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Tous les autres exempleires originsux sent filmte en commengant par la premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration at en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, seion le ces: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fllmfo A des taux de rMuction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cllchA, II est film* A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 !i \ m \ lit «i NORTH SHORE RAILWAY. REVIEi;^ OP^ f ENGINEERING EXPENSES PAST, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE I BY TH£ CHIEF ENGINEER I FEBRUARY 2d, 1875. I i- i r yi I ^ * 1 INTRODUCTION. The tbll(»wiug Stjitvmcils, KxlractH from Ueporls. Lcttors and .MoinomiKlH, lioitstoloro addressed l«y the Chicl' Kn^incor, either lcmentar' to tlic " views of the Knginoer in Chief ixjsjiecting his powers, duties and responsiJ»ilities," as presented to the Pre- sident and Directors, under date of July IGth, 1874 ; and which were subsequently printed in pam]>hlct form. S. SKYMODR, Engineer in Chief, North Shore Railway. liuel»ec, Febi-uary 2nd, 1875. NORTH SHORE RAILWAY. Statement of Engineering Expenses upon the Main Line, up to December Ist, 1874. In 1871, the entire line was surveyed by four field parties, fur the purpose of obfaining County subscriptions. The total oxponsos of the Company up to tlio date of the contract, April 5th 1872, were »42,534.28 of which $19,303.28 were on account of Engineering, being 45 percent of total ex- penditure up to that date. In 1872, the entire line was re-survcyod by four field parties, for the purpose of obtaining the Ijcst Engineering route. The total expenditures uj) to December 3l8t, 1872, wore $05,324. l>2, of which $G(»,855.7l were for Engineering, being 70 per cent of the total expenditure up to that date. In 1873 a portion of the line, between Three Rivers and Mon- treal, was re-located by one field-party, for the purpose of im- proving the line near St. Bartholerai Church ; and changing the crossing of the Ottawa Branch at Bout do L'lsle. The total expenditures up to December 3l8t 1873, wore $158,239 85, of which $91,257.71 wore for Engineering, being 58 per cent of the total oxpondituro. In 1874 the entire line has boon re-located hy threo field parties, lor the purpose of ro-sotting the stakes, preparatory to construe- i. • s S?: 4 bTATEMENT (>F FNtif^EEllINd EXnB.VKES. tion, uikI |)i'()<-iirii);{ the ri;;li( of way ; ami also to mnkv smrH* )n>pr(>veinoiit» in tlu> lino, which Itavo Ix'cn t'oiind itniclicaliU' ami An or/ruhixnlion lias alno been Uopt np for the piirposo ul' su- fwi'vising construction, between the Cities ol' (Quebec antl Throe Ui vol's. The total expenditures up to December 1st, 1874. were 8454, 57tJ f>4, »)l'whi»Tli l?121»,<»!U>.:ir> wore tor Knj;ineorin^ ; beinj; 28i per cent of the total expenditure. Thcamount ox|K>neeon»l>er Isi 1S74, was S2!M5,:{H(;.1!> of which 8;{H,411.<»4 was for Kn^ineerinir. bein^ \ii per cent of the oxpendiluio. Of the amount expended in 1H74 tor Kn;jineerin^, $l7,0t)(>.(M» was for rodocntin<{ the lino ; and 821,411.4i4 was for purposes of <'onstruction. The amount expended on account of construction proper, up to December 1st, 1874, was 82:j(;,40(i.!U, of which 1^21,411. enditure. JJecawtulation. fe !■■' i Kxpendcil up to April 5th, 1872. « " Dee. aist, 1872... " Doc. 31st, 1873... » Dec. 1st, 1874. . n u 642,534 . 281 $1 J»,3()3 . 2a| 45 95,324.02 (;(;,855.71 70 158,230.85 01,257.71; 58 454,576.04; 120,000.35, 2Sl « from Jan. Ist to Doc.lst, 1874 296,330.19 38,411.64 13 236,406. 94i 21,411.64 " on construction to Dec. 1st, 1874 T(.tal Schedule cost ' 4,000.666. 