Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-12
Government Expenditures in Uath.
n a letter from Utah, Greeley says


1T is known that vast sums have been
made out of transportation by favored con-
tractors. Take single instance already
quite notorious: - cents per pound is paid
for the transportation of all provisions. NUM-
tions, &C., from Leavenworth to this point
The great contractors were allowed this for
transporting this years supply of -four. BY
little dexterous management they were
next allowed to furnish the flour here,
being paid their twenty-five cents per pound
for transportation, in addition to the prime
cost on the Missouri. AS Utah has bet
ter soil for growing wheat than almost
anything else, they had no difficulty IN
subletting this contract at seren cents per
pound net, making clear profit of SllO,0O0
on the contract, without risking dollar or
lifting finger OF course, expect con-
tractors to bargain fer themselves, not for the
Government; but S0mebody is well paid for
taking care of the public's interest in such
matters. Has the agent done his duty!"
Greeley also refers to the sales of the mules
already spoken of by Utah correspondents
He says the mules arc worth there Sl25 TO
ljO, and the average of the sales was about
S75. They might have been easily taken to
California and sold for double that sum-
There is no demand no competition in Utah
for such an immense herd, and after the Nor
mons have supplied themselves with what
they want at half price. one or two specula-
tors take all the rest, and the country loses
$1,000, 600 by the operation. The animals
might have been kept through the winter III
the mountain valleys at SlU 4 head, and the
army can never move without purchasing an
equal number at double the price for which
these sold. lie proceeds:
THE mules would sell higher if the soldiers
were allowed to purchase, but on some ridi-
culous pretence of ill-blood between the Pay
and the Subsistence bureau Of the War De-
partment, this is refused-it would be too
| much trouble to take certificates of soldiers
pay actually due in paymentior these mules;
81 the officers and soldiers must purchase Of
spectators ut double price or 20 without,
and The mules be sold for far less than they
would have brought it those who must have
. them had been enabled to bid directly for
them. Two or three spectators reap har-
vest here at the sore cost of the soldiers and
the treasury.
Hundreds of mules would have been
bought, and the proceeds Of the sale consi-
derably augmented, if the Government, by
its tunctonaries, had consented to receive its
own honest debts in payment.
"rhcre has recently been received here
thirty thousand bushels of corn from the
States at net cost. including transportation,
ofS340, 600 or overSl per bushel. Norequ-
stion was ever made for this corn, which
could have been bought here, delivered, for
81 per bushel, or SCI, 900 in all. The dead
loss to the Treasury on this corn is $3.50, 900
even supposing that the service required it
ut all. Somebody makes good thing of
wagoning this corn from the Missouri at over
$40 per bushel.
1.-The orderis to sell seven hundred wagons
as well, but these would not bring $50 each,
while they cost at least $3.50, and could not
be replaced when wanted even for that,
while the army cannot move without them,
and keeping them costs absolutely nothing.
Who issues such orders rs this, and for
whose beneit?"-Rich. Wig.