The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-05-22

males il at SIC, 900 feet lineal, which at {
cents per foot would make 1t worth $500
This, Gen. Clover, the collector at Pittsburg,
a public officer. bought for 5000, and after
wards gave $40 extra Wren the timber
was laying at the aqueduct, Clover says in
his testimony that "Abner Laue proposed
to me to JOIN him in buying the bal
ance Of the timber after the aqueduct
was finished. i told him was in the EN-.
ploy OF the commonwealth, andI did not
think it right to 60 into such a speculation D
1t seems from the testimony Of MIR Gen.
Clover, that Mr.. Power settled part of his
accounts Nth him, but by what authority /
am at loss to determine. can find no law,
no precedent for such course.-..Had the
part settled by the general been settled
by the auditor general and placed upon the
file, as the law requires, il would have saw.
ed the commonwealth the trouble and ex-
pense Of resetiling this part Of them,
The balance Of the timberwas given in
charge by John A. Steele and John v. Criss-
we'll TO run il and return the proceeds 10 Mr..
Power. They took il TO Cincinnati and
sold il to Bailey, Lonstaff & Co. Mr.. Ma
lone, one Of the firm, appeared before the
commissioner and testified that they had
bought of Steele and Clisswell, in lsls,
ss, $50 cubic feet of timber, at six cents per
fool, amounting to s5,752 rs, also the ca
bles upon the RATS at SIS; that they gave
$500 dollars in hand, and notes for the bal-
ance, to be paid afterwards. Now it was
known that this timber had been sold, but
there was nothing in relation to it 10 be
found among the accounts of Mr.. Power, as
settled by the Auditor General. After the
investigation had been commenced, Gen
Clover appeared before the committee and
gave an account of two notes deposited in
bank, amounting TO s2,744 70, leaving a
balance OF 90, ,032 80 unaccounted for, TO
which if we add the 5000 paid by clover,
makes $3,2s2 80,
Criswell appeared before the committeej
seemed to know nothing definitely abou, it;
said Steele and himself ran i, to Cincinnati
sold i, to Bailey, Eongstaff b Co. at 8
cents per foot-got $500 in cash--gave two
notes to Cluver--balance went to bear ex-
pe1ses Three thousand two hundred and
thirty.two dollars and ninety nine cents to
run $3.50 feet Of timber 529 miles. II did
not cost $500.
come now TO the old iron. There was
large quantity of iron in the old aqueduct.
Il was scattered along the river-The prin-
cipal part of il was collected by the State
hands and delivered at Graft & Linsday's
wardhouse. This Gen. Clover purchased
from Mr.. Power at one cent per pound. Mr.
Morehead, of Freepor, offered two and
half cents pound for large quantity Of il,
but was asked three cents, bought small
quantity at this price. In the language of
the General, 81 purct ased from Alexander
Power all thd old iron and CASTINGS I could
find along the canal and river, for which
was to pay one cent per 10. gathered up II
or 25 TONS" Now mark The transaction. One
public buys the public properly from anoth-
Ell public officer, both watching over the
public interests. Suppose there were is
tons Of this iron, which would weigh SO, s,eoclbs
It was sold TO Graft & Linsday a, 81 cents
per pound--bought at one cent In this
aansaction he would pocket s5o4. The
amount this iron was sold for did not pass 10
the credit of the State until after the inves-
igation; neither was there any thing in re-
lation to illin the account o. MIR. Power
sn J.F. M'CULL0CH,
Of Wsstmoreland.