67j 255,513.00 6A PAST, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE, 5 KXPLA.VATUIIY UKMAIJKS. T*) |K;rMt»ii> wlio arc not rainiliar with acwMiiits of this kiiKJ. \hii Ibrc'^oiii^ StatonuMJt will appear somewhat novel, particu- larly wh<*n eonsidered with rclerenco to tlic variable nature of tho ratios cxistinjx i>etwoon the amounts of total cxpeixlitures. nin\ those of Kn^intH;rin<^, durin;; the ditt'ereiit sta^^es of pro^res^ or advaneoiiient ol' the line towards eonipletion. Hut when i1 is e(»nsidorctI that alJ the nooossarv surveys nuist he nuwle for the final hK'ation of the road, before the eonstruetion account <-an l»e commenced and carried on to any considerable extent, the reason fi>r the increa>e in this ratio of expenditure up to that jiarticular jioint of time, will become quite apparent. And it will also lnHMnae ecjually ajtparent, that, when tho work of con- st ructi<»n is commoneod in earnest, and prosecute 1 with vi<^or. this ratio will diminish quite us rapidly, until it reachus its mi- nimum, at the final completion of tho road. An examination of the tbrcitoinif tabular recapituhition of the i-esult thus t'ur upini this road, uHoi-ds a striking illustraticni of this princi|>le. It will be seen that the percentage had reached its maximuni (70) when tho location of tho line had been substantially com- pleted at the close of 1872. That it had been reduced to 58 at tho close of 187.'{, when tho present Contractor assumed the work. That it had been reduced to 28i by the expenditure on account of construction during the past working season, up to Dec. 1st 1874. That it was reduced to 1:> upon the total expenditure made by the present Contractor during the past year up to 1st December, which included tho Company's expenses, ri^ht of way, rc-location of lino, supervision of work, contingencies, &c. That it was still further reduced to 1>, upon the actual expendi- ture on account of construction up to Dec. 1st, 1874. And that, if tho road is completed, according to the terms of the contract, it is quite sure to reach its minimum of (5.\ per cent, at the close of tho contract. Another equally arbitrary, and self evident principle will als(» be found to govern all expenditures of this nature, which is, tliat they arc increased in tho ratio of any delays that maj' occur in tho progress and final completion of tho work. As an example of the cflect of this principle upon this road up to tho present time, it is proper to mention, that tho entire ex- penditure, amounting to $42,534.28, previous to April 5th, 1872, I{ STATEMENT <>l' ENdlXEEttlNU EXPENSED, I tlicilafo oCllio c'oiilraci) was |»j'm-lifull\ thrown away. Also tluif llio oiitiro cx|)(.Mi(litiirc iiiM'l ' ill IST.'i, an)oiiiitin,<; io ^li^.Ml-l .!)^(. was of no practical ii-c \v!iatc'V«T in ailvaiicirt^ ilio work, niaUin^ a total o|'6I(>.'>, M'M'I. of wliich 8K{.7o:).2.S. was cliarji,'cal)lo to I'ln^'inceniitc. wliicli has praclicallv lu-cn lost to tlic ('oni|>any. and c()nsu(|auntly to iliu Contractor. And yut, it is (|uilo appa- rent, that the circumstances, as ihcy cxislcc' ni tlio time. I'ally jiistihcd these expenditures; and also, thai it' they had not been made, the road <'oiild not have reached even its present stale of advancement ; and perhaps it would have remained in suhstan- lially the same state of non-eniily that it occupied jtrevious to ISii. Anniher example ol thectl'ect of this principle, will ho found ill the experience of \HH. When the present (.'ontractor assumed tho work, in Jtniuiry IS74, he gave notice that he should commence operations vigo- roiisly in the Spriiii^, upon a scale that would secure tlie comple- tion of the road