The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11
enormous exnenditures on depot established

enormous expenditures on depot established
without authority law, with the full knowledge
that no corresponding benefit could result from It's
establishment either to California or the United
States intend il TO be distinctly understand,
She SAYS, that these extraordinary expenditures
swere known 10 the Secretary of War, and not
disapproved by him."
Now, in relation To the present Secretary Of
War, these expenditures were made before he
came into office. He never authorized any build
ings to be erected this depot; and neither he nor
Mr.. Crawford could have known of them from this
report, which was made the goth June, 1851 long
after the expenses were incurred. shall show
presently what buildings were erected by authorl-
ty Of Mr.. Crawford, and what by authority Of
the commanding general, and that the present
Secretary of War, as soon as he was informed Of
the great expenditures already made, and Of others
proposed, directed their immediate discontnuance.
And infer from the repor, of Major Vinton, Of
29th March, 1850, to the Adjutant General, that
until then the War Department was not specii-
cally informed of the buildings erected by order Of
the commanding general, or of the expenditures
upon them. For in that report Major Finton
gave detailed account Of the different buildings
and furnished plans Of them which, regularly,
should first have eenapproved blythe Department.
And it appears that several of them, commenced
before July, lS49, were completed IN October and
November Of that yenr. A report made 10 the
Secretary OF War on the 9th April last, by the
Quarternaster General, will show what was au-
thorized by Secretary Crawford:
QuARrERaA srER GEvrRkI 'orFIcg.
WAsHIsGroS Cry. .iril -, 1859.
SIR In reply to voa inquiries IN regard the change OF
the principal depot othe Army from san francisco 10 BE
nica, in California, aud the manner in which the necessary
buildings erected, have the honor To report that the
subject ofhnldinss well for the ise Of The troops as for
the protection Of the pnhc stores on the Pacific Ind re-
ceived the early attention of Mr. Secretary Marcy Cap
tain Folsom Assistant snaermaste NJ san Francisco, had
recommended lat materials or buildings should be sent
n psa
California; Mr. Marcy thought arorably Of lc measure
and directed me 10 orcaniza board Of OH eerlne
and report upon plans Of buildings for officers quarters
soldiers barracks, and store houses to project The public
supplies ,.,.,s o
paper marked A, with the accompanying plans herewith
They reported the 2d OF March. but Dir Marcy 10
go out ofoce tile next day. he, Of course would gGe NJ
sructons the subject As after Mr., Crawford
installed into office possible brought the matter 70 his
notice, but he disappeared Of The propositions and on The 9Th
of April, lsi9 Informed Captain Folsom o his decision.
and referred him 10 California nroreaon for The materials
70 build suitable store house opraect the supplies which
the only building then authorized
In consequence OF TIE difficulty aud expense Of landing
asked for houses and quarters for the
troops there, General Smith changed the depot from san
Francisco 10 Benica Think Aprl and in letter TO
the Adiutant Genero dated the 2lst of Nav he recon-
nlended that point the permanent dept This letter was
received on the 2O Of July and the same day referred 10
the Secretary who. the 2ls Of july made norSe
ment nf which the following extract . Dept 10
be changed rs recommended G. w, O." ON the 23d of
July Adiuan addressed instructions
10 General Smith. Of which the following An extract;
Your communication of Nav Is. which submitied
the Secretary OF War on lis receipt has considrre
and instructed say, that The transfer OF the Army
depot from san Francisco Beica, the straits Of
.karqninez, Is fully approved H. JoSEs, Adjutaii Cen
eral.n
About This time, the subec, sending suitable buildings
from the Atlantic 10 The Pacific again presented nr te'
consideration OF the Secretary ofhr and ne auihorzedme
have materials for suitable buildings prepared aud sem
from the Atlantic: and, IN accordance with lbs instrlc
TONS directed Lieutenant Colonel Thomas. on the 21h
of July proceed Maine and have materials prepared
and sent 10 California The Colonel executed the duty
confded To him successful Paper marked y Is
duplicate Of report winch he made on the instant de
failing his operations, and stating the cost % them With
the exception of few small iron buildings out these
are all that were authorized from this Office. except the
sorehouse referred u above and, before stated they
sanctioned BY the Secretary % War. They all
Necessary and costly rs proved 10 put them up A. Be
ca, and other posts California. More thanone hundred
thousand dollars were saved 10 the Treasury by sending
them from the Atlantic.
