New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-09
TIE WILLETTS POINT SWNDLE.
Report Of The Chairman (don J. B Hashi0) OF the
Wikins'S Point Investigating Committee

February, 1853 to investigate tee f.c,s api circum-
stances corrected with ae sks ass pure aAse Of prop
erty at wilkins W;llests Po.at, Iory Island New
York, for fertilization purposes 1857. respectfully
reports that tie resolution uEier sh9h iey hsys acei
IS IS follows:
"YxN,th CONGREss-Fissr Session.
CssCEyss THE UNITED STARS. rHg HOUsEl
90 REPRsssNr,riNss. February 3. 1853
Htscs TS,. sreci.i c:nu.,,s, co-.iains Of ire mem
eei. b. appointed for G p.,po.r 81 III, .,. ~
rWlkLs. wetts Point, 10 the Couay Of Queea' rad
STATE Il New York opposite Fli' ssaa paee ssd by ths
na said Committee b. ash the, hr.by ,u,honr,d cad
100 persons aad p1s
The Committee held its first sssi)n the 18th Jay
Of Feb,uAry 1883 when, OF motion Of the Chairman
James b. Sterdsn, eeq, was rtques.ei TO act ~ he
stecogropher of the Comi.tee, and after brief st.s
ment ftcm the Chairman Of The CAUSES which niacad
snd the object expected to be saioed by the invest
cation, il resolved that the Hon. John b. Floyd
the Secretary Of War, be requested to furnish the
Committee with the ccrrespl ndence in his Department
10 relation 20 the subjec. matter OF the Investigation
and also to attend before them the 18th Of Febru
srJ, AID give such o.her Information upon TIE sub
jec. 80 he wa, wiling TO iupsrt. 1t viii be seen oy
resolution appointing tie Committee sh, " tho facts
and circumstances connected with tie ssls and
purchase were ordered to be inquired into, sni
hence great latitude was aowab!e and necessary in
the examination of all the witnesses who pro-
duced and examined before them. Before the invest-
CATION was ordered newspapers published in the city
Of New-lork had teened with articles designed to
satisfy tho public judgment that comb nation Of TO-
dividuals, connected directly remotely with the
Government, had been formed aud been successful 10
their operations IN selling tie property in question to
the Government a. an eXhorotsnt and IN US, price.
The Undersigned commenced his labors with a stern
determination to elicit all the facts suo Circumstances
in relation to the ms'ter, without regard 20 whom t
might sffect eed though in doing he mad to exsunne
a large number Of witnesses. without any previous
knowledge of what Testimony would oe given, SAVE
from public runners. aud what he mgGt ehclt upon
rigid aud scrutinzlng examination, he has the satis
faction Of knowing that his abors aud ehJ.ts hsve not
been fruitless in obtaining vausole information and
az believing that such facts aud " circumstances
have been elected in connection with the Transactions
a. 10 warrant hm in the opinion that tue exposure
made BY the publication OF the evidence submitted by
The Committee will to some, II not to gteat, extent
prevent the success Of similar combinations IN the
future, and induce the various Departments Of our
Government hereafter to be more cautious ard prudent
in the management Of SUCH afairs under tue fear OF
public exposure and a rigid accountability.
In order that the House of Representatives. may
comprehend his con ,uscns in this report, the uader
signed submits the following narrative as brief as tue
importance Of the subjec. will permit OF the facts
and circum.tauces" "a they have been presented TO
him BY the evloenc adduced followed by settlement
of lis conclusions thereon.