fr(nn the (Jity of (Quebec to Three Jlivors, before the cl(»sc of 1H"5. To carry out this proast working season ; and as the Knginccring organixaition ill charge of construction, was necessarily quite Jidequate to the supervision of the required expenditure of 8750,000, it will be soon that, if that anur "t had boon expended by tho Contractor during the past working season, the percentage of Engineering chargeable to construction, would have been 3 instead of 9 per cent, up to the 1st December 1S74 ; and proportionately less upon the entire expenditure uj) to that date. The preliminary expenses of tho Compan}', as well as the exponsos of location, having now been (dosed substant'ally, the conclusion seems to be quite clear, that tho Contractor has only to push forward the work to completion, within tho shortest lime practicable, in order to reduce the ratio of Engineering expenses to their lowest jiosHiblo limit. S. SEYMOUR, Chief Engineer. Quebec, December 31, 1874. 1«A8T, PHESKXT AM) I'KOHI'ECTI VK. Extract from a letter addressed by the Chief Engineer to the Secretary, under date of January 13th, 1875. Liu' (ily tcst lini; jcr. " TliO rolt»ca(ioii oC tlio Moiitroul I)ivii>i()ii. during last stmt- iner, wuH iieci'^Miry ; aiul was a)i|>nivoiir|K)i-o (»i" iir|irnviiiy; tlio liiuv icdiiciiiy; llio rost of tin- work, unil oiial>liii,<; lis to pcM'I'cct tin: land |)laii.<. iiroparatoi-y to prociirin<;; the rinht of way. Tho work done Ity tin* loiatiii .venunt in mi lino, and in a suvin<{ to tliu Colli I'iictoi' in ilic cost <»:' (■(iiislnu-lion, anioiintini: lo several lliousand dollars over and aliove llie cost ascertain ihr precise form of the holtoin of (ho river at the points jselc'-ted for tho fotindntioiis. as rei-onlly approved hy llie < Jovernincnt ; and also (o lest the accuracy of loriner hills now complained of hy the Contractor at Iho IJiitiscan. The Contractor institutes a most oxtraoiilinary comparison between the cost of Kn^incorin^ upon this l{oad, and tho Mon- treal Northern Colonizutioii Road. "Without Husppctin If that 1 would so soon be called upon to reply to a stalemont of (his kind from tho Contractor, I had pre- pared, at the close of the last month, and year, u "Statement o\' Engineering Kxpcnsos upon the Main Line, u|) to December Isi. 1874," intending to transmit it to Iho President, for the informa- tion of the Board of Directors, at il8 next monthlv mooting. I now beg leave to append (his Statement hereto, as a perfect answer to all the charges contained in the Contractors' statement, with reference to the extravagant cost of Kngincering upon this Road. In doing Uii.s, however, I must claim that the present C'oii- tractor is precluded by tho " Statute of limitations " from going farther back in tho comparison, than the date at which he so quietly secured Iho contract from the Chicago Contracting Com- pany, by paying them a largo bonus, over and above all their expenditures. g STATEMENT OF ENOINEERINCI EXPENSE:?, If t I i'ecl jiislifiod in plcndin<;^ this Statute, in the iiroscnt case, fTn* the loUowini^ obvious reasons : First. — lie was n Director (tf the Company durin*^ llie yeai-s when most, if not all, of this largo expenditure, now referred to l)y him, occurred ; and must therefore bear his portion of the- responsibility in connection witli it. Second. — Jle ])urchased the contract with a full knowletlgc ot the amount of these past expenditures; and has therefore no right to complain of them. jfVt/rrf.