Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-03

plu progress OI tillc llSuSeQ never 10 DE recall
ed;--all these things so affected my mind, that
said to Mr.. Mason, if did know Mr.. Marti-
neau, who appeared very candid in his cores
pondence,--if could be satisfied of his talents
for the work, and of his integrity, ~ believed,
great as the hazard was, should be excited to
take him by the hand in the contract. If you
:" will do that, Vaudeville, / will 60 heart and
hand with yoW"--those were the very words
of Mr.. Mason. | suppose he spoke of this to
other members of the Board; as at our next
meeting Mr.. Janney passed across the table to
me pencilled note to this effect {" If Joseph
Vaudeville will take part in this contract,
S" Mr.. Martineau's, | understeod,) | am con-
" tento My answer was (" That will depend
son circumstances After this observed to
Mr. Mason, that if took on myself, for the ad
vantage of the Company, a business of such
hazard and importance, would not put my CO
partnery business to Inconvenience. That l
must be assured of support in the undertaking
by the Bank of Potomac, upon security given,
and to keep the accounts there. Such was the
substance of what | said on that subject. I'm.
derstood he consulted with other members
thereof and Mr.. Phineas Janney, for himself,
encouraged the belief that there would be no
difficulty regarding the aid of that Bank as
spoken of. Information regarding Mr.. Marti-
neau caused in me hesitation. and strong doubt
of my safety in association with him. Mean
time he made an offer (No. 81 for Golfer dams
alone to the Aqueduct; with a condition that
model, of his invention, of Coffer-dam,
should be approved by Engineers. | objected
to such contract because it would compel
us to make contracts for all building materi-
ais, tools, and workmen, for the Piers; Would
inflict upon the Board long, continual, hea-
Wy and troublesome charge they could not
be competent to, and subject the Company
to great loss of money, and more grievous
loss of time, the greatest injury of all to us.
The contract was carried by yeas and nays
on which occasion the President interested him
self more particularly than, | thought, was ne
cessary or proper. Mr.. Hunter and Mr.. Brock
EFT were one or both absent. Col. Kearney in
spectcd and condemned the model, and saved
us from that act of costly folly; and had cause
to rejoice at my escape from connection with
visionary theorist. Soon after the Board recei-
we'd his fourth offer-John Martineau and Hugh
Stewart. 1t went off know not howl believe
from the supposed inability of the parties to per
form it; or possibly MIR. Stewart refused to pro-
coed with it. Then followed, in quick success
sion, the fifth offer-Martineau and Kidwel.
believe that was deemed unworthy of cOnside-
ration; think the President put it in his pocket,
to return it. Thus, upon two accepted offers,
Mr.. Martineau failed; and three Others each
succeeding one as Objectionable as the former,
were declined as insufficient. did not expect
Mr.. Martineau ever again could offer; much
less that with such knowledge as the old mem
bers had of him, the present Board would make
the contract it concluded with him, had no other
been before them. A person under the sigma
ture of Civis," a member ofthe late Board, |
believe, has said that Mr.. Martineau had as good
a recommendation as Mr.. William LIE Baron. 7
did not know ii; never before heard of it, and
do not think it was so. But surely Mr.. Marti-
neau's own authority cannot be questioned,
when he admitted, as | am assured he did do,
his want of capital and means for that contract.
now will ask how Mr.. Martineau came to
know after his first offer was, with the other of
fers, declined that the contract was open; which
no one besides him appeared to know? How
came he to make his second offer, with MIR. Bar
gy, at about $4,000 less than his first, unless he
knew that his former one was so greatly above
the others that it could not be countenanced;
and was then, by some one, encouraged to offer
again. the field being cleared OF all competitors,
at price much lower than before; but yet up
wards of S 1000 above LIE Baron's offer? Look
at LIE Barons character again. Who will an
swer this queston?-For what reasons were LIE
Baron & Co.'s offer, at S166, 1874, rejected, and
the same work then awarded to Martineau &
Bargy at upwards ST., 900? After the failure
of Martneau & Bargy, how came Mr.. Martineau
to offer No. 8 for COfter-damS alone? in the We
ry teeth of our specified conditions? Ifnot en-
couraged so to do he would be without excuse.
On failure of the Coffer-dam offer, he soon came
with No. 4-himselfan and Stewart Scarcely had
that disappeared, before he offered No. 5-him-
self and Zedekiah Kidwell All these things
could not well have so happened, without some
private correspondence unknown to the Board.
never doubted that it was so. Whomsoever
ifany one, held such intercourse, did you ire
parable injury, and deserves your indignant re-
prehension. | believe that bare majority of
the late Board entertained an undeserved OPT
Mon of Mr. Martineau-that they maintained
that opinion unreasonably, and that you have
thereby lost one full years progress with the
whole work of your Canal; also heavy loss Of
money; directly by Mr.. Martineau, in part, as
it is said, by advances to him; and by continued
expense of superintendent, for many months,
without work to superintend. shall, in strict
defence against a charge ofcorruption, regard
ing undue interest in advocating an offer for
contract inform you, for the last time, of other
proceedings ofthe late Board, which may lead
me to notice Of the only offer for contract
wherein was included.
Your friend and obedient servant
JOSEPH VAUDEVILLE.
Bonaparte and the Council Of Five Hundred
A SCRAP FROM HISTORY,