Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1853-12-20

mode Of calculating the expenditures and re-
suits is the only true and legitimate one, and
can be comprshended by all WhQ understand
addition. substraction nultipIici ion and di-
vision. Should this mode OF "a eSpen-
ditures and results be objected upon the
ground that all ,,f the disburse eilt are inclu-
ded reply, that it Is fair in prIicipaltor the
one as the other. Besides Il Is the basis of
the ordnance calculations, see Capt. Magma
dier's testimony before the Court Of Inquiry of
1916. He says, " Ilaye compared tho e1peil-
eitures and products under the two systems
carefully and impaFtiaily, In making the
comparison have talsenno superintendent
estimate ofthe cost oftte musket under his adj
minisiration, but have determine "a for myself
upon the basis Of tile money spent and the
arms made" Surely this is ge5d authority
and safe precedent, as the CaptSin doubtless
understood the ordnance calcdlation. He
made the saving TO the GoVeFingnt up 70 that
time under tho military suPerintel ehey 5000
334 81, upon paper. Iasked lin how he ar
rived at such a conclusion. i replied that
he assumed that the cost ofeach musket fabri-
Gated under the military sqperintendeney
would havebeen, if made II:del tllc civil, 81 :,
"A, because forsooth that was the cost in / 74O
"a wise and sage conclusion
1t was well known TO the ordinance Office
that the work performed in that year, was
paid for principally by the day, there being
no tariff ofprce for the new model. This was
unavoidable, rs the component parts of the
new differed entirely from those of the old mod
cl. Cot. Talcott admitted that the cost of fab
ricating the parts would ncccessarialy be great
er, until experience i'll their fabrication would
enable the superintendent to make tariff of
prices wllicL. would be Just and equitable to
the Government and wOrkrnen. Ills direction
to ne was, do the best vou can under the pres
cnt circumstances of the case. change
however, it seems came ''over the spirit Of his
dream" and in lS4l a new Secretary of War
having come into power, afforded favorable
opportunity for consuumating the long cher
i>hed obiect-the entire management of the
Armories bv officers of his corps But bow
was it to be effected His reports had spoken
trumpet touguec," in favor OF the efficiency
of the armory under civil superintendent
and the only way to ncutralize their influence
was to raise Tie cry Of = abuse" extravaganza,
"a Knowledge of the true state of things;'
and the expenditures Of 1910 in changing from
the old to the new model, as a pretcXt for re-
moving the Superint"udentS. What candor.
What muruanimitv How Just! How gcner-'
Gus! These are indisputablc facts, and the pub
lie should know them. But should it he OBJ
iectcd that this mode of calculation embraces
the expenditure for pulling down houses and
Building new ones; making of gravel walks
alueducts end reservoirs; putting up ir, n
fences rep i ing Old and making new machine
crv: enIaryimg and identifying the public
grounds, and repairing shops, houses dc, all
of which it is presumed were indispensable III
a. !: . 81, I ,,iv-t
crcgatc expenditures are included under the
corresponding number OF years of the civil sll-
nc1jn. c"dcncv. The year 1871 is omitted,
because one half was under tho civil, and the
other half under the military administration.
When it is known, that the ten.years
Of civil superinteulelcv the special appropri-
ations amounted to but S5l2G, 90 and the mil
.itarv, for the corresponding number of years,
to 544, 100. the public can be at no loss to ac-
count for the present external appearance of
of the Arnorv. wien coMtrasted with former
wears. Could not Il civil superintendent have
Iulcd down houses, erected mansions, built
large arsenal, CummodioUs shops and store
hous, 5, and enlarged and hcautifed the grounds
with thcaanc mc;tlls? Were all these things
cs entail to the manufacture of arms, which
were in the ,st:maion of high authority, +" SUI
pcrior to any OF foreign manufacturer 2" If
not, then this enormous expenditure ofthe pub
lie treasure was unwarantahle, especially as
10 corresponding benefit accrued to the Gov
crnmcn,; but ON the contrary, deterioration
in the quality Of the arms, rs developed by the
testimony given before the Board of COM
missioners."
The present superintendent, also states in
his communication, that e 81 pc eintendent
allowed the piece workman to have an in
tluence in fixing Their own rates of prices. =
Ifthc superintendent refers to me, in the words
above quoted rs tho one who aIIoMed the
workmen to use an influence in fixing their
own rates of prices, l deny it uneQuivocaIIy.
I care not from what source lie has drawn
his information; it is untrue, am aware
that money is not always faithful record,
and it may possibly have escaped his recoIlec-
ton that the tariff of prices, under which the
workmcn were Paid on the old model, was
made by Gen. Wool, not by me. The tariff
was modified from time to time by direction
of the ordinance office, and increase of prices
allowed. except by the authority and dircc-
ton Of the officers in charge of the Depart
ment.
Tho new tariff was not complete when WAS
removed turned it over to the present SUI
perintcndent, with n verbal explanation OF the
progress made, and the number of parts to be
provided for. l informed him that the whole
of it was but an experiment, and that much if
not all Of it, would doubtless, have to be
changed as experience might dictate. He ex-
pressed himself highly grutifed by the intor-
nation. and did me the honor to conn liment
me upon the order and neatness and admira-
BILE condition in which lie found the armoryE.
But he had not then discovered the 'abuscs :"
The new tariff had not been submitted to the
chief of the ordnance corps for approval, be-
cause it was incompetent. 1t had been pre-
pared with great care, according to the light
we then had, and in its preparation was as
sisted bv the master arnorer and the inspee-
tors. Nothing was done by men fixing the,
prices, without their aid. Every part was OK,
amined by the master armorcr in whom |
knew the ordinance office had entire conf
dence, and bis Judgment. not the workmcn'
influenced my action. Who 50 competent to
nudge upon question of this kind as the mas
ter armorer and tie inspectors in their respect
i've departments of the work
There is much more in the superintendent
l. q, It's f.H-