Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-02

thorough, such has not yet been adopted ny This
only be made by taking each warrant and transaction
from the beginning. Such enquiry was understood
to be proposed your resolution the Senate This and
this only would do justice to my predecessor the chief
ginecr, and myself
If this is your purpose now will at again pack up
the Office and take them down TO Raleigh Other
wise, shall decline 10 recarry them from their proper
place. where they constantly required for use and refer
.r - -
As the statements and lists enumerated inyour letter,
have given report such deemed necessary.
Your examination if 1t had been fully made, would have
furnished all of these detail and any 1naon here
after do shall give in the next annual report to
the stockholders called statement OF old debts
paid, from each warrant.
My engagements are such to allow to give yon
such now, if considered it necessary and pro-
~ ~ ~ ''' CHAs. F. FISHER
This closed the correspondence of the chairman
and myself not much, l dare say, to the regret of
either.
must here correct another little mistake in his
report lie does not furnish my last letter above,
but says:
AT the time appointed, having received no an
swer from Mr.. Fisher, three members of the commit
tee attended at the place appointed, when Mr. Fisher
told one of them, Dr. Mills, that he refused any
further investigation the subject Being satisfied
that we should be unable to report before the end
of the session, if we took the step necessary to
coerce the attendance of the President and book
keeper, resolved to report the facts we had OBJ
taincd"
Here is statement positively not correct. I did
not tell Mr.. Mills "that l refused any further in
vestigation the subject but replied to an in
quiry of Mr. Mills that | had written and sent to
the chairman what had to say, which was that
should decline to re-convcy the office to Raleigh,
except on the condition mentioned in my letter.
The chairman talks about "steps necessary to
the attendance of the president, &c, which
he very well knows is nonsense, but which may do
70. 60 II
This statement furnishes, according to my best
recollection Il correct and full account of what has
occurred between the chairman and myself 1t is
dll detail but necessary to proper understanding
turn now to the report of the chairman which he,
with great candor, calls the result of an "impeycct
inYntry"
This document is so very long, that warned by
its example, shall cndeavor to make my review of
it as brief possible; and pledge myself to show
that he has misstated whether ignorantly or intcn
tonaly let the facts show, every transaction and
every statement which he makes.
Tie coatract ef Joha G. -UcRae d Go. is his first
subject. This work of considerable extent,
reaching from Golisboro to SIN miles above Raleigh,
titty-six miles of road the earliest begun and in
active prosecution for some three years or longer,
entirely during the administration of my predecessor.
The chairman finds nothing worthy of comment,
and nothing whatever to censure in the period of
years during its whole progress up to the close,
when he actually proceeds to make me responsible
for the whole character of the work. lis first notire
beiag Of tie transaction which closed it, anil uj,on
rhich l mppe"ei to lure " p"rt IL the hoafd-
The brief facts as to this settlement are very plain
tale: After the conclusion Of work, repeated aprli
cations were made to the board by the contractor
for Il final settlement Not once or twice, but many
times, il had been represented to the board,
doubt every member of that day attest the DIFF
tculty Of etfcctng this settlement because there
was no personal intercourse between President,
Chief Engineer and contractors. The board seeing
no other mode of settlement, appointed committee,
as was their duty, to enquire into the facts and re-
port how to effect what otherwise seemed likely TO
/ remain urdonc. This committee very reluctantly
undertook the work. and proceeded to do. what the
. chHirmnR pho cenSur,s their oct, has not done, to
examine with labor for days the whole account of
the contractors, and to consult with the President,
! Chief an! assistant engineers, if possible to
/ adjust properly very difficult matter. They
! port at last the terms of settlement, and dis
renting roicc diwYprored these terms, that briefly
! it was thus
4 large contract exists involving an amount of
! S55o3Ol IS, it was concluded finally and the con-
! tractors claim balance; the administrative author
tiles not settling terms with these men, who
! refuse to surrender the road up TO make
/ Sions upon their demands, deemed by them just
What next? The authorities to whom it properly
belonged to settle the matter, state to the board
their inability to do The suggestion is made, as
! final resort, that committee of the board see
what is best to be done: they unwillingly under
take the labor, trouble and veXation of reviewing
this long transaction, but finally matter, equal
ly of duty and of necessity, consent to 10 so; cx
anime accounts court of reference, consult all
parties fully and freely, and finally recommend a
basis of settlement not satisfactory to the contrac-
tors, hut unanimously approved by the authorizes
and board making no gratuitious allowance but an
equitable settlement. For this they arraigned
and censured tire years uftsrrards by the chairman
who docs not pretend to have investigated this con-
tract to whether its transactions light IL
whole, including the settlement, int who Mkes the
closing act in Which alone he finds my naine and
co-operation.
Comment upon this as he says, sis unneccs-
sary"
As regards the statements of Col. Gwynn's letter,
have only to say the recollection of the chairman,
Judge Saunders, of Mr.. Dortch and myself CMaj.
Rand have not seem is very clear that our consul
tatOns with the chief engineer and assistant engi
neer, were frequent; and although they failed to
recommend" any terms, and declined to do so,
much to our increased trouble and embarrassment,
they did willingly acquicsce in our recommendation,
as the best for closing vexed matter Our opinion
was, very distinctly recollect that they were very
glad to get clear of the matter on these terms so
easily and so chcaply As to the contract its exc.
Culol vi teflS, lldu ilOtIllIS Whatever W W. VIII
it. Mr. McRae was in Raleigh, and offered to give
the chairman any information he wished, some weeks
ago, as informed the chairman
The contractors aese that they show the
work of their construction to have cost the company
less, Throwing in all additional cost of rcmi.s, SC
particularly mentioned in this reporD than any part
of the line for the chief that their purchase
Of iron was the most fortunately timed of any
other.
The next count in the chairman's bill of ndict
mcnt against me, is as to the mood contracts
This may be briefly despatched. All wood con
tracts Of 1855 and 81 well as previously,
made by the engineering corps who were in charge
of construction and of transportation at each end
The chief engineer directed and controlled this
As soon | was able to understand the condition o
things along the line Of 223 miles, stopped all con
tracing for wood except at such points as arere de