New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-13
WASHINGTON.
AIR. strora and the New Custou-IIouses mt Mobile
and san FranciscO-fereign Missisns-survey OF
Behring's straits-The Inspector-t;enerai, sc.


Cortspondence of The N. Y Tribune.
WASHINGTON CITY, wednesday, May II, 1858.
AT the close of Mr.. Corwins administration of the
Treasury Department advertisements were issued for
PROPOSALS for the construction of the Customhouse
at Mobile, for which Congress had appropriated.
large number Of bids received most OF them being
for portions of the work -Four parties however, bid
for the whole work follows, viz. f. Ii. Lane, SIPS,
G29; c. Adams, $l5s756 L. Drew, S3l5,32l, and
s. stroue, S174226 But the late Administration
went out of Office ere it was possible to consum-
mate contract, more especially as 1t was found
that there was defect in the title of the property
on which the building is proposed to be erected
Subsequently, the District Attorney at Mobile has been
engaged in remedyng this defect, and the Department
il in daily expectation of receiving notice that il no
longer exists Though upon the face of the bids above
mentioned that of f. H. Lane appears to be the lowest
il is understood that there certain proVsos and cos
peences attached to that and others which render the
bid of Strong the best the Government Strong has
assigned his bid to Jan and Sweet of Wisconsin, the
FIRST being lawyer and The latter practical contract
ing builder If the contract is made on the proposals
now before the Department, it is thought that these
parties will get 1t.
MI Strong is really as lucky under the present
under the late Administration The bid OF Barton Tor
the construction of the San Francisco Mint B understood
TO have been his in reality, b. having been one of his
head workmen foremen 1t was, you will remember,
the successful bid subsequently transferred 20 the pro-
prietors Of the old gougng esabshment-the California
Assay Office. Mr. Strong earned anything but an enyia-
bic nOtOrety from his connection with the construction
of the extension of the Capitol of which he lately
the SUPERINTENDENT He went out Of that position with
the Democratic Press in full hue and cry at his heels
So il seems strange that the present Administration Is
thus compelled TO award him ION his bd contract after
contract In all cases the largest and most important they
Lave to give out But the law is imperative. So long
as he bids lowest, just long must they give this Mr.
Strong their jobs although it is not to be doubted that
each such necessity is an additional dose OF gall and
WOrmwOOd to them.
Ibear that some of the bidders for the Mobile Custom
House have sent protests the Treasury Department
against the official construction which has been placed
on their respective tenders. Indeed may write that
know this 10 be true which thus increases the necessity
for re0pening the whole matter by calling for pro-
posals on specifications more clearly made out.
The friends Of Hon. Alfred Gilmore, of Pa, conf
IDENTITY expect that foreign mlss0D-s0me chargeship-
will tall TO his lot Those OF Col j. T. Pickett, Of The
Louisville Times who led the sorming party OF the Lo-
PEE expedition Cardenas insist that he issure ~ carry
of the Vera Cruz COnsulship ldoubt the fact, how
ever as the Administration will hardly send any gentle
man connected with that unfortunate affair, however tai
ented and deserving TO any Spanish country in an official
capacity Mr. SOue entirely satisfied them that he had
DO sympathy with lawbreaking from this country 10 in
tererng in the affairs OF any other country, before he
was commissioned to Spain. 1t seems 70 be probable
that Mr. Charles Helm will get the Sc. Thomas Con
sulship, though he does come from Kentucky, which
State has been well provided for up TO this time The
appointment will be capital Your readers will
please to place no confidence in the elegaphc rumors
Saying that either Messrs George Saunders Of the de-
funct Democratic Reriep his friend, Col. Carey of
Cincinnati will get anything from the Administration.
Such event is an utter lmpossbty though they dId
aid in kicking up the Odd fuss generally" without
which it questionable whether General Pierce would
have been nominated.
The steamer Fulton which has Just returned to Nor
folk Va from her trip clearing the late Vice President
King TO Havana will fit out as possible and may
be expected leave In about days again join the
Gulf squadron.
The squadron OF Commander Ringgold, now taking in
instruments, stores armament &c, at the Norfolk yard
will sail for the survey of Behring's Straits in about
fortnight.
trial witness for some time past is TO command
the Fulton On her return above mentioned In place
Of 1t Murray, her present commander.
The prospects Of Bt. Col o. X. L. Mansfield Of the
Engineer Corps, now considered to be best for
the vacant Inspector-Generalship, though he il not
known as an applicant the muchcoveted position He
originally rendered the enntendency Of the con-
sructi0n of the extension Of the subsequently
accepted by his junior 1t. Meigs-which he declined
Col. Mansfield is Of course Democrat
The remarkable event Of the day In Washington Il
the fact that for quite hour just before noon there
was not an otfeeseeker to be seen in the anroom of
the Secretary of the Treasury or his Assistant, Mr.
PeterG. Washington.
l am able to write positively that the appointments
for the District Of Columbia will not be made before the
3Oth Of June Washington has been in much confusion
upon these matters which of course interest our midi
eenous ohice-seekes vastly, as quite hundred and
nifty minor places that are to be the plumber OF the local
hungry ones only are in the gift of those who may De sue
eessful IN getting the hafdezen Presidential places
above referred to- MAsAssA.