The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-12-17
testimony did not wash you quite SO clean
as you would have the public infer.

to this effect: That on the letting of the Sec
Ond contract for the construction Of lock- No.
i, nearest Chicago, happening to be at Lock-
port, he had been advised by Gen. Fry then
the State Trustee, to propose for the con-
struction Of that lock; that he was referred
by Gen. Fry to You for information in rela-
ton to the time and manner Of completing
that lock, that he did so apply to You. That
you informed him that the rock for facing
the lock must be procured at Cleveland,
Ohio; that its transportation here would cost
five dollars per ton; that the stone for back
ing Of the lock must be hauled over land
from Athens, a distance of twenty miles !;
and that the lock had TO be completed by the
4th of July then next, and now last past, and
that in pursuance of such information from
you he bid for the work, and consequently
bid at paying rate for all these considera-
tons. The contract for this lock was award
ed to your brother-in-law, who by your per-
mission gets the stone for backing within a
mile or two of the lock, instead of having to
haul it twenty miles using stone which
others were told they would not be permit
ted to use, and which is unfit for the use to
which it is applied.
Had you placed all these facts before the
public, how then would the matter appear?
1t might fairly be inferred that Mr.. Hardy
had different information than was furnished
to other contractors, and enabling him 10 UNI
derStand them.
It's from such pregnant facts as these that
supposed to use your own language, that
call your dealings with Mr.. Hardy have not
been conducted under general rules Of Off
ctai proceedings" or if general at all, only so
as applied TO him and your other relatives.
Had the information that the backing for
this lock might be obtained within mile of
1t been made known, instead of requiring
that it should be hauled twenty miles; and
had the further fact that the lock might be
completed al the convenience of the con-
tractor, also been made known, would not
Mr.. Hardy have suffered from the competi-
ton? ASsurcdly he would.
For This and many other jobs, Mr.. Hardy
has become contractor since his relation
ship to you, although your proiessedly cam
did reply would have it believed otherwise.
No one would be disposed to disfranchise
"honorable and efficient men because they
are or become related to the engine er," but
all would concur in an admonition to both
relative and engineer, that they so conduct
themselves rs to he free from faint. if not
free lypm suspicion.
The very relationship will cause suspicion,
unattended by such circumstances as have
mentioned; but when suspicion is encoura-
ged by circumstances, when circumstances
are fortified and corroborated by facts, the
conclusion is inevitable. will here men,
ton that when Gen. Fry was called upon to
sanction the letting of this contract TO your
"honorable and Efficient brother-in- law. he
declared that he should protest against it,
because this same ''honorabe and ellieient''
relative had been silent partner in the first
contract forthc completion Of this very lock
which contract had been abandoned: il be-
ing rule with the managers of public
works, not to relet the same work to con-
tractors who have once abandoned such
work: rule which you did not find it pro-
per to enforce where your ''honorabe and
efficient" relative might suffer by it, but
which you have enforced with other con-
tractors who had not the luck to have rela.
a'ives in the engineer department TO sustain
their interests or to proclaim for them. rs
you have so modestly done for yours: their
superior pretens0ns to honor and efficiency.
That your assistants have for the most
part conducted business with Mr.. Hardy. is
probable enough: but you appoint your as
sstants, and TO displease Mr.. Hardy might
be fatal to them. How much purer you may
make the transactions by fltering them
through an alembc Of such n character,
cannot say.
This family communion, this common
helping, this identity of interests where iden.
tity should not be, has a bad appearance and
ought to be avoided. How far this influence
extends on the score of favoritiSm to con-
tractors, is uncertain: but there is no doubt
that it has been actively employed in filing
the public ear with praises of yourself, and
with denuncia,ions Of all those who do not
feel disposed without some scrutiny, 10 ioin
in the vocitcrouS choruSes SO perseveringly
chanted in your praise.
Let me state another case for your con.
Sideration. Your brother was n contractor
for completing the tow path along the Des
Planes river: he was required by the assiS
tant engineer in charge of the work to drive
certain piles used in the completion of the
work, in such way that they should remain
! firm and solid this reduced your brothers
profits; thereupon he applied to you and you
gave directions TO the assistant not TO CON-
pei your brother to perform his contract in
the substantial manner required, in conSe.
quencc Of which the piles driven in pursu.
ance of your Instructions were removed by
the ice, while those driven pursuant To the
requirements of the assistant remain firm
Was this corruption and iavoritism on youl
part, or was it incompctcncy There are
two horns to this dilemma left at your op.
ton.