The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-03-12
SULZER TO INQUIRE
INTO BENSEL s WORK
Army Engineers Will bclvc
Into Funds Paid to Canal
Contractors.
RESULT or GLINN PROTEST
Licutcnant-GOvcrnOr and state
Engineer Clash at Board
Meeting.
RESULT or GLYNN PROTEST

ALPAHY. March 1.-Two cuzinccr, -
the United States army are. to invest.
gate tho work Of John A. Bcnscl q,
state Engineer in the last two years ~
determine whether or not favored cana,
contractors have received more of tho
states money than they were entitled
to.
These officers were summoned 10
Albany by Gov. Sulzer at the beh.si ~
Lieut.. Gov. Glynn after he had invcs,l.
gated and held up recommends tions
made by state Engineer Benscl.
Th" state Canal Board has bcen
dcadloclScd since January ! hccausc ~
the efforts of Lieut. Gov. Glynn to pre-.
vent tho barge canal ring OF cou'rac-
tors from mulcting tho state Treasury
of millions Of dollars.
AZ result of Mr.. Glynns hght the
Canal Board has tabled every proposi
ton made by state Engineer Bcn.
sci to annul canal contracts or 70
make supplemental contracts sine ~,
first meeting of tho board in .Ianurr,
This fight eliminated at tho meeting of
the state Canal BOARD to-day, when
State Engineer Bcnscl and State Supcr-
intcndcnt Of Public Works Duncan W
Peck declared that II I.icut.-Gov. Glyun
continued his opposition to tho plans "
State Engineer Bcnsel the canals could
not be- opened for navigation on tins
this spring.
on top of this declaration Lieut. Gov
Glynn walked into the Executive Cham.
her tonight accompanied by taN
United States army engineers. col
Symonds and Col. Lucas. Lieut. Gov
Glynn some days ago called Coy. Sui.
zer's attention to the conditions which
prevailed in the State Canal Board and
demanded that he send for two army
engineers on whom he could depend :,
look over the condition of the barge
canal contract work. The presence of
these two engineers in Albany was the
result Of Lieut.. Gov, Glynns demand
These engineers arc 10 investigate the
whole question and report to Gov. Sui
zcr as early as possible Col. Symonde
was member of the state barge canal
board of advisory engineers which state
Engineer Bensel abolished when hc as
sumed office two years ago last Jan.
uary.
Up to date Lieut.. Gov Glynr he's
been upheld in his fight by Attorney
General Carmody and State Comptroller
Sohmer. state Engineer Bensel *
backed by Supt. Peck and stat
Treasurer Kennedy. while untll to-
day Secretary of State May WAS on
the fence. holding the deciding vote.
AT to-day's Meeting Secretary ~
State May announced t1st on engineer
Ing matters his vote would he guided
hy the advice Of the State Engineer
and upon legal questions concerning tho
canal contracts upon the advice of t-
torney-General Carmodv. This attitui.
Cf the Secretary OF State so angered the
Lieutenant-Gover that he insisted
that the Secretary of State should NOT
follow the advice either OF the Stat"
Engineer or of the Attorney General.
The fight in the cana, board was
brought to head when the State En-
gineer requested tho approval of an eN-
penditure of s225,000 for iron piling on
a barge canal contract near Rochester
which has been completed for some time
He declared the canal could not he
opened for navigation this spring until
this work was done.
Lieut. Gov. Glynn informed Mr.. Ben
sci that he could not get his vote on
any large expenditure on such short
notice and he declared he would not vote
for such expenditures until contract c
had been awarded for the completion
of the original sl01 900. 900 barge canal
work So far Iicut.-Gov. Glynn has
Neld UP about $4,000 of this class of
extra work. In addition he has defeated
the efforts of State Engineer Bensel e.
cancel three canal contracts whicl,
would mean loss to the state Of $500.
900. There are other contracts to be
cancelled in similar manner II these
| should get through. which would mean a
dollars.