— At the time of purchasing tho contract, he was iit possession of a " Schedule," prepared by the CThief Kngineer, showing the probable cost of tho ditforont items of expenditure, including Ki>ginecring expenses ; and he has therefore no right to complain of these expenditures, unless ho can show that they >vill exceo«l the amount estimated in tho "Schedule." Fourth. — Soon afcer his purchase of the contract, he inlbrmed the j>resent Chief Engineer, that ho was perfectly satisfied with his administration of the office, and desirei-l that ho would venutin in charge of the work. After bringing the (.'ontractor down, in his comparison, to the date of his assumption of the contract ; and demonstrating that the cost of the locating parties during the past season, amounting, as shown by the annexed statement, to .*17,(H)0, is much more than compensated by the saving to him in the cost of the work. I am fully ])repared to institute a comparison Iwtwoen tln> Kngineering expenses, per mile tinder construction, of this, and any other road that iio may name. The annexed statement shows, that tho cost of Kngineering. chargeable to construction, during the past year, up to 1st December, including the salary of the Chief Kngineer and his ottice statt, has l>cen only 821, 411. (U or !> jMjr cent on the amount (d23tJ,400.!>4) exiwnded on construction proper; and that these expenses would have been no greater, if the Contractor had expended three times as much on construction, during the same time, as he should have done, if ho intended to i-odeem his promise of completing tho road from (^uoboc to Three Hi vers during the present year." VAST. ITIESKXT AND I'UOSI'ECTIVK. yi Exiracts from a Statement submitted by the Chief Engineer to the Chairman of the Executive Committe'}, under date of December 1st, 1874. =Tr 1st his jtlu' |nifcil tlio ill-will f>i' tlio (.'oiilructor. ami ol' evorv one I'oiinecliMl with Ills JVpartnient ; wliile, I am sorry to say, the Board nf Directors, instead of c'omiii<^ promptly to tlio rescue, have seen lit to postj)one decisive action from month to month, upon the i'ontractor's yicldiiii;- a reluctant consent to pay the monthlx pay-rolls of the Stall', at these reduced rates; until linalU', ou the 2Gth ultimo, I received an ofticisU notice from the Secretary, informing uic, l>y order of the ■Presiik'nt : " t!»at it is the opinion of the Hoard that the Mnifiiicer in Chief possesses all the neces- sary powers for the control of the Kii^ineerinu; Dei>artment, and that lie is held personally responsible for the duo administratiou of his office. While the result of this slate of tilings has been most un- j)leasant to m_\self personally, it has also undoubtedly had the effect to iin|)iess upon the minds of the Resident and Assistant hiiigineers, that 1 liad not acted in good faith towards them ; and also that their services and res))onsibilities were not duly ajtpre- eiatcd, either by the iJailway'C.'ompany, or by the Contractor. '■ Tliese Kngiiieers were all employed with the distinct un- derstandiiig, as expressed in the Uegulatioiis, that their rates of pay would be made to conform to the rates ad«)ptcd ujion other tirst class J{ailways in Canada; but the Contractor has, as before stated, absolutely refused to [lay those rales; although ho has very well known that the Engineering force employed u])oii tiie line under construction, has always been much smaller, compa- ratively sjieaking, than upon ar.y other similarly situated work in Canada. As an eviani/.ation of the Stall", aft «.'r that date, as the then coiidiliiin (»f the work, and all the eireiim- xlanee-i of the ease may soem t(» jnstily ; and lor whieh F shall ■then, if iiermiitLvl to do sm. he fiilly prepare! to meet and assniue ••ili the responsihilitios," Correspondence referred to in the foregoing Extract. MCrUETAIlV TO TIIIC CIUKK KXUINEEK. edicnt