Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-03-19

A
liability To be overcome before the state
ment could be credited; but in tho conclu.
4 ding paragraph Of the same sentence CO.
ours what he calls another error, and IL is
equally extraordinary, where $1,000 is
able 10 another particular. IL il be q mis-
take IN copying. II 10 moro consistent with
itself than that which IL is said was the
true paper, and which was 10 be substitu-
ted IN its place. II the bid were $40 for
carrying atr,-weekly mail. then, according
to the pro rata established by the present
Postmaster General. the daily mail should
bear the proportion to that sum which
does to y, and u $40 be the price OF the tri-
weekly. the daily mails should be SS3 50,
within So 81 Of the improved bid. Buff
the bid for tri weekly mail were 81 400,
then, at the same ratio. the daily would be
s3,266 66 differing 1866 sc from the
alternative OF that which is alleged 10 have
been the intended bid. But the Postmas-
ter General says IN the paper, above set
out, that Reside alleged that both altern.
atives OF that intended bid were to apply
TO daily lines. This would, If true, imply
third mistake IN the copying clerk, or
an Impossible construction OF the bid,
which - clear enough and accurate in its
general language: "we do agree to carry
the mail on route number 1881, from Ha-
gcrstown to McConnellsburg, via Welsh
Run and Mercersburg. as advertised. for
the yearly compensation Of $40; or wa
will carry the same SO as to connect the
mail at each place with the great eastern
and western mails. daily in four horse post
coaches, at the yearly compensation Of
ninety nine dollars" The word daily could
not have been intended TO connect with
the first section Of the sentence. Any In
dividual. however uniformed. in the rules
Of construction, would at once pcfceivs
that it could not be so connected. But
one fact is decisive on the subject. the
first clause OF the sentence proposes To
carry the mail "as advertised" and twas
advertised to run Fri weekly; and il 10 so
stated by the Postmaster General in the
above cited paper But what Is still more
decisive on the subject is the fact, that on
the 18th Of October, 1881. Reside exc
cuted a contract, by which he bound him
self TO carry the mail on this route tri-
weekly for $40 year. See Doc. So.
On the whole, II would seem TO your coms
mttee that the pretexts used by this indi.
vidual were so gross and palpablc that 1t
would require nothing but perusal to ex-
pose them. Still, as the contractor h pos
itive in his assertions that the bid was put
in by mistake. and as the Postmaster Ge-
neral In his before mentioned address also
joins in the assertion. your COMMITTEES
thought il their duty 10 take the cxamina-
ton Of several Witnesses on that point, the
substance OF whose evidence they will now
proceed to detail.
Daniel Sbseiler (See Doc. 54,) testi-
fies that he and andrew Lindsay, were
the former contractors, on this route, that
they put 10 bid again for il in the fall Of
1881 and he concludes in these words:
~ remained IN Washington until after iba
bids were given in and the next day al.
ter they were all put in, met Reside,
and said to him, well Colonel, suppose
you will take my route from me Yes,
said he. ! will take il in spite Of every
body. put 10 for that route at $40 for
tri weekly mail, and for daily mail $50
or 500 odd. You need not be uneasy
about IL; | will establish the route and
give you as much stock on il as you want.
This was after The bids were all given in,
sud before the contracts were cried of"
q. w. Mckinstry, (See Doc. 55.) tes-
titles that he was In the room in the Gene.
raj Post Office when James Resides bid
on the route from HsgerstowD 10 Met Con-
nellsburg was announced that "at the
time OF leitir. ihss contract there was a
good deal ol iaik among the contractors as
10 how Reside could take it SO low as
40 dollars. Mr. Reside said, Il think
il was 10 the ross,, but before I left the
General Post Office that the reason of
taking il 40 low was that he intended 10
connect that route with the Eclipse Line
established through the Glades to Vince
| ling. | do moi Iecoilect who IL was that
was speaking to him about il. bis observa-
ton MAS not made 10 me, but being gene
arlly addressed TO those near him, heard
as suppose others did,
Elliot Il. Lane, (see doc. 56.) being
sworn, and the following interrogatory pro-
pounded, ." Have you at any time had a
conversation with James Reeside, concern
ing his contract for carrying the mail from
Hagersiown TO McConnelsburg II so TO
| state what he said ."---Answers, :" Tho
| time | am not certain, but know II was
soon or immediately after the contract was
given out in the fall OF 1891. He asked
me what supposed be had taken the con-
tract at. told him supposed he would
| get an increased price, as his stock was &C.
uerally good, and stock on that road was
not good. He then stated that be bad put
in a bid. il was forty or forty 6ve dollars
for every other day, and ninety or some
where in ninety for an every day stage
We had good deal Of conversation about
contractors on the national road. he was
a good deal excited. be had not been used
well by them. lie said that rather than
not have got that cross line :" intersectthe
line at Nee onnelsbnrg, he would have
given the department 1--WE hundred dollars.
I His object appeared TO be to have direct
line along that road to intcrsect the Whee-
ling Iipe.n