Letters of transmittal

Arranged in two subseries: Subseries 1, Correspondence Concerning Weekly Reports; and Subseries 2, Correspondence Concerning Monthly Estimates. Arrangement within subseries is chronological.

Under the 1903 Barge Canal Law (Chapter 147), a Special Deputy State Engineer was charged to directly supervise the entire Barge Canal project. The Special Deputy State Engineer was appointed by and responsible to the State Engineer and Surveyor and carried out these duties until 1922.

This series contains originals and carbon copies of incoming and outgoing correspondence directed to or generated by the Special Deputy State Engineer and Surveyor to appoint a Special Deputy State Engineer who was to supervise directly the construction of the Barge Canal. During the period covered by this series, William R. Hill served as Frederick Skene's Special Deputy State Engineer.

The correspondence deals with the transmittal of monthly estimates, weekly reports, contract progress photographs, work force distribution sheets, abstracts, vouchers, and monthly concrete reports. None of these records are contained in this series. The bulk of the series is rather routine but there are a number of documents which contain considerable information on reporting and accounting procedures followed by the Special Deputy State Engineer to ensure that work on Barge Canal contracts met proscribed standards.

Most of the correspondence was generated by the resident and division engineers who submitted their reports to the Special Deputy State Engineer. There is also correspondence from the Special Deputy State Engineer to the State Engineer and Surveyor and vice versa. The series is arranged in two sub-series: correspondence mainly concerning weekly reports; and that dealing with monthly estimates. Occasionally, records are interfiled between sub-series.

Folder list.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.