servant, (Signed), A II. VBllRET. iSocretaiv. T VI STATEMENT OF BXfirXEHTKtNd KXI'EVsES. CDNTIlACTMll T<» TUB I'RESIDENT. S- # ;i t^iiel»«c, 24tli XovemlHM-. IK74. <',)i.. Wm. IJIIOOKS, I'roHideiit N, S. U. Co, |)EAR SlK, As tlif \v«M-lviu;;- swistnt oir tlu? liiicr ol' IJailwjiy Ikih terniiiiatevl. ;tn(l I aril desinuis to be rclievetl of all Hinit'tcsstiry ox|»onsy, I wish you to see that all the Mni^iiiwriiii;" Stafl" are notilied that alter 1st pn^x. their services will he dispensed with, and therchv save a cousiderahh! outlay. The only exception 1 would n>ake to this notitication \v(»uld he, one I'esident Kn^ineer Crom Thret- Itivers to (^nebcc, one draiiti;htsfn:in at (Quebec. If hy any means ihey are ko|>t on after the 1st prox., I hoj>e I will not b« calU'd »>n for the payment of their sah'ries. I rentaiit yoiirw, % Very truly, (rti^nied), KoHT. II. MdilJKKVY, For the ContraetiH-. IHIEt' HXGINKKU TO TIIK SECRETAftY. NOliTII 81IOKK HAIL WAY OFFICE OF THE RNOINEKK IN CriIEr. (iuehec. November ^fith, 1S74. Hear Sir, I have to aclviio\vled,i;e the receipt ol' your favor of the 24th inst.. enclosing; a eonnnunicatio;i of the san»e date, addressed by thoC^)ntraclorto the President of the Company, in whicl» the President is requested as fidlows : '= to see that all the Enginoe- TPAST, l'n>:sENT XND TBOSFBCTlTE. TS It. Utii Itiu- ico- rln^ Stair aro notitiod tliat after 1st Proximo. tliiMr sorviccs will! I*' i(ited to report without drhiy upon the coiitcMitx •of the ( 'ontr.tetors Ivlter. The (H»ly r<'port which I can c(. isistontly Tuako. upon tlio ■♦•ontents of this U'tler, at the presicnt time, is that I ctnisidcrii n'nlirely out of place Iwr thi; Contractor to adilress such .t letter l«» the President ; an«l further, that if this wcit) n(tt the case, it i> ast seems to have lieconte the chosen medium of the Contractor f<»r eommunicatinat- ters connected with the '"due stilniinistration of my otticw," foi;- whicli I am. to be held "personally i'osp()i>sible."' I have the honoi* toremiJiiiv, Mr. Secretary, Your Obt. Servant, (Signed), S. SHYMOUR, Engineer in. CKivtl A, ir. VEllHET, Esq., Secretary North Shore Tlailway Co., (iuebee. CIIIKK RNfllNEKK TO TMK sRCRETARr. MOKTir SUORE RAILWAY. OFFICE orniB ENQINEER TN ClIIEr, (iuobee, November 27th, 1874- Dl t)£AR Silt/ Referring to my lotto^ to you of the 25th instant, respecting" the raduction of the Engineering Staff", to which no response ha'< lis yet been received from" the President ; and finding that thi* iri thl TAST, ITIES-ENT ATSV TttOSVECTrVE. n Timrntlily iiotii-c orUiscliai-<^<5 ivfjuirod by the ltc'<;iilation,s, imisl .!'»' I'oi'wjinU'd ((» t1ie Kesideiit Kii<;iiieers ta-daj', in order to ren- ••lor it I'liUy eUcctivo on the vJlst Doi'cmbor next ; 1 Ix'i^ toinlonw you that I Lave this day lorwitrded to Messrs. Lindsay A: Ilanilin. Uosid^nt Kii<;Mnecrs, cikdi HCORUininicatien, of which the enclosed ,is a copy. .\ similar notfcf was scut 1<» Mr. Chajidlor, Uosidcnt l''.ii<^noof .at iMotitiHjHl, several days since. Jlopinj;- that the course which I have taken in tliis matt'Or, wiM /i.noct with tlie aj)j>rovai ol'th*^ PiHJsident and the (JoHlractor, J liave tkro.