have the honor 10 be. sir. your obndicni servant
:, tn 3 JEslP. Qiarteraaster General
The Hon c. VI. CONRAD, SsrrctaLgof HGr,
Washington city.
The result Of the deliberations of this board was
that they advised the buildings to lie erected prn
cipally Of wood. have here the drawings OF
most Of the buildings which the Secretary autho-
rized. One Of these buildings was a, store-house,
Of which do not find the plan, and which was
put up ~ the commanding general under the au-
thority Of Secretary Crawford. The other build
ings which he authorized were contracted for in
the State Of Maine, and very iudicious measures
were taken TO secure economy in their purchase
and erection. Colonel Thomas, ofihe Quar;ermas-
ter General s Bureau, went 10 the State Of Maine,
and there made the contracts for two buildings for
officers quarters, two for barracks, TWO for store
houses, and one for guard hoase. The timhers
were ell framed and ready to he put up on be-
ing landed IN Denicia-ihe Misunderstanding was
planet and rabbeted-tbe flooring iongued and
groovel. and, IN fact, everything necessary was
SO prepared and shipped for that Territory, so rs
10 require the least possible LABOR To be done IN
California. The same officer shipped party -
good and efficient mechanics, carpenters, brick
layers, and masOns. and plueFers, q blacksmith.
and painter, all under contract to work for the
Government for one hundred days after their ar
rival on favorable terms. and It Is honorable 70 the
character Of these Eastern merhancs. that not
withsanding al temptations and inducements 10
violate their contracts, they remained faithful and
fulfilled their agreement, az about one third the
current wages of the country. The price of the
materials varied according to kind aud qu'li'y,
from nine 10 twenty-one dollars per thousand feet,
and the total cost Of materials. tools, freight, and
passage money, was s6l sal -. By these means,
AS the Quartermaster General says. more than
100000 was saved 10 the Government; and this
was the sort of eXirayRgance sanctioned by Sec
retary Crawford
Major Allen, The quartermaster who succeeded
Major Vinton, gives as history Of these expeDd-
lures. II seems that he took charge on the l,i of
July, lSI9; and many the buildings were erected
in the fiscal wear c1ding 30th of Jaue, 1850. IN
July, l5i9, Mr.. Crawford chnged his opinion.
and determined that il would he more advantage
GUS 10 the Government 70 have the materials pro-
vided on the Atlantic coast. aud shipped hy sen.
Therefore, one of the assistants of the Quarter
master Generals Bureau, Colonel Thomas. was
sent as have said, % the State of Maine. where
he made the contract which ] have mentioned.
These were the buildings authorized IS Mr. Sec
rotary Crawiofd. IN addition TO Tie single store.
house which General Smith was specially author
lied To erecia Benc.a. The other Buildings were
erected without such AUTHORITY. and without plans
from the Quauermnster's Department, which a
regulation of the Army requires should be far
nishcd before their erection. The great bulk ~
the expense was incurred W the erection of these
buildings, on General Smith = responsibility And
40 far from Mr.. Secretary Crawford being, ms the
Senator from California wishes IL distinctly under,
stood, fully informed &c the expenditures and ap-
proving of them, am able to state, on flll au.
thorIty, that no report appraised him If them,
and that the accounts of quertermas,ers cxpend-
lures ~ California. for the third and fourth
quarters 81 ls49. and the first quarter of 1850 were
not received IT the Office Of General Jesup tin the
10th Of May, 1850, while those of the second,
third, and fourth quarters of 1850 were not re-