The act OF Congress passed March :, 1871, making
general APPROPRIATIONS trr hydrocarbons, cohIaiueu
the following provision: " For the commencement CT
"a fertilization opposite Fort Schuyler, $3.50 600"
In pursuance Of this proviion, Gen lsePh &. Tot
Ten, the head Of the Engineer Bureau at @shlngon,
CONNIE need operations by Addressing the following
etter to the Engineer in charge Of the Qualifications AZ
New York, Major Barnard:
EScnr,s Dsr,RrNtNn wAsmSeroA,l
SIR songIes. having appropriated by act ofsd March 1884,
Tor the Of tori opposite Fo sehnyeI Nov
The moment ,Sgr 2 as H: S r ana sn
II negotiation. with the owners for is purchase
sewth is cent iasns Of snT-y Of bob s, n the
yin perceive hat a r. 10 ihs Of ,as
old fort" White Stone Poo. aaOrdts: eligible sites
sso%ps,iou, AID secure .r term. the oovernm.n
and ss ~ ~" % M Should
Mss D be S s o Ssa sr 1e't os
tort the limit: may be- say quarter BY hail ng aud at
.erdins say yards the point aud straight live
meeting their further eXtsemtss thus inco'ns triangular
You viii report ,h. oce, early . the result.
On which the owners the 'es indicated will sell the land
You will ..iniy understand that the mote eabe position h
position made tbsn thirty years ago SIR fact
that the only point and the Of wilkins should be
bought BY him aud butt upon In The expectation OF forcing The
toe Thousand dollars doubt
sreys, BIZ .d der G, ner. ,nd coIoiei u sne."
Ga the ssme day, Cen Totem addressed Major Bar
rard another letter, Enclosing draft OF law winch DC
requested him to have passed by the Legislature OF New
York cedirg jurisdiction over aOds to DO purchased
BY the Upitsd States for fertilization purposes IN the
State of HewYork. In this letter he stated that no
precse site had been determined upon By the Depart
rf Mt for The fertilization opposite Fort Schuyler.
On the 10Th Of March 1871, MAJOR Barnsrf wrote
Gen. lotion inclosing him the draft Of sproposed sc
for the cess0n of jurisdiction drawn by Mr. Mcheon,
the United States Distrc Attorney at New York.
On the DIST March 1857 Gen. Totem wrote MAJOR
Barnard. acknowledging the receipt OF s ister OF tue
Goth, urging that the act OF oesslon should cohtha
PROVISION eeding jurisdiction over the contiguous
shores waters Be-, go a. to secure necessary wharf,
ing and asO urging the distance OF lO0 Yards from
the shore a. the limit. Following this is letter froto
Major Barnard 10 Gen. Totem, which appears in the
testimony of the Hon. John b. Floyd to which Gen.
Iotten Re- Piled in letter dated March 70. 1851.
On the 9th or 10Th of March, 1851, Major barnard
wrote General Totten, saying: " have no coubt the
" course directed rs 10 the manner oil obtaining pos
se sion Of this property 10y condemnation and an
apprsgement By jury IL the best, ana was prepared
" TO recommend il myself
ON TIE 18th OF March 1851 Major BErnsrd wroto
TO General Tottea saying: - have good reason 10
belieye that authorized bet weep now anc the hrst
of April can secure Mr. Wissmaos property Tor
sI00 900 After the first il may not Do 30
.asy but doubt whether Mr. IrYiag's purchase
wili smoun. TO anything, as It 10 doubted whether
- he cap psy the - Fo. -,
In the 18Th March, 1851. Gen. TOttea wrote M..
Barnard letter itclosng the copy CT an act aut aoIn
rp tire CONDEMNATION OF Fort Porter, as showing tue
nrouer forru to be observed in drasirg tire ac' Tor
co rdenning such Isnds as the Government might
sesct for fort opposite Fort Sc'nyler.
ON the 3O,h March. 1851, General Totem Trots 70
Major Barnard ,etter directing him to proceed 10
Albany ord obtain the passage OF al act iof the CON
domination of sue ,ad as the Government might Sc
.ect ior fort opposite Fort Schuyler In TINS letter
40 says .. .,:.tl
"1'le ;, cretary Of Wsr considers 1t indspeassol'
TO procure if practicable this law Tor the coadeH9-
, of the lanc opposite Fer Schuyler; the question
v ether recourse snail be b.d;o il beng !etfcrut<e
confederation. $3.50 -,
On the 3l.t OF March, ISL, Major Barnard tale
oraphed 70 apt II. 6. Wight, 10 charge Of tho La