The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-18
Observation-Disclosures DELL
SAD SWAT AT HIM AND BOND BY
CANAL PRESS AGENTS.

"W1ld and H0n0Om Statemeht I"
Solemn Message 70 tho Legislature?
state Engineer Bond Not an En-.
..neer OF standing? - whom, Then.
Was the Governor Trying to Misiead'
A paragraph in the latest utterance OF
the canal propaganda says:
The statement is sometimes made that
there Is the highest degree OF probability
that the estimates OF cost OF construction
Of the l,Oo0-ton barge canal are too low. This
statement invariably emanates from men
who are not engineers. and who have had
no experience in the construction OF great
public works. but who make this wild and
random statement simply for the purpose
OF misleading others.
Invariably Do the sgners Of that
declaration insist that Gov Benjamin B.
Odell, Jr, Ill. D., utters wild and random
statementsf
The survey for the barge canal, the State
Engineers report and the maps Herewith
were fat volumes on the Governors desk
in the Executive chamber at Albany when
he penned the message to the Legislature
which both houses received 20 solemnly
on Jan. 7, 1908.
Then it was Gov. Odell, who afterward
made the Davis act law by his signature,
who composed this opinion:
This plan only contemplates the deepening
desire e that It should be. deepened to a H.
foot level, which would increase the cost TO-
Undertaking OF this char aoter ever was com
pieted within the engineers estimate. but
70 there sSou R b ss.o y
Of at least 20. per cent, more, which would
make probable ultimate cost for fonstrpe-
t9e Of f2c HSIoS should Be The
| interest OF the sinking fund.
Frank 8. Witherbee Of Port Henry Lake
champlain, who signed ,s the dc. document gunner,
knows better than any one else how and
why the canal advocates insisted on
deeper Champlain canal. which put the
| Governors estimate up to $25S 900, 1000:
statement for the purpose OF misleading
| others'2
But the document goes on to say:
| Such assertion. is entirely unsupported
by the opinion Of any engineer OF standing si,
s sonsa ,hesI any expert Option The mattss
or estimates Of the cost Of construction.
But the Governors calculations were
| all based on the figures Of Edward A. Bond
the State Engineer. who made the barge
the States security for the accuracy OF
the maps. plans and estimates. The barge
canal Is Bonds report. In transmitting
| 10 the Governor the volume, which makes
| l,o2o printed pages. Mr.. Bond said:
Sin: have the honor to transmit here
| with report on the Improvement OF the state
canal, as authorized by chapter All. laws
And in openil his report he said:
SIR: Having completed the surveys. plans
| and estimates for improving the Erie Cana
| the Champlain Canal and the Oswego Canal,
| as directed by chapter al OF the laws OF
| 1900. l have the honor to report a. loi-
| lows. &c.
When Gov. Odell discussed questions Of
| cost in his message he said under the
state Engineers estimate"
The canal argument insists that tho
assertion made BY the Governor Is un-
supported by -the opinion Of any engineer
| OF standing"
| adviser. the State Engineer?
| George Clinton Of Buffalo, whose name
appeas first among the signers Of this
very impolitic document. wrote to the Roose-
| welt Canal Commission saying he felt sure
| the people OF the State could not be In
| duced to consent to 30 large an expenditure
| as a barge canal would call for.
| In the same month the Chamber OF Com
merce OF New York adopted report from
| ts committee on internal trade and i'm
provements which said:
| The third proposition (the barge canal
| miami virtually contemplates the constru3,
| tion OF new canal. and We apprehend. VIII
| fail to command serious attention AZ the
| present time
The committee which signed that report
consisted Of A. Barton Hepburn, Francis