\-. their services will he disjter^setl with. " Foeliiiif an (>anicst d-osire to- iiKn.?! the Just ex|>ec'tati(>ns of lh(>- llailway C|kii>\', ami of the Con tractor, hy rcits diirin*; the (t>niiii^f winter mouths, it lH.'eonKM ii>y lurlha' »liity to f Dccemher next, \ our servicers, under _><»iir present :i])pointnienl. will termintite ; and 1 will thardv you to extend this notice iu proper form, tatn'cry persorv connected with the Statl' upon the- .Residency under your charge. In j^ivini; the ahovc notice at ihe pr(!sent time, however, I reserve tlie ri;:;ht to retaii> in the service of the Compan\', aftei- tho clonic of I>ecen>her, such mem hers oi the jwesent .Slatf, as the Ihen eojKiition of the work, and thecireunyslances cM" the ca.se may seem to r.M^uire. In view ot the present jiui'tial suspei>sion of work upon the- Mne, on account of the inelenveiicy of the wetither ; and of the prohahility that nwich of the work will remain in a state of sus- pense duririi^ the next four or five niontFis; ami also in view of the fact, that the estimate for the present n»ontii, may ho the last one that you may Ihj called u|>on to u>ake, of tlio work done and of materials delivered, and ready for delivery upon your Resi- dency ; it l»ecomes n)y furlhei- duly to call your particular al- fention to the imjtoi'tancp of havin;^ every item com[H>sinii; this cslimalc, measure*] and "computed with the greatest precision and accuracy; also, that the (|uantities returned hy you of work done, materials lielivered, ttc, should emhrace only such as come fidly up to the re(|uirements of the cKAK SlH, * I 1)0^ (o acknowli'cliifi! rtrcipl ()('_> uur letter of yt'slenliiy's dato- ;md would stale in i'ej)ly that tlie inl'iuMnatiiHi yon have reeeivcd tronj Mr. Cliandlcr is quite eiirreil. I have aih»|>(ed tliis eourse trojn lu'o •■oinmunieations I Uuvv addi'es>ed to ihe Jiailway ("oni- |»any, thjled respectively 2Hh and .'{iHli N(>von)l»i:'r, upon tiie snl>jeet of (he Kn^ineeritiL, Stall', eo|)ies of wliich, I atn informed l>v the Se( |•elal•^' of the Compaii\', have heen transntilted to von, I also intend to take tin- sanus course with referen'-e to such of the Kni;ineerinratightsman in the Qucdjcc Otfice. II JB BI W WH irl l M W i l l - , l imnii '^mmmtti i M mm PAST, PttESENT AND l>R(tS1'K(:TlV K. m of lent Tins Nvoiild louve tlic work (o Ito doiit', jiihI materials to I'o lireparcd Mini ilelivcrod upoh the line, during' tJK* winter months, practically without any Kn;Lfinoerin;Lf tSuporvision ; and when »hew,rlv is resumed in the Spring there would ho no (»ne in readiness to taUo ehariic and cairy out tlic plans of consti-uction that have already heon coniineni'ed, unless the present inemhers of the Statt' sJKtuld elect to remain durini^ the winter, for that purpose, without pay. Should they not do so. it is very uncer- tain whether a competent and etHcient Statf can Ih) collected (oijether in the Sprini;; and even if this can ho done, a lon^ time will l>o requiivd to render new men, however eoinj)etent (hey may he, sulliciently familiar with the deiails of the line and the field notes, to enahle them to perform theii" duties intelli- iCenlly. If the present Staff Ix! entirely disbanded, and new men hroujfht upon the line. u])on a j^enei'al ix.*sum|)ti«tn of the work next Sprinj^, the result will inevitahly be, that these new men will assume that everythini;- has been done wroni^; and that their j^rincipal duty will he to correct previsaiy, in lalviii<>; aiivuiilaL,fO ol'llie ii-e, to iv-Mirvcy and mxiiiJ nevoral ol'tlio Iiivor cj'o.s>iiiortioi. of tht' Staff in constant em[»loymcnt for some time to come. I will reniark, with reference to the retention of a portion of the Staff upon unfinished work, during the Winter months, thai I consider it very important to retain the iJesident Engineer, under whose supervision the work has thus far been executed : and also either the Assistant Engineer, or the -Rodman, who has staked out the work, taken all the measurements, and made him- self entirely familiar with all the reference stakes, grade heights, bench marks, foundation levels, iS:c., kc, connected with both the location and construction of the lino, upon