The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-03-10
NO. Xiv
shernan's Investigating Commute


to the general organization of the bureaus in the
Navy Department, and the expenditures in each
bureau since 1852, but states that in the enouiry
the committee was mainly confined to the ior,n
OF the expenditures. First the purchase of fuel
III The Navy second, the purchase OF live oak
timber; third, the management of the Navy
Yards and fourth. the contracts for steam ma
chinery.
The Coal Agency which was established in
lSoO, aud the amount of coal purchased ia 1858,
was $4,000 tons. The compensation allowed
was five per cent. on the cost of the coal. In
May 1885, some OF the applicants met at Wash
ington with their friends, and agreed that Dr.,
Hunter of Reading, Pennsylvana, should be
appointed Coal Agent, and tina, the profits
should be divided between Hunter, Mr.. G, lzen.
dana, of the Reading Gdsetie. aud John L.
Smith, of Philadelphia.
This agreement was made known to the Pres
dent, aud DR.. Hunthr was appointed. Dr. HUI
ter was practiCing physician. lie knew moth
ing about coal. aud did not buy any, but turned
the whole business over to Messrs Tyler Stone
& Goa firm in Philadelphia of which G. Mich
olas Beach, nephew of Mr.. Toucy, is a mem
ber. This firm bought all the coal for the Navy,
charging about fifty cents u ton more than the
market price, and Dr. Hunter received S7,483,
as his profits as Coal Agent, and did nothing.
In 1896, Swift N Wheeler Of Massachusetts.
made a contract with George Pitt, of Philadel-
pha, an intimate fiend OF Mr. Buchanan, that
Pitt should aid in getting the live oak contracts
with the government aud should have 10 per
cent. Oh the gross amount of the contract.
Mr.. Pitt was to put Swift on familiar rela-
ti0ns with the Department in the campaign of
1856 Swift contributed to the election in
Pennsvlvania $4,000, paying it to Pitt, as the
Treasurer OF the Democratic State Committee.
Pitt did all he could to aid Swift in fire.
quent interviews with the President aud Secre-
tary Toucey In 1886, Swift got live oak con.
tracts to the amount OF $3.50 900 In executing
this contract, he delivered at the Navy Yards a
large amount OF timber, which was rejected,
some because il was not the size required by the
contracts and some for defects. In June 1888,
advertisements were issued by the Secretary for
$50, 900 feet OF live oak timber. mostly OF tho
sizes and kinds then in the Navy Yaru belonging
to Swift and Bigler; that time fixed for the de-
livery of one. half of it was Sept. | 1853: that
the time always before allowed was one and two
years; and that 1t was impossible for any one to
get live oak from tue live oak region within the
time that the advertisement provided If its
terms were enforced, and that such was The design
OF the Secretary the timberot Swift aud Bigler,
then at the Navy Yard, was ell the live oak IN
the market, as il was not kept by dealer in large
quantities, but cut nc needed. Swift and Bigler
entered into an agreement by which Swift was
to put in bid at vi 30 per cubic foot and
Bigier was to bid higher, anI when the contract
and allow him the contract price.
Regular dealers in live oak put in bids upon
| the expectation that time would be granted un-
! til jan |, 1859, the usual time being one and
two years. Their bids were $4,000 lower than
Swift's.
Contracts were made with them in Angus,
1853, aud they promptly went To work to get
out the timber In September, their coa'sacls
were cancelled by the Secretary, and all O! them
given to Swift. This was done in violation of
law, aud merely to favor Swift.
The contr cts for the machinery for the ves-
sells built under the act of June, 1853, were i'm
properly let While the proposals were pend
| ing, Col Patterson wrote letter to the Pres-
dent, urging that all of the contracts should
be given to Merrick & Sons; that they employ
a large number OF men, are old Wings in favor
of the reelection Of Col. L. B. Florence; and
that the result would place his election beyond
doubt.
In April, 1857, Mr.. Toucey and the D-Tmo-
cratic members of Congress from New York
city, entered into an agreement that the patron
| age of the Navy Yard should be divided among
the members. The master workman and the
| workman were spportiOned out. and in some
cases new Offices were made. The correspond.
-nce of the members OF Congress is given in
detailed statement. The number OF men in the
! Yard was increased eievsn hundred, from Nav
to November last a week before the election
Commander Roots, the active officer of the
Yard, was detached without notice, aud ordered
to Washington.
B, an endorsement of his letter in the hand
writing of the President, it was submitted to
the Secretary OF the Navy, and the award was
made TO Merlck & Sons The awards generally
were determined upon by the vote of ID. L. Mar
lin, Chief Engineer, who was interested largely
| in the awards. A statement Of each award and
its endorsement is gvep,
/ They find that Hon. J. Clancy Jones. while
| a member of Congress agreed with the Reading
! Forge Company TO get the government contracts
and work for it, and he did so, for which he was
to recene five per cent; that in 50 doing, he
violated the law.
They recommend the passage Of bill in or
der to guard against abuses, aud the adoption of
the following resolution:
| RsSOlUed, That the Secreta OF the Navy has,
with the sanction OF the President abused his
discretionary power IN the selection OF IA Coal
Agent aud in the purchsse ol fuel for the gov
| ernment.
RcSOfred, That the contract made with the
Secretary Of the Navy under date Sept. %,
! 1883, with w. n. Swift for the delivery Of live
oak timber, was made in violation OF law, and
in manner unusual snd improper, aud iujuri-
Gus TO the public service.
l Resolved. That the distribution by the Sscre-
tary of the Navy of patronage in the Navy Yard
among the members of Congress, is destructive
Of discipline, corruptng in its influences, and
highly injurious to the public service.
! Re5olued. That the President and Secretary of
War, by considering the party relations of bid
ders for contracts with the United States, aud
the effect of awarding contracts upon pending
i elections, have set an ex ample dangerous 10 the
public safety and deserving the reproof of this
! House.
Resolptd, That the appointment by the Sec
retary of the Navy of Daniel b. Martin, Chief
| Engineer, as a member of The Board Of Eli-
gineers, TO report upon proposals for construct
/ ing machinery for the United States, the said
l Martin at the time being peculiarly interested
in some OF said proposals, is hereby censured by
4 This House.