The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-24
The Same Van Alstyne.


date for State Engineer and Surveyor:
In reading your articles the Furnacevllle
Iron Company. one constantly runs across the
name OF HENRY a. VAN AIsrYSB. In one instance
he Is spoken OF as having resigned the once Of
State Engineer and Surveyor 10 enter the employ Of
the Furnaceville Iron Company, and In another as
appearing before the Canal Board in advocacy Of
the famous sis6ls steal
Now. all the above suggests the inquiry: Can
It be possible that the HEsRr A. VAN ArsTrSB
mentioned by the Hon. JOHN CuSNzKN as working
hand In hand with HIouNs, the Odell candi-
date for Goverpr to secure this Item of SiSois to
the Furnacevl concern by the action of the odell
Canal Board. Is the same HENRY A. VAN ALsrINE
OF Columbia county, the Odeil candidate for State
Engineer and Surveyor at the approaching cleo
tlon next month.
III. alas we must confess 10 the truth and &C.
knowledge that they one and the same indvd-
ual. Is 1t not seif-cvdent that you should enjoin
your readers to put the mark before the name
OF Hon. THOMAS H. STRYKER OF Oneida, who Is
running for State Engineer and Surveyor. as well
as before HERRICKs. HARRsor's and JOHN Gun.
MEMS,
Apply the pruning knife without stint 70 the
entire Odell gang--,o VAN AIsTrsB as well as IN
HIooINs BRUCE and MAYER. | vote in westches
ter county.
Another of the letters has this to say:
do you advocate the election OF Mr.. VAN AL
srINK to the once of State Engineer and Surveyor
on the Oden ticket
From his past performances think he Is too
proficient In the art Of measurement to deserve
the support of his fellow citizens
AS you have no, mentioned the matter In your
advice to voters, call your attention to the omis
SION"
Still another of the communications
says:
why not advise your readers to vote against
VAN AIsrYsR as well as against HIooNs, BHucz
and MAYRR,-
For the information of the Westchester
county voter we append the text of q
brief autobiography which Mr.. VAN
ALsTYNE handed out in person at AL
bany on the afternoon OF May 10:
-Mr. HENRY A. VAN AIsrISH was born In Co.
lumbia county. New York. In 1859. and after com
pleting a four years course In Union College. grad
uating with a degree of C. E., he Immediately en-
tered upon the practice of his profession acting as
engineer In charge Of construction Of public works
until 1904 when he entered the service OF the State
as Assistant Engineer in the State Engineers De-
partment. In 1897 Mr.. VAN ALsTrNE accepted
the position OF superintendent Of construction
and engineer for the Furnacevillc Iron Com papy
In connection with the Improvement of State canals
on the western division, and upon the completion
Bridge Company at Athens, Pa. where he re-
manned until 1899, when he reentercd the State
Engineers Department as assistant engineer Of
the eastern division being subsequently promoted
to nrst assistant. resident engineer. and In 1901
to division engineer OF the eastern division, which
position he has held to the present time"
Mr. VAN ALSTYNE furnished for the
printer the foregoing account Of him.
self, for the reason that Governor
Chairman ODELL on that day had ap-
pointed him to be State Engineer and
Surveyor to succeed EDWARD A. BOND.
On Sept. Is. at Saratoga, Governor
Chairman ODELL nominated Mr.. VAN
ALsTYNE to be State Engineer and Sur
yeyor.
On Sept. 81 Attorney General JOHN
CpNNEEN, the chief law officer of the
State, issued a statement in which he
speaks incidentally of Mr.. HIGGINS and
specifically of Mr.. VAN ALsTYNE:
Il am a member of the Canal Board. and very
soon after entering upon the duties Of my once
voted alone against the allowance OF an item
claimed by the Furnacevile Iron Company for
excsvatny rock for sls8is on a contract for canal
work under the 100000 appropriation OF 1896
! did this because of the following facts:
The claim had been audited by the preceding
state Canal Board, which disalowed this item. The
claimant applied for a rehearins which had been
granted. ON the rehearing 1t appeared that be-
fore the contract was made the State Engineers
made an Investigate and failed to discover rock;
that therefore, no provision was made for eXcs-
waiting rock, either In the estimate, specifications
or contract for the work. that for over six months
the excavation vas classified by the engineer In
charge as Garth that two OF the engineers employed
by the State lone HENRY A. VAN AIsTYSk, the
present State Engineer and candidate for election
left the State service and became employees Of
the contractor the work that afterward the con.
tractors secured a modification of their contract
by which the State agreed 10 pay a dollar a yard
for eIcavatng rock that there was then reolassi.
ncation made by the engineer, and part OF tina,
which had previously been classified as earth was
CLASSIFIED as rock. and the increased compensation
resulting from this classification amounted to said
sum Of sfs6ls,
was very familiar with the section Of the canal
where the work done. ] knew there was no
rocE there. ! caused the attendance before tho
Canal Board Of twelve witnessed who had been
employed by the contractors on the work. each
Of whom testified that there was no rock e1ca.
waited. Notwithstanding these facts my Repub.
ucan associates on tho Canal Be rd all voted 70
allow the item, and alone voted against IT,
On May 10 Mr. BOND wss retired from
his post as State Engineer and Surveyor
and appointed to a minor place IN the
State Government by Governor-C Chair