The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-03
osborne Brings Out at Hearing
That Directing Inspectors
Were Transferred.
ALL RULES D1SREGARDED
schultz Passed Poor Work Done
by Contractors With In
flucncc In Albany.

have nothing but mud under them" ex-
claimed Commissioner James w. Osborne.
he special graft Investigator for Gov.
GYM during the testimony to-day of
Daniel \. Young, State Highway De-
partment engineer.
Nj. Young supervised the construction
Of the Wyatt-Hoffman road between AM
s,crdam and Schenectady. the contractor
reng Joseph Walker of Albany. The road
was a little over five miles long and the
contract price was $4,000.
MIR. Walkers contract called for
screened gravel bottom course" said Mr.
Young, but when he got ready to put in
The bottom course he didn't screen the
gravel. but took II Just as 1t came from "A
nearby bank of earth which contained
quite percentage Of loan. When
called Walkers attention to the specihca-
tons he said that he had seen Chief En-
gin.er Willis Of the State Highway De-
partment day or two before, and that
Alr Willis told him he could use the
sravel without screening"
what reason did Mr.. Willis give for
thus favoring the contractor" inquired
Commissioner Osborne
Well II was good deal easier for the
contractor than IT would have been to
screen 1t, and 1t cost less money" replied
Young.
Violations of Specifications.
Young explained that nearly two miles
OF road had bottom course with loan
o. dirt in 1t in violation of the spechca-
tons that later the construction OF the
est OF the road was changed. ana that
instead Of "A three inch bottom course and
three inch btuminous gravel top course
thc contractor was permitted to build "A six
.uch sub-bas bottom with "A water bound
gravel top. lie testified that this btu
mnous gravel top made the best road.
and that after the change the contract
price was not lessened.
Who permitted this CHANGE inquired
Commissioner Osborne.
Well 1 suppose Mr. Willis did," Young
replied
It developed that this happened in 1911.
Rhen c. Gordon Reel, state Engineer
Bensel and state Superintendent of Public
Works Peck composed the state High
way Commission. Willis was then chief
engineer.
Young said that the Walker road was
accepted by the State even after he wrote
letter to the State Highway Department
complaining about the bottom course not
being screened. saying:
About I.2o0 feet of bottom course has
gone in just as IL comes from the gravel
bank and consists OF from - to 40 per
cent. of dirt or yellow clay, 10 per cent.
Of larg. stones and the rest gravel of
go a, :, 70 no opJ.'.ion 70 tne
all mixed through it.
10" = snou'o IKE 10 KNOW what ! am
W.T." anu .nroW aM"y the spe'inca'ions
some sne from the Office at Albany either
tell me to accept or to reject the material
and The method now being used in con-
structing the road? VIII some one kindly
make some kind of answer TO this letter.
Did you get any answer to this letter? %
inquired MIR. Osborne.
no. sir" replied Young.
Was the road accepted
Yes, SIR
AND the state paid for it?
Yes SIR
how was II accepted
ABOUT week after J wrote acting
DIVISION Engineer Perry. Filkens came out
rom AIpah! ana looked AT the bank from
NnSh thes were getting gravel and said
u'e steam shovei would work down a
80 io"er % as 10 ger greater per
image Oh grave, tney could Keep right
y" pu'.lns ~ w me ROAD potion just as II
"w.,,h... W.
w. ~,
.Sa,s ~, u., .,,
sc,on,od"'. "@ '"' '"'o's" an"
"yes s;rr
"ln .ri,a ., ,,o,, ,o,,m,
wa, s;, ''"' 'e''''
Al hot h.
. was oun,,, hv Char,a. T-,',,h,,u W.. oa or,
he had a bsIr intsro.t IN ~ rn,S sa'
tract with Mr. waILar wa
Contributor Tn C.~n.,~.
n..,
"a'her Is one OF tne contractors John
ien!essy sara contributed 10 the
bmocrauc STATE committee.
me Noo ROY CONTRACTING Company OF
ioE hau TWO contracts Tor resurfacing
~" ROAD between schenectady and
H''thF' "iiiiain i. SHIELDS or Troy Is
1"nlI consaulus OF Troy Is also connected.
facing With hr,cL IT, s,ratcb ~, 400
f.., cast ~ Oh. Scb.nsctadv iina nao,,
side az Tho hr,cL M vamant 10 M. hora.rod
nv a hitumen ai,ing ac,in, az a.. aSran
sion ioint '
Tho snsc,oco,,ors c.,,.d In, e,,.r ,h..
would mel, .hs,wasn 100 and IA Ta 10 80
h.it L,n,,,s.r yorn. said ,ha, 10 ~,
shin,nsn, -, ana u,',,,d no, ,aa,, 80.
at over AZ Eshrsnheit Hs ss,d ,his
yer 80 rahrenneH' ne sara this
x.s,hor aa,,s,,,m a.. .n ,rao,' 1870
the hrict ~ sansra,. ""N '''''''
Ha s.td ,hat 10 ro,.o,.a en-. au.. ,
,h,, -, na,,, s,',r,,, ~ nroo,,u,a a., .h.
cor,rsc,ors 1T tha, to- III. 5000