The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-11-04

be commenced delivering the timber when
be was notified that the timber he was
delivering did not answer the description
advertised for and which he contracted
to furnish. This condemned timber how
ever, was allowed to remain in the yard,
when, to the utter astonisbDent of every
one acquainted with the business, an ad.
vertisement appeared under date of June
IA. 1858, for sealed proposals for live
oak, describing ttiS very surplus condenan-
ed tt"t6er which our patriot had left upon
his hands. On the 4th of July, the day
when the bids were opened, it was dis
covered that other gentlemen we're bid
dcrs, and at lower rates than the Massa-
chusctts map. The unprecedented short
time fixed upon in the proposal of the
Chief of the Bureau of Construction for
supplying the the timber-only from the
l 4th of July to the 1st of September
was thought sufficient to stave of any COM
petitors. A way was discovered by which
the time could be made still shorter, which
would compel the lowest bidders to be
ruled out for want of time to deliver tho
timber and thus fulfill their contracts
This was done by a refusal TO notify the
successful badaerS Of Lte acceptance Of Heir
offers until aG0m tie l2M Of august. in
stead of giving the notice on the 18th of
July, within tweDty-four hours after the
bids were opened, according to the usual
practice. This management shortened
the time one mouth, leaving only about
SaTteen days to cut and deliver 900 Gu
bic feet of live-oak timber for the ao-
complishment of which from one to three
years is usually given. This is the rec
ord. Comment upon it is unnecessarily
Suffice it to say, that when the lst of Sep
tember arrived the successful bidders. of
course failed to deliver the full quota of
timSer required, although nearly all of it
had been delivered, some of the parties
having had the Il aterial on hand Prompt
ly to an hour, on the lst of September,
the Chief of the Bureau of Construction
advised them iu the following language:
THAT as you have not complied with the
terms of the contract for live oak, a new
one has been made with other parties -
This was the first official information
which any of the contractors receiyed-a
course without precedent, and adopted for
the benefit of delinquent upon the terms
of bis contract under the proposals of
1857. Yet this individual, who gave "a
bout Sl5, 600 to aid the election of Mr..
Buchanan, is the 'other parties" alluded
to in the note Of the Chief OF the Bureau.
There is another fact connected with
this affair, which is quite as surprising as
any related above. 1t is that the HUe oak
advertised for in the proposal of June,
1853, was not wanted in the nayal yards
of the United States either for i'm mediate
or prospective use, as it is well known
fact that the sloops- of-wsr ordered by the
last session of Congress are now construc-
ted Of achjte oak. The 200, 900 cubic feet
of live oak which cur patriot agreed to
furnish under the proposal of May, 1857,
is not all delivered yet; but such quanti-
ty as has been delivered is placed away
in the sheds, subject to decay, and cannot
be used until demanded by some future
action Of Congress.
1t is impossible to state precisely the
| total amount which this contractor has
been paid By the Government for tin Der
condemned and not condemned, received
and not received, but presume the Diff
| fereneut sums which he has received will
rot differ much from his offers UIon
that basis bis new contract, which lie will
fulfill with his condemned surplus of tin,-
her in the yards, will amount to Sl95, COG.
The contract Of July lst will reach S225,-
$40, making S420, $40. Besides, he OBJ
| tanned contract ac5tt0ut adJetaSiHg or
competition, for supplying the Brooklyn
Yard with timber at So per cubic foot,
which will amount to S25, ,000suorss. ma
king a total on face Of contracts of S445,-
$40. This eUtire expenditure, it can
hardly be doubted, was made for single
article not wanted, aud for the purpose Of
REIN bursing politician WLo risked a
few thousand dollars to elect Mr.. BucbaE.
an. H.