The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-03

Notwithstanding he powerful support Mr. khuensHs
Mr. Rhulemsns want Of knowledge 10 mechanic bst escn
asonshed at the enten, OF his preadcs a. shoSH ~
his sweeping remarks the relative value 81 the eN sna IN
old machinery. This alone, should think, Noud satisfy a1
candid mind Of his utter unhnes for such post Asf pre-
teal mechanic accustomed TO see varied aud improved
chinery, (no like Mr. Rhucman, knowing nothing save t
obsolete clumsy contryancss Of haIpcrs Ferry Nes'a
have been struck with the beauty and simplicity 81 The mo
chanical arrangement in those very cutting asd mng
chimes. But in seeing them in operation tbe neey o. A-
great accuracy leaving little 20 be done by the er be-
would be that in this saving alone hes ~
repay short time their original cost which vas ~ o,
low that of the machines he much regrets The Old ma
chimes could not be kept adjusted so as TO insure h Aea
racy much had, therefore to be LETT Tor the her al oos
When nearly the whole machinery Of so large an estas
ment required renewal would have been s.fan, assa
have been found susceptible OF Improvement OF Nnen
need repair The tilt-hammers of which Mr.. Rhnienan
speaks of pattern gotten up at one OF be large ma
cne-shops at Lowell brought thence by Mr. Glove our
wheelwrght and machnst very competent rfac
teal mechanic who sent from time to time, under my
orders, to examine the machinery at various
the eastern States with view to the Improvement OF
Some of these tilt hammers with catiron nase
made and from their excellent contriynnee
with much accuracy than any previously IN use ~
was, however, found in using them that The Rightly OF
castron frames not entirely overcome This may have
led subsequently, the substitution of wooden frames
| next notice Mr.. Rhulemans statement with regard to
the discharge of inspectors He is in error on point Of
fact. He not told it by order OF the ordnance
board He told that the Secretary of War, with whom
it rested whether inspectors should be employed or not at
z,
bents, and to appoint others To perform the duties
hitherto assigned inspectors oremen OF the shops were
or offered these situations and accepted them The
rest of the statement is altogether imaginative Had ne
have been given him by Do these witnesses
pect be believed that officer be at stern
and epuve to his being approached ON neces
sary business and tame submit gross nsoence
the part of his subordinate oficersa
Another into which Mr. Rhueman has fallen is in
gard to Mr. Ebenezer Cox, whowas he truly states bad
and desperate character But bad and desperate as he
and exed he might have been from his fathers house
found him. when took temporary command OF Harper Fer
ry in 1922 in government employ and living strange as it
in common with several OF the other workmen IN
the upper of of the shops his ordinary sleeping
and home He discharged with others OF WORTH
continued to refuse him employment Mr. Dunn who re-
eved also refused to give him work For this Cox muir
though Mr. Rhuleman says the Judicial inquiry
implicated but Cox himself yet it thing noori-
Cox n the tool e equally au Wicked less daring
Some of these men, still in employment at iarper Ferry
60 me M % hs crime Thew
eventually discharged as irreclaimaby worthless
Mr. Ktzmier's evidence next. The FIRST question
arising the discretion allowed the commanding officer in
the disposition of the funds for repairs improvements new
machinery &C. 1t should be borne in mind for the proper
understanding of these matters that estimates must be
pared for action in Congress ten months before they are to
become available They accompanied by drawings and
style Of the buildings proposed and the es
mates are made on the prices at the time current Mr. kiz
mller evidence goes back to the OF the APP
preparations for rebuilding the armory at Harpers Ferry
These appropriations were considered parts OF whole
of the building sites would permit Want of made
to build upon the sites already occupied Tbs
compelled u.s. in some cases. to build by pecemea erecting
and occupying half cdce, while the old shop from which
down. and the remainder of the building erected til
| SITE
do exactly recoect the order which estimates
buildings made, but suppose Mr. kitzmier RICH
in the assigned the appropriation the rolling mill
know it among the first appropriated for Before th
NJ
would be most convenient for the rolling mill then
pied by the thammer shop therefore concluded to de
| the best site for it could be obtained
After the estimate for the year had been appropriated
the Of h
the treasury for the same general is repairs
which had received the sanction Of Congress
From the wording Of the law had the right to do this inc
| its spirit was not infringed.
In completing buildings it frequently happened that thu
cost exceeded the estimates from beyond control
such the increase in price of materials labor the unex
pected difficulties in getting good foundations or that area
dy alluded to of building BY nsaments. In all these
This the with the commanding officers quarters tn
stocking and machine shop and, believe the tilt hamme
and smiths shops. was careful, whilst using the funds
hand for repairs improvements only to them for suc
had been appropriated for by Congress- except
such unforeseen circumstances called for immediate atten
on and which could not have been anticipated Such
for instance was the blowing down Of the timber store
was necessary to rebuild it Immediately for the protection
public property and did not hesitate to have it done will
the funds hand sending estimate to the
Il advanced from these funds
There may have been other small expenditures of
similar character which do recolect but relnqus
ing the command put into the hands Of my
statement of the available funds showing the best of
recollection that there at that time sufficient hand
for all that had been appropriated although the
preparations might be found insufficient to accomplish tn
objects estimated for The appropriation for the purchas
of land special and from the advance price be
tween the time of the estimate and that of the purchases
had been nearly exhausted in purchasing those portion
bought during command II another large amount ha
to be expended another appropriation must have been
the commandments quarters cost 100000 the paymas
ters So 000 do not recoect accurately the cost but
impression differs from Mr.. Kitzmlers But in both
the buildings erected from the appropriated TO
the Of cost the original estimates and to put uc
necessary outhouses, &c. required Mt both blu
which had not been included in the first estimate.
Mr.. Kzmiler says the appropriation for the sca
and puts the date Of for this 1916
rolling mill This a Misrepresentation so
am concerned The additional estimates, when the orgi
nal had been exceeded for object will show that
during command, taken to replace in due time
that might have been borrowed from previous ap
preparations avoiding the risk of anticipating future
1t is to be regretted that Mr. kzniler did give-a
from his situation in tho armory he well able to
clear statement of the management of the fund for repair
and improvements. examination of the book
will show the he speaks Of II it exist at ALL it IL
| chargeable to me.
have now in conclusion, to remark, in referring
conncxon with arpcrs Ferry armory that found
before, the buildings the two erected by my immediate
predecessor runons the grounds unimproved dsgured by
huge piles OF cndcrs and dirt and receptacle for all OLA
which could find place nowhere elsethe very entrance
wagon and horseback for the village the canal already
too small for the machinery depending it, the deposit
Of all refuse from the of houses its banks
and of the soil washed down from the hills where cultivation
aeupted the machinery in the machne-shop, where
nice machinery particularly required of the rudest
I ..,.l -. 4