his particular sub- division. I have thcretbro been guided by this principle in making prc- m PAfly oiit of hi.s way to iiiduIy;o in his favorito and .sUirootyiicd Hing at the adminis- 'ration of tlic Eni;-iniH!riii,:j; J)e|»artnieiit, by saying: " It Would iio v«'ry grnlifyiiig to nio, and ^ave a htrgo sum of money, if the v liief Kiigineor woidd loolv after thr ii(;ce>>:irv ex))ense (»f his Stidf. i*i:c." Whi(di remark, nr ii> Mili«-tatire. he has repeated so truth himself; and to think, that in the minds of the l'ie>idcitl and Directors, to whom it is address«'d, i* should rovfr a nuili'tude of sins, both of oini>^sion antl of commix>i()n. nn his part. I'lit I tin not quite se<' liow in the preseyt inslainf, I lie staleineiit. cww if admitted to I'e true, can be made to siiitld him Inim a delinquency which lie claims to be entirely discoiin(>(t(>d from tin- admiidstration of that particular I)epartmeril. r mnst^ liowever, most respect fully deny the allegation, an]ioal to tlio Board of Director-, in ofiier to obtain full retlress and |iro'eclii>n. But ihc Ihct, tiiiit the- Contrai'toi' hits ne-ver siskeil the Direi'tors to intei'fei'e. either witli the or>;ani/.iUioM of the Slalf, or with the- gahiries allowed to them ^ and the additional fad, that he has constantly endetivored to break down and demoralize the Stalf. either by lefiisinij to pay a just ecinivalcnt for their ^ervic•es ; or^ a.H has been, and is ^tlll the ca^e, by i'efu>ing to pay them at all,. for the sole and (xpenly avowed reason that the a|)|)oinlnicnts were not in all ca>^os nindo or ai>proved by himself, atlbrd abiin- dant cvidenee, to my own mind, that it is not to •' save a large amount of money " in the ex]>enses of the Stalf, that his efforts are diiecfcd ; but that he is iletermined to itreak down the pro- sent I'higiiieering organization and lo re eonstruet upon its ruins, one over which he can eNorcise supron>o control, and thus .save to himself more ihan one hundred limes the total co>t of the present organization, in the charufler of work ai-d materials roqnireil in the constnielion U'ld equi]imcnt of the iload. Feeling, as I do, a sincoi'C desire to have this ve.\ed question settled permanently, and in a manner that shall be entirely just and equitable to all parlies, I bog leave to submit the following proposition fitr the wmsideration of the B<)urd of Directors and the Contractor. Let three competent and disintere-sted Civil Engineers be .«o- fecleil, one by the Railway Company, one by the Contractor, and one by the Chief Engineer, who shall decide : First. — As to whom, or to wlial parties, under the contract, have a right to the full control of the I'jngineering Department, both as to its organization, ap|)ointments, salaries, and duties to be )>crformeJ. Sticnnd, — As to wliether the expenses of the Staff in charge ol' eoiislniction, during the past year, have been greater tiian were absolutely necessary for the projwr care and execution of the work. Tlvrd. — As to whether th<>so expenses of the Start' have been relatively greater or less than is usmd or customary upon other similarly situated tirst class roads in the countr;y ; and if so, the per contngo or amount of excess or deficiency in those expensses. I will at the same time, if allowed by the Company, enter into aD agreement with the Contractor lo the following ortect : IumL • PAST, PHESENT ANI> PROSPECTIVE. 25 1st. If it shdl bo cloc-iiled Ihnt tlio coiiti-ol of the Kiiginecr Do- partinont hoioiii^s to the (^hief i'iii^iiicor, .sul»joct only to in.striic- tioiis from the lt:iil\v:iy Compiiiiy, the Coiitractiti" iniitst refrain from any interfereiieo witli it wliaiever. And if it ^hail he de- ciiled that llie coiilrol heioiii;'-* to tlie (,'oiitractor, the Ciiief Ku- giiioer must refrain from any inioi'ference witii it whatever. 