The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-04-06
From the Washington Union.
THE CAPITOL FRAUDS,

eSAS S&AA = \ vi = 3AoOo6I-
We begin our comments on, the report
OF the Seaate's committee on frauds, by an
examination Of the facts proved in relation
to the Capitol extension-the second case
treated OF in the report. Some weeks ago
We directed public attention to this matter,
gave our reasons for believing that exten-
sive frauds had been committed, and stated
their character and the manner in which
they had been perpetrated. Mr.. Fillmore's
organ in this city met US with quibbles and
evasions. and the whig press throughout
the country. with rare exceptions. denounc-
ed our efforts. Our own justification, there
fore. as well AS the public interest, require
~ to set forth. the facts whiehthe commit.
tee ofinves,igation Of has broagmto light.
From the beginning to the end. at every
stage and in every branch Of the work on
the wings Of the Capitol. there seem to have
been gross abuses, or deliberate fraud and
embezzlement The loose specifications
accompanying the original advertisement
Tor proposals, the mann er in which the con-
tracts were awarded, and the framing oil
the contracts themselves, justify tine grav-
est suspicious, which are fully confirmed
by the proceedings under them; while the
most corrupt proceedings on the part OF
the government agents, the use of unfit
materials, bad execution, the conversion
of public labor and materials to private
uses, waste, extra measurement for the
benefit of contractors, payments for work
never performed, and exorbitant payments
for labor, large portions Of which were re-
lNu mt full
tablished, il any reliance can be placed on
the direct and pointed evidence given un
der oath before the committee of invest-
CATION.
The losses sustained by the government
appear to have been greater from the mar.
BILE contract than from any other source.
and we therefore begin with that subjecr.
: II the architect had been competent he
could have calculated to mathematical
certainty the quantity OF marbleneeded for
the work. and the size ofevery block. But,
insaead Of doing this, he entered into
Q contract based on an estimate that
one fourth of the 100000 cubic feet OF
marble required should be delivered in
blocks containing more than thirty cubic
teet. and three-fourths in blocks contain
ing less than thirty cubic feet, but not bind
ing the contractor to any specific proper
ton. The largest block measure thirty
feet three inches, and the smallest fifteen
feet one inch and a half The contract
price of the former is one dollar and nine
ty eight cents cubic foot. and of the lat
ter sixty five cents, the difference being
one dollar and thirty three cents a cubic
foot. The larger block fill two courses,
the smaller fiji one course-two OF the lat
ter filing exactly the same space as one oI
the former. The government pays $59.-
80 for the larger blocks, aud 1896 for
two Of the latter-making difference a
gainsrthe government of $4o.93. which is
IN actnal loss whenever the larger blocks
are useG unnecessarily. Up to the time
when thfs point was examined by the COM
mitree there was no necessity Of using any
but the smaller blocks; yet the contractors
had delivered, according to a statement
furnished by the architect, dated the l 4th
Of February last. thirty three thousand
three hundred and twenty eight feet ofmar-
bic in blocks measuring over thirty feet,
costing sixty FIVE thousand nine hundred
and eighty nine dollars, and only eight
thousand two hundred and forty five feet
measuring less. and costing five thousand
three hundred and fifty nine dollars-total
cost seventy one thousand three hundred
and forty eight dollars. Had this quantity
Of marble been delivered in blocks meas
uring less than thirty feet. as it ought 10
have been, it would have cost only twenty
seven thousand and twenty two dollars
So we see that the government has been.
in the language Oft the committee, "feeced
out offourteen thousand three hundred and
twenty six dollars The report states the
esfima ated amount Of marble OF the larger
size at thirty nine thousand feet; but there
has already been delivered Of that size
where none was necessary. thirty three
thousand three hundred and twenty eigh1
feet. lf the same proportion be kept up in
future deliveries. and four hundred thous-
and feet be required for the whole build.
ing, the marble alone will cost six hund-
red and thirty two thousand six hundred
dollars. Estimating the quantity really re.
CURED in large blocks at fifty thousand
feet, the total cost Of marble ought TO be
two hundred and twenty seven thousand
Ave hundred dollars, which, subtracted
from six hundred and thirty three thousand d
six hundred dollars, shows that at the
present rate the government will lose JUS
three hundred and fifty nine thousand one
hundred dollars by the marble contracts
alone, II the quantity required doesno fall
short of the estimate.
The architect, If competent, could have
known beforehand how much marble would
be required, and the size Of every block
THEN persons wishing to- contract could
have made their propositions accordingly
and the contracts would have been speci.
fc and certain. But in concluding bar
gain by which vast difference was made
in the prices OF the large and small blocks
without fixing the quantity Of each. large
margin was left for tavoritisn and fraud
which the Senate's investigation shows has
been thus far used, as the committee states
with promptitude, ayidity. and freedom
to which preconcert and arrangement could
alone have given success.
Some Of the marble is unfit for use. and
very little Of it agrees with the sample and
contract. Thus far not one-hith OF tina
,,sed is white; four-fifths of it. at least. be