR LAST YEAR.
HE COMPLAINS THAT HE HAS TOO MANY SO"
DFNs TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
MlsTAKEs-GOoD ROADS

BUILT
Albany March (speciaD-Campoeh w Au"''r ~,
former State Engineer will submit MS 'epo' ,0os
the work Of HIS Department for the !'"'
through State Engineer Bond' 10 No
tomorrow night. .o
Mr. Adams does not add much to what mas hei'
tofore been published concerning canal improve
rnont work under the 100000 appropriations
contains the statement made by Mr.. ADAMS ~ M
Governor after the report of the lnvesVsa'i'e
Commission was published. and also the estimates
Gov cor,rloting the unfinished canal contracts 'he
same as were recently submitted to the Se""'e =!
he presen, State officers Mr. Adams asserts '""'
The five years covered by HIS two terms nave WI
messed the execution OF more work by the S'"o
Eneineer's Department than any other nVe Se".s
~ It's prevtous history. He shows thai vast
amount Of work is required OF the STATE Eilei'
aside from that relating TO the canals ms . -
connection with the work Of the board Vl ii'""',
the Forest Preserve Board. the State Lana boaiu
the Quarantine Commission, the former Oap',o'
Commission and surveys OF the State oyster JANUS
the Topographic Survey and the fixing OF the Slate
boundary lines From the sales Of the state Janus
made by him during the last year the S'a'e nus "
ceived S22637 g. -
nuring his term the boundary lines between
PENNSYLVANIA. New-Jersey and Massachusetts nave
for the first time been carefully surveyed mappeu
and monumented. During the last year 'he o'"'e
Engineer Department has also had iuli chatso u
an work done under the State Aid Coca hoaus
law. The report says
Tho duties connected with the foregoing work 40
not by any means cover all mat must be done a Ps
the state Engineer such OF tngse and commits
sions az which he is member sXoiIlicI, nv, Trntv
dooc by him individually. even his single GePuc6
being declared by law from actlns i0I hs h he has
matters Yet in addition 10 these puiSeilS o,maI
SSJee ygj,h the Superintendent OF Public Works in
the execution of the canal & pn mo to,a
sum available but which has su1iced FOR the cons as
pleton of only 200 OF the i54 miles WhlcH ~ H1t
1-cd
Some mistakes we're made in the plans, estinateS
b ana c5aySed With the investigation
far nade should have conceived II 70 ne Liieil ~
49,. ~ Tye;treer had Otherwise to perform and hold
MIN singly and personally responsive en- , 81
criminal extent for every error either OF onSsior
or commission whether committea 10y nlaSF n eI
his assistants. TIE latter OF Who'h O0i'"i" SP'
Cifc duties are devolved by law.
Nv Adams reneys his recommendations that the
work should be completed and that the scope OF
ne plan should be enlarged so as 10 provide ior
nine feet q water throughout the Erie ana os"eSo
canals instead Of only between structures ana
that the present lock gates should be chahse" 80
os n oormit the locks 10 accommodate Doa's 10
fee, long instead Of s. feet, as at present lh'se
changes would make il possible for boats 10 carry
cargoes 81 Per cent greater than at present "hne
tho total increase under the presen; Scoop ol "'e
iror~oyerncr, only permits an increase Of - per
cent in paying cargo. This great adn'toha' ga"
coild he made at a cost Of less than NtJh"0 il IL
be assumed that the mechanical locks are 10 De
bult as proposed IL Cohces and LockIoFI Inc
report also urges that all restrictions Oh 'n7
Capitalization Of COMPANIES doing business on me
canals should be removed. and that every iac4htF
sbo,,l6 lie afforded for the organization and opera
ton # cotnl auics thoroughly equipped with money
brains and determination 20 10 The business that
should propeTly seek ouc route 10 the seabcard IN
thoroughly up-to-date manner.
GOOD ROADS.
The report covers the operations under the Good
% lar NJ
AIRY ! at which tine cghty-slX petitions had been
received divided between the counties as follows:
Chelnung ?: Clinton. ;; Columbia. /; Erie I; Her
kimer /: Monroe. IS; Montgomery, j. Oneida .;
Onordaea .: Orange. 5, Orleans, /; Rensselaer, .;
Rockland Il: Schenectady. 5: Ulster. /; Saratoga
3. Wostchcstcr !. Albany. !; Delaware 2 ana 81
Lawrence. l.
These cover an aggregate distance Of about four
hundred and nifty miles Chapter Goa Laws OF
1885 appropriated $4,000 for this work representing
the States half Of the cost MI Adams says:
The roads peuaoned for would cost probably Id y
Zen ,nroesi le under The circumstances. to appoT,
ton the first years work win any gLea1 nesreg n az
only a small amour, Of work could he done, , me
near the larger centres OF population 50 as to nave
them form object-l essons 20 as ist I'ii;;i.s5
Of people possible Morc9ver II " IS pei5t "a
that these sections were entitled 10 iISt @
ne ~ a6fi,ion TO tie work tia. has been placed
Under CONTRACT surveys have been made I9r a
Onondaga Montgomery Erie and Monroe counties
Many Of the resulting plans are practically ready
for the final action Of the various boards Of super
yjsors The law provides that contracts for these
roads must be awarded in the order in which the
final petitions are received by the State Engineer
from the supervisors so all improved ROADS are &c
be numbered consecutively.
Road No ! covers miles Of the Troy and
Schenectady Turnpike. eastery from the city Oh
Schenectady. and the work will cost $3.50 RoaC
No extends from Buffalo soltherly TO the village
of Hamburg a distance Of 654 miles and viii cos
S2475O. which is about $4,000 less than the en-
Rineer's estimate. Road No. 8 covers 225 miles tC
the River Road from Deerhed Corners easterly il
Oneida County 10 the HeTkimer County line. an'
will cost 49, SCs which is aboI; 50 100 less than th'
engineers estimate. Road No. IS in COlumbi'
County. and extends from the Massachusetts linz
10 miles westerly through the Shaker community
toward Ncw-Lebanon. This road is on an enirei!
new route and will connect with Massa chusetu
State road leading over Lebanon Mountain to Pitts
field Mass This work Will $500 $G75 les
than the engineers estimate Road No . is a con
tnuation OF East-ave Rochester. and Is 2.i5 mile
long This work is now being readveriisod. Al
contracts thus far made have been the lump
sum basis. as 10 avoid variations Of cost as IA
possible.
The above figures 90 not include the Of Ell
cheering and advertising 4 neat balance remain
out OF the funds available for this work. but no
a sufficient sum 10 Justify the awarding Of furthe
contracts un'u adoNoLti app Jl'idllcn are lnaU'
The season was necessarily somewhat advance
before any Of this work could be started. and IN
subsequent continued Indictment weather has rer
dered II Impossible to complete any OF The work
Roads Nos /. and I about half-hnishe,
Road No 2 is about one-hfth finished. The repor
says:
The placing Of this entire work. Including the &C
sertising ard awarding of contracts in the chare
OF this Department; was quite radical departuI
from recent precedent, az least FAR Sta
work il copcerned but believe * was the propl
course and wish 20 lay especial emphasis on n
fact that the general supervision OF all the wOr
thus far done. including clerical work required
his Office mas not cost the State an extra penn,
A number Of general recomn anda lions are mad