2tl. Ifitsh.ill Ijo decided tiiat the expenses of the Staff in charge of construction, during the past year, liave been greater than was necessary foi- tlie pr(»|)er care and execution of the worlv ; or that they have been relatively greater than is usual or customary upon other similarly situated liist class roads in the counti-y, the Cliief Engineer shall jKiy over, or secure to tJio Contractor, such exce-s. iWd. If it shall he decided that the above exjjonses have been less than were iiccessary, or customary up(»n other roads, the Contractor shall make good the deliciency t>» such members of the Stalf as have produced this result, either by reason of the extra services which they have performed, or the inadequate rates of compensation which tlie}" have received. If the Contractcir will not agree to tlie above proposition ; or to one in some other f )rm which miiy be suggested, as affording an equally equitable solution of the difficulty, I think that the Bostrd of Directors must conclude that my theory of the case as above stated, is correct ; and that the Contractor is really waging an indirect warfare against the vital principles of the contract, instead of against any real or sujiposcd abuse and extravagance in the administration of the Engineer Department. And also, that his frequent, and sometimes quite olfensive allusions to these extravagancies, ai-e only a cover to the more direct and formidable attack upon the entire tlieory of the jn-esent Engi- neering Organization, which he contemplates making at an earlv day." 26 UEVIKW OP ENGINEEKIXd EXPENSES,- Extract from a letter addressed by the Chief Engineer to the Contractor, dated October 5th, 1874. " I f'oel compelled to state, lliat the sidininirstriition of your coiitracl lims far, seems to have been directed, almost eiilii-ely to ail eH'ort to de>troy the erticiciicy of the Kiigiiieoriii;^ Depait- mciit, b}- insisting upon the i-igiit to appoint aid control the ditferent members of the Staff, in direct violation of the intent and spirit of the contruct." CHIEF ENGINEER TO THE SECUETAUY. Quebec, February I'd, 1875. 2^ P. M. My Dear Sir, I have to acknowledge the rooeipt, this moment, from you, of a copy of a letter dated January 3()th, 187.'), diro.:tcd by Hon. Thos. McGreevy, to the President and Directors of the North Shore Railway Co., in which they are informed that Mr. McGreo- vy'tt foreman, Mr. llameL " has been ready for some time past to proceed with the work," of putting in the foundations at the St. Maurice llivor. ^\n I that ho " is unable to do so owing to the work not having been set out by the Engineer in charge, or proper jdans and instructions having been furnished by that Officer." I beg to inform you, in connection with this snbject, tliat 1 have given special directions that no more work shall be "set out " for Mr. McGreevy; or " plans and instructions furnished " to him by any member of this Department, until he has paid the "expenses connected with Engineering" as provided for io his contract. Whenever this is done, and some substantial guarantee given, that the Engineers and Inspectors required to superintend the work, will be paid promptly in future, I shall be most happy, "«4,wBi PAST, l'Rb>i:NT AM» !»Jl')ii|'ECTI VK. L'T Upon proper applicaliuii hi-'iny,- inado tu me by llie Coiitnictoi-, l<( ^oe lliut liis work is •■h^otoul,"' and thai lln' ueci's.sarv inslnu-- Jioris are irivcn for its projier execution. Yours voi'v Irulv, .V. II. V^KIiliK'r KsQ., ♦Secretary S. SKY.MOUi;, (/hiof Mnijineer,