HYDROLOGY OF NEW YORK 



741 



This announcement was followed by great excitement through- 

 out New York State. Investigation showed that aside from the 

 estimates made by commercial bodies, no estimate had ever been 

 made as to the cost of the improvement, and that the commercial 

 bodies making these estimates had not taken into account very 

 many important items. Charges of criminal fraud were made 

 against the State Engineer, Campbell W. Adams, as well as 

 against George W. Aldridge, Superintendent of Public Works. 

 The popular clamor was so great that the Legislature authorized 

 the appointment of a commission to investigate and report in 

 relation to the work done in enlarging and improving Erie, Cham- 

 plain and Oswego canals, pursuant to chapter 79 of the laws of 

 1895 and the referendum. 



The Canal Investigating Commission of 1898. The commis- 

 sioners appointed under this act were George Clinton, Franklin 

 Edson, Smith M. Weed, Darwin R. James, Frank Brainard, A. F. 

 Higgins and William McEchron, who reported to the Governor 

 under date of July 30, 1898. Edward P. North was consulting 

 engineer to this commission and Lyman E. Cooley advisory 

 engineer. 



The commissioners considered there had been abuses, but that 

 there was nothing criminal on the part of anybody. Governor 

 Black referred the evidence taken before this commission and 

 its conclusions to E. Countryman for an opinion as to whether 

 there was an opportunity for criminal prosecution against either 

 the State Engineer or the Superintendent of Public Works, or 

 the employees of their departments. Mr Countryman reported 

 to the Governor and Attorney -General under date of November 

 28, 1898, to the effect that several criminal prosecutions could 

 be brought. 



September 12, 1898, Campbell W. Adams, in his annual report, 

 submitted a protest addressed to Governor Black in which he 

 showed that at any rate there w T ere two sides to the question of 

 negligence, and under date of August 13, 1898, George W. 

 Aldridge submitted a similar statement, likewise addressed to 

 the Governor. In this statement there are some valuable figures 



