The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
URGE VAN A STYNE ON HUGHES
ODELL MEN STICK To FURNAGE-
VILE AND HiRBIH4N.
~ superintendent eC Public works the
Defeated Republican Candidate Cor
state Engineer W"u,d Have Much %
the Canal Patronage In His Hands,

COllllDlA County, ONalt EhIc iuNCh1o"N
Of Public Works. tn succeed Nicholas V. v.
Franchot Of Clean, Catta.augus county,
who peforce reti-cS with Gov, Higgins
on January 1. Mr.. Van Alstyne was APP
pointed by Gov. Ode!l on May /, 1904, to be
State Engineer and Surveyor 10 succeed
Edward A. Bond Of Wate-town. In the
following fall Gov. Odell'S Republican
State convention Nominated Mr.. Van
Alstyne for State Engineer and Surveyor,
and the entire Republican state ticket was
swept in by the Roosevelt national ticket.
The Republican State convention at Sara
;oea in September last renominated Mr..
Van Alstyne along with the rest OF the
1904 ticket, save Gov. Higgins, and all those
renominated were defeated on election
day. Frede. lick W Skene OF Queens county,
Charles F. Murphy and Joseph Cassidy's
man, is to be Mr.. Van Alstyre's successor as
state Engineer and Surveyor.
The Superintendent of Public Works
gets q, 900 a year. He is charged with the
execution of all laws relating to the repair
and navigation of the canals, also OF
those relating to the construction and
Improvement Of the CANALS except SO far as
they are confded to the State Engineer and
surveyor. OubJc,t W NhU wv w Wv
Legislature he makes the rules and regu-
~lstions for the navigation or use Of the
canals. The superintendent is also charged
with the expenditure of moneys sppro-
priated by the Legislature for public i'm
provements authorized by special acts.
He may be suspended or removed from
Office by the Governor. he names a deputy
and appoints not more than three assistant
supe.intendents. whose duties are pre-
scribed by him, subject to modification
by the Legislature, each of whom gets
8. 900 a yea. They hold their Office for
three years. subject 70 suspension or re-
moval by the Superintendent Of Public
Works. All other persons employed in
the care and management of the canals.
except those in the Department Of the
State Enginee: and Surveyor. are APP
pointed by the Superintendent OF Public
Works and are subject to suspension or
removal by him. The Superintendent Of
Public Works is a member OF the Cana
Board, OF the River Improvement Com-
mission, established by chapter I34 Of the
Laws of 1904, and of the commission created
to investigate the electric towing systems
applicable to the canals of abe State.
Mr.. Odell's friends have been at work
since election day in the cities Of the cansI
counties urging boards of trade to recon-
mend that Gov. Hughes appoint Mr.. Van
Alstyne. The 0swego Board Of Trade,
acting. il was asserted yesterday. under
the Odell influence, has already come out
for Van Alstyne's appointment. Repub-
leans conversant with what is going OIL
say that the boards OF trade in the cities
from Albany TO Buffalo are to be spurred to
urge Gov. Hughes to appoint Van Alstyne.
Van Alstyhe first came into prominence
through his connection with the Furnace
vile Iron Company Of Rochester. OF which
he was superintendent and manager.
Edward II. Hartman, OdelIs personal
friend and financial hacker, was president
and treasurer OF the company.
The Nunaceville Iron Company got five
contracts in September, 1897. for improving
about thirty-four miles Of the Erie Canal
near Albion, Orleans county. under the
50, 600 900 anal Improvement appropriation.
The company did considerable work under
these contracts, which were not completed
when all canal improvement work was
stopped by order Of the State officials on
May IL, 1898, because the 90. OOO,0O appro-
priation had become exhausted. Up to
this time the company had drawn from the
state Treasury for work finished about
s2ls. 900.
MOI until tOuT yCdIS AiItTW dTu. Vntu
Odell was Governor, did the company put
In a claim for a balance due for work on
these contracts. This claim amounted to
sis4, s6s, divided as follows: Amount OF
money deposited with State as time Of
bidding. SSO,47o; percentage OF money re-
for work done, s2e,s4I; prospective profits
which the company would have made on
work vet to do had operations not been
stopped by the State, sl3s, 202; extra cost IL
wages due 10 the eight hour law, 81, $3.50.
The Canal Board which went out of
offce on December 81, 1902. in passing upon
this claim found that all that was due the
company was s97, 100, and that there should
be deducted from this amount the sum OF
Ssi ,04o, which, according to John c. Davies,
the Republican Attovney-General. had been
overpaid to the F-Irnaceville Iron Company
before the canal work was stopped In 1898.
This o~verpayment was due to the fact that
the company charged rock prices for ak
Cavating 37.46S yards OF material which
was removed from the bed Of the canal In
the same manner as dr. earth excavations,
The Canal Board Of 1908, consisting of
Lieut.. Gov. Higgins. Comptroller Miller.
state Engineer Bond, Slp~erintendent Of
Public Works Boyd. Secretary OF State
O'Brien, all Republicans, and John Cum
neen, the Democratic Attorney General.
took considerable testimony regarding the
claim, and Mr.. Cunneen, who was born
and brought up in Albion. Orleans county,
brought a score OF witnesses from, that
part OF the State and proved beyond a
.Ness)nable doubt that the Furnaceville
i-cn COMPANY had been paid for ~excavatipg
rock when the materials really were earth.
The Reptbli, an members Of the Cana
Poard had their orders from o 0dell,
hit tn ~ evidently were afraid of the Demo-
cratic Attorney General, for they kept
considering the claim from January, 1908,
Until the following July 30. when they
: warded tho F~urnscevills Iron Company
sos, 77s, divided as follows: Amount de
posted with the bids, sn.4T0; amount OF
money reserved by the State on contract
payments for work done, S2s,t2s: -os-
peS tive profits, Sl, s34. This board refused
10 allow an, thing FOR extra due to
the eight hour law, as it had been held that
II did not apply. Other wiss the Canal
Board Of 1903 voted 20 allow the full amount
found by the Canal Board Of 1907 and re-
fused 20 deduct the S3I .O46 which Attorney
General Davies, a Republican, as q MEM
Der of the Cana Board OF 1902, pointed
cut had already been overpaid TO the Fur
naceville Iron Company when il charged
rock prices for excavating earth.
The Republican State officers who voted
20 lot the Furnaceville Iron Company have
this S34, 900 owed their continued political
existence TO Gov. Odell. Gov. 0dell had
appointed Mr.. Miller to be Comptroller 20
succeed Erastus G. knight Of Buffalo and
had then nominated Mr.. Miller for Comp
troller in the State convention. Within .