The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-20
STATE GOT BRICKS
BUT PAID FOR ROADS
Osborne Asks Grand Jury Action
on Work Done by Ker.
win Company.
LOSS OF 100000 SHOWN
Railroads by False Bills Of Lad
ing Alleged TO Have
Aided Grafters.

ALBANY. Feb. ls.--James W. Osborne
adjourned his graft hearings to-day after
/ he had ordered evidence regarding two
State highways In Chautauaua county sent
! to District Attorney Edward J. Green
with a request for n Grand Jury investi-
1 CATION. The roads we're built by the
kerwin Construction Company OF Albany,
which Is still waiting final payment
Joseph Currsn. q Hennessy Investigator.
testified at the hearing that so large an
amount Of clay and dirt was used In
building n concrete sub-base on the two
B roads that they are already going TO
| pieces. Brick was laid over this sub base,
Currnn testified. and the brick Is about
all the State has gained out Of tho trans
action, As q new sub-base will have 10 be
! laid.
John a. Stephens OF Albany, a candi-
/ date for appointment TO the upstate
\ Public Service Commission, appes as
attorney for the Kcrwin company. He
/ attempted to crit,clse Commissioner Os-
bornes methods and ~ refu,e Currans
1 testimony.
ITS too bad you haven't finished the
! whole farce" said stephens when told
/ the hearing was ctcspt. This 10 a nne
sort Of Investigation"
! II don't want your opinion" reiorted
| Comm ssioner Osborne. you can give
that 10 tho District Attorney"
/ Commissioner osborne read into the
4 evidence a part OF a report made to the
4 Universal Portland Cement Company by
an inspector who looked over the roads
for the company
81 do not see" said tn. report. how
! they expect to get away with this propo-
sition. Altogether the job Is "A very I'M
fortunate one from our standpoint"
Puts blame On state.
II. VI Collins of Albany. vlce-president
, OF the kcrwin company, con;onded that
the company was permitted TO use the
run OF the pit and that it was the
States fault II the sub base so constructed
did not stand Wy.
Commissioner Osborne read from the
previous testimony OF Oscar Servison, Il
county engineer. that the actual specih-
I cations did not permit the use OF LOCAL
gravel.
road leading TO stockton IN twenty-five
places and that uyon each examination
ne found crumDling sub-base composed
| OF black clay, sand, stone and gravel.
The other road, from Sinolairsv'lle TO Cas-
andaga. Was opened in fourteen places
and the same condition found. he testified.
I John Martin. another Hennessy .nvesti-
gator. estimated that the State los, $500
+ 600 IN ne last few years through buying
stone from contractors 10 be used IN ~
pairing roads The stone, he said. was
too large. About 100000, he estimated.
has been lost by the State In the purchase
OF o.. Martin said that he had seen
twelve or thirteen barrels OF oil lying by
the road near Sohoes. some OF these
barrels were broken open. ne sud.
Rejected OH At Roassia-.
He told Of 1900 gallons Of oil rejected
by the Safe lying near Saugersaes. He
said he believed that the STATE mad paid
! Tor this wasted oil.
Royal X. Fuller. secretary 20 the State
/ Highways Commission. told M Osborne
that he department had opped ouying
stone and oil. as described by Martin, be-
cs.ess - reports a. 10 the waste
Commissioner Osborne brought out that
no Independent, estimate .: stone used by
contractors i made before Il goes into
road and that usually the State uses the
contractors bill OF lading 20 arrive at the
amour; Of stone used. Commissioner
Osborne expects ~ bling out that con-
| tractors got Increased bills Of lat,ing OF
stone received from railroads
IL supposed Vas familiar with AL
! forms u hal eny," commented The Com
missioner. out have learned much dur
Ing this highway investigation"
! A private detective, James H. Mcclure
| iny estis atei the men employed in Rens-
selaer county - inspect good roads con-
/ struc,iOn at $3.50 and $3.50 a day. In at
least twenty instances these men had had
( no previous experience. one had been a
/ collar worker, another a clerk Ia "A FISH
market, one chicken farmer one a
tailor. one II policeman. one "A halter. an
other a dealer In haDerdishery and sew
eral saloon keepers and bartenders.
Assemolyman Tracey ID. Taylor OF
Rensselaer,. FIRST elected Ia 1871, as
! Democrat, was \ foreman of laborers at
$3.50 a day and also vce-presdcnt OF a
| small bank.