The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-26

on an estimate that one fourth oil the four hundred cuo
feet OF marble required should be delivered Ia BLOCKS
containing more than thirty cubic feet and three-oufhs
blocks containing less than thirty cubic iee out not
binding the contractor 10 any SPECIFIC pfopoflon. Inc
largest blocks measure thirty feet three inches, and
the smaller fifteen feet one inch and halt The con-
tract price OF the former Is dollar aud ninety
cents cubic foot and OF the latter sxty-hve cents. the
difference being dollar and thrty.hree cents cubic
foot The larger block I'LL two the smaller fill
one cousetwo of the latter filling exactly the space
as one OF the former The government pays $50 80 for
the larger blocks. and SIS 6o for two Of the lstems
king difference against the government OF $40 %, which
is an actual loss whenever the larger blocks used
unnecessarily. Up TO the time when this point ex-
amined by the committee there necessity of using
any bat the smaller blocks yet the contractors had dev
cred, according statement furnished by the architect
dated the l4h of February last 1928 feet OF marble in
blocks measuring thirty feet, costing sos ,9s9, and
only SPAS feet measuring less, and costing 5,359total
H 3as Had this quantity of marble been delivered in
blocks measuring less than thirty feet ought 10 have
been, ii would have only 27.o22. So see that the
government has BEEN in the language of the committee.
aeeced out Of $i4,32e." The report states the esma
ted amount of marble of the larger size at 1000 feet
none was necessary 3332s feet II The proportion
be kept up in future deliveries and 100000 feet be
CURED for the whole building the marble alone will
$632 600 Estimating the quantity really required in
large blocks at so 900 feet the total of marble ought
to be $227 $780, which, subracted from $685. 800, shows
that at the present rate the will lose just $780,
100 by the marble contracts alone if the quantity repaired
does not fall short OF the estimate. @
The architect, if competent could have known before
hand how much marble would be required. and
the size Of every block. Then persons wishing TO
contract could have made their propositions accord
ingly and the contracts would have been specific and
certain. But in concluding bargain by which vast
difference was made in the prices OF the large and
small blocks, without fixing the quantity of each,
a Iage margin left for favotsm and fraud, which
the Senate's investigation shows has been thus far
used as the committee States witha promptitude avid
ity and freedom, to which preconcert and arrange
ment could alone have given success.
Some OF the marble is unfit for and very little OF
il agrees with the samples and contract Thus far not
one-fth OF that used is white ioar-fths OF it, at least
being more or less varegated with unseemy spo,chesn
many instances gray color predomnating. The marble
is delivered at the wharf rough state and after being
carried to the Capitol, it is cut to the desired shape by
another set OF contractors This portion OF the work,
according to the testimony of VIM Easily. the Commits
soner of Public Buildings has been given by the arch
ect by private contract certain parties prices said 10
be about one hundred thousand dollars above what
Others would have executed the work for and the su
pentendent OF the extension declared that if such
trac, had been made, fifty thousand dollars must have
been paid for it.
We have not yet exhausted this point OF the case but
we will close the present article by the following sum
ming up taken from the committees report, which we
commend to the special attention Of those wing journals
which have attempted to frighten from this nves,
CATION:
"Ths testimony full and direct. in its bearing upon
every point the opinion above expressed that
nothing moro deemed here than TO Indicate,
in the ing brief summary the leading facts which
are proved by the Witnesses examined and confirmed in
many i'm poriaut particulars by the almost daily personal
observation members Of the committee These facts
ares
al That large portions of the materials used in con-
srucng the foundations Of the building and in the
structure so has progressed, Of inferior and
improper in quality and not in
fomiy with the Of the contracts under which they
were furnished.
~ That owing TO the inferior quality of the materials
or to other even causes much larger qua
ties ofmaerias than necessary have been used in
some instances doubling the OF the work, without Inn
proving In degree the appearance or increasing the
strength Of the building.
80 That of the work, especially In the founda-
tiop, has been only with inferior materials, but
in manner nartistc In the opinion Of the commit
tee 10 render unsuitable and insecure for the purposes
its construction and unsghy TO reflect discredt
ON tho architecture country SO bad, indeed have
the committee portions ef thi, work. that they
are disposed to adopt strong language Of distinguished
genleman-a member of the Sena,e-largey experienced
in building who when examining IL with two members
of the committee declared that such work is disgaceio
and would not be permitted for the cellar walls Of New
England kitchen
90 That systematic peculstion and embczzemen'
have been pracscd by the persons inusted with the
and Of the work. by means Of
false whereby large portions Tin some instances
nearly onchal Of the public money, charged to tho gov
eminent as paid for labor have been abstactcd from the
osenble wages OF the laborng as the condition oil
their employment, and pocketed by the superintendent
and his subordina,e Some idea may be formed OF the
amount OF money absorbed by this species OF black mail
when that for large portion OF tho tme the
number OF employed upon this work has ranged from
five to seven hundred day.
"5 That in some instances, Incompetent persons, who
wore not mechanics, have been employed for work In
which experienced and sku mechanics were required
and hi, inadvertently ignoranuy, but evidently as
mode whereby this black mail was more eashy eVieo
upon government, and tho laborcr and In some In
stances whereby the subordinate superintendent" were
permitted and enabled to receive full iourneYmens wages
for their nppre~tfcss.
"6. That more persons have been employed upon the
work necessary proper may have been OBJ
served by every member Of Congress In passing daily
through the Capitol grounds while the work was going on
If fr0u1 he