The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-19
PADDED CANAL PAYROLLS.
arRTON HARRISON STIRS UP A
SARATOGA MEETING.
Tells Of Men Whose Only Duties Were to
Draw Pay and Aid Odeil's Machine
plain Talk About Littauer From His
Observation-Disclosures for Herrick.

Plain TAX ABOUT 1itttutT FFoIh HIS
Observation-Disclosures for Herrick.
a.nATodA, Oct. 1s-The off-season sleep
Of Saratoga was thrown of for a grand
wbrl of political fervor tonight when
the anti Odell- Littauer- Bracket sentiment
blazed up at Congressman Francis Burton
Harrson's meeting here.
The Citizens candidate for Lieutenant
Governor took the lid of of newly dis
covered canal scandal in Lewis county.
We described the process OF stihening
tho Odell machine as 1t Is practised in that
county. by the simple process OF paying a
squad of Odell heelers some 5000 year OF
the States money, charged against the
canal payrolls
Mr. Harrison held this bit of petty larceny
graft up as typical Of a state of affairs which
good citizens might justly believe existed
in every county Of the State where an ops
portunity for quietly acquired graft exists.
Joseph A. Kellogg, who il running against
Littauer in this Congress district, was
inspired by Mr.. Harrison's example to go
out after Littauer tooth and nail. He
waved the grand old glove contract in the
faces of Littauers constituents and asked
them how they liked to be represented at
Washington by man who shielded him
self from the consequences of that con-
tract by pleading the statute of limita tons.
And Mr.. Lttauers constituents, many
Of them men who voted for him two years
ago, before the light was turned into the
busy B b.. Odell beehive, rose up and fairly
howled their Endorsement of every word
that Mr.. Kellogg ripped out
PLAIN TALK FROM JOHN y. CARLISLE.
John y. Carlisle, Democratic State com
mttceman from Jefferson county, who is
travelling with Mr.. Harrison in his tour of
the State, flied out the nights joy by say
ing right out in meeting most of the things
which. as Mr.. Harrison almost nournfully
informs his audiences, candidate may
not say about the incumbent of the highest
Office in the Empire State.
Altogether it was joyous evening, fun
OF inspiration for the folks hereabouts who
have set party aside until the job of wiping
out Odellism is done.
The proceedings began with rip-roar-
ing torchlight parade, with drum corps
and three blocks long procession Of the
Saratoga County Democratic Club. Red
fire lit up the blank windows of the deserted
hotels. Broadway filed up with folks who
came from goodness knows where. The
procession went to the Town Hail. where
ex-senator John Foley took charge of
things
Mr.. Harrison, after speaking for a time
on national issues and urging the merits
of Judge Parker, came down to busin2 ss
as it is being done by the Odell machine.
He said in part
Harrison on Canal Graft.
When all other defences have failed
the apologists for such records of the adj :
ministration as that of the Furnaceville
Iron Company, we hear something like
this put forward:
After all, what does little matter Of
slS, 900 amount to- in the millions of dollars
which go to make up the expenses Of the
Government of this the richest and busiest
State of the Union? If they cannot find
in two years administration of the canal,
evidence of the fraudulent expenditure of
more than $4,000, it is a record to which
the Republican party may point with pride.
We will admit, since the phrase seems
to please our Republican friends. that
$4,000 is but drop i'll the buC ket But
enough drops will fill any bucket. The
item of SIS, 600 which went out OF the Treas
ury of the State into the safe of the Furnace
because Of the amount involved but be-
cause il shows the carelessness and reckless
ness with which the Canal Board during
Mr. Odell's administration, have handled
their duties. / said carelessness and reck-
lessness-were / not circumscribed by my
position as candidate here, am sure that
! should use words which are much less
pleasant.
GRAFT ALL ALONG THE CANAL ROUTE.
l. l.
on the map of the canal system without
setting it upon a spot wheoe there are
farther exemplifications OF extravaganza
80 gross and so wanton that they amount
to dishonesty. Last night / was in Lewis
county on the Black River There was
called to my attention in that county a
fragrant abuse Of the principles of good
administration, which is. think, worthy
Of your attention for a few minutes-not
because of any tremendous sums of money
involved, but because Of the light it sheds
on the Odell Administrations methods OF
doing business methods which are charac-
teristic of this administration, which Is
asking the people of the State Of New York
to perpetuate its power and to turn over
to It the expenditures involved in the con-
struction and operation Of the Sl0l 600 600
barge canal.
For two years no canalboat has passed
through so much Of the Black River canal
as lies between Carthage and Lyons Falls.
The canal has been abandoned by traffic
One of It's locks, the Otter Creek lock, has
been filled and is useless. Had there been
traffic it would have been blocked at that
point.
But what has Mr.. Odells canal board
allowed this useless stretch Of water to
cost US, the taxpayers of the Slater
MEN WHO DO NOTHING BUT DRAW PAY.
There are those swing bridges over the
canal at Castorland, Ellingsworth, Beachs,
Genfeld and Whittlesey. At each OF
these bridges the State has employed two
bridge swingers at $40 month during all
Of these two years of uselessness Most
Of the men have lived two miles from their
supposed posts of duty: one lived six miles
away. There has been no necessity for
them TO live nearer. They have had Moth
ing to do but draw their pay. As good
and duly appreciative and consistent men,
6ers Of the now dominant faction in the
Republican party, they have not neglected
this one matter of routine.
"On this section OF the Black River canal
there are two locks, one at Bush's Landing
and one at Otter Creek. The Otter Creek
lock is filled in and useless, but at each
Of them are two lock tenders-at least there
are four names on the .payrolls, names OF
r,en paid for working these locks at 500 a
iuonth each.
The State dredge, with which this sec