Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-02-04
From Wa.hInEton.
cOsrsspondeues Of The n. Y. Evsning Post.
TAs ksrt Saslliag Ssiadls--A Case for
he InVesfioafiaq Commiktse.

coussPOnssoes Of he n. Y. Evsning Post.
TAs Pert Saelliag Ssindls.-A Case for
he IRpsshgatiag COplmihss.
WAsHTEeFoS, Jan. 10.
Who made the money out Of the Fort
Smelling sPsculstiohI It has been per.
feetly safe sud enormously profitable OPP
GRAFTON for somebody. The government
WAS cheated by tbeeOnnivsnce Of its agents,
aud tbe public was cheated Of their rehti
to purchase; but at the present standard
OF commercial morality the enjoyment Of
the proeseds.vi not be likely TO be troub.
led BY any twihges Of conscience. When
It was FIRST knowE that the reservation was
to be sold. letters were received by the War
Department from several men, asking for
information as TO the time aud manner Of
the sale. Some Of these applicants never
received sny answer to their request. l
hsye never IeOrned that any one Uf them
did.
The commission who went out TO make
the sale we're so exceedingly modest and
nnobtrusive, aud so very reserved 10 regard
TO their business, that those living in the
immediate vicinity, aud even some Of the
officers 10 the fort, did not know for what
purpose they we're there until after they
were gone. People there were surprised
TO learn Of the sale, three weeks after il
was made. There we're men anxious to
purchase the lanG, and were expecting and
prepared to do so at S25 to Sl00 per
acre. The government could have real
lied at least 100000 for the land at the
time the sale was made. Responsible
men bad examined The advantages Of the
locality and soil. They had tue money
for first payments. aud until they learned,
to their sstonishment that the land was
cold, expected TO purchase portion, Il not
oil Of it. The government sold it for 500,
600, at private sale; so private that it
may be called secret. A Mr.. Steele was
nominal purchaser, who, although he
claimed poihing as an actual settler, which
he might have done, obtained the whole,
The only apparent and alleged reason for
the preference given to him is. that he had
established ferry and erected some build,
ings for ,he convenience of the United
States troops, who had the use of them
gratis. Mr. Steele. from the countenance
and favor Of the government, had made
so large fortune, tha: he is the last per.
son who should have had tie preference
If it was to be given to any one.
The only reason and excuse offered for
the manner Of the sale is, that if i had
been offered at public sale. the price would
have been kept down to SI,25 or $3.50
per acre by combination which bad been
formed for that purpose. Such comb.
nation could not have existed, because no
one knew that the sale was to be made un.
I'll afterwards. Aud what If there was
such a combination9 The land might have
been appraised and the bids received in
writing Fort Dearb rn was sold in that
way. Had Fort Smelling been advertised
for sale in q proper manuer and bids invt
ted IN writing, the government would have
been offered 100000 b: men who are
now in Washington. The sale is now re.
fsrred to committee for investigation, and
Fort Smelling is likely to become as famous
in the history o. uational swindling AZ the
GaIphin AMI GaId'ue" frauds. The admin
istration is resp"nsihId for it, and though
no personal impaI Il ms are made, the in
dividuaIs Immediately connected with it
must clear lh,ir skirts Of the evident un.
fairness Of the TRANSACTION, or take the odi.
um of it. 20