The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-26

win Ss when n e. e.
pensed with just grounds Of complaint which may
hs sS.n S s1y o. s Of tia Navy
To the commandanss OF navy yards.
II it be borne In mind that the evil compsiued Of In
these yards is that the master workmen are appoei Nv
the Navy Department, and that they select Their ownmsn
30 that there sufficient power in the hands oil ths
commandaht OF the yard 10 enforce discipline aud ria e
service Of Idle and worthless employees the Importance oil
this order will be seen. 49,. -.,.
Here them are several valuable reforms introduced
der Gov Ionoey into this branch Of the service And as
10 the abuses which have been mentioned fragrant they
hold him particularly responsible because ii does 30, APP
pear that they made known 70 him The Witnesses
5 s nc aSs Seaee
the dcpasmen. al Washington That the department
always ready TO have all necessary investigations made,
| Com Rootes distinctly proves
Q. want to know whether, far within your
knowledge when were made 70 the Department at
In the IN having hes hns
| tons made.
If Governor Toucey DO allowed due credit for tina many
important reforms introduced by him into this branch OF
the service and also for his readiness to inquire all
@ en wrSSgs as your hing vorsS
| judgment al the hands Of his countymcn.
to be conceded, however that in order to secure
thorough reform in this regard act Of legislation is
necessary The great object would be 10 remove the
pointmnt and dismissal Of men from the reach Of political
| i
whether is practicable to do so. Can appointments be
such location without the inergen,on 0. party
only for the good Of tho yard but o te comfort conve.
Dience ana independence Of New York city members OF
The Hon. John Cochrane, the Hon. IA. Clark, and
Others have spoken out explicitly on that subject
| sroRElEFpEPs OFFICE
In speaking OF the management Of the Brooklyn Navy
Yard your committee have thus Ear passed over the in
vestigatons made by them into the manner which the
of storekeeper and Navy Agent at hat place have
| been discharged
These both important Offices and have each been
| the subject OF much unfavorabe rumor.
AS supplies cannot be purchased exactly. when wanted
and N found useful in practice TO keep quantity
Indispensable is his duty to preserve them 10 keep
account OF the quantity received and the quantity paid
ont and thus be able at any time to SHOW the quantity
| Oh hand. Whenever new storekeeper is appointed, II
is indispensable that an inventory should be taken, in
order 70 ascertain whether the supplies on hand cores
pond with the quantity which the Books call forother
wise one man might be made TO suffer for the fraud or
carelossness OF another. Indeed appearB advisable
your committee that inventories should be required at
stated PERIODS during the service OF the store
keeper should that service be long II does not appear
that this regulation has heretofore for years been strictly
and thoroughly complied with. The present sorekeeper
( Herrck) speaks of another abuse heretofore exist
ing in his Office 1t has been the custom OF some of bis
predecessors, he says, when supplies Of permanent
character furnished going ships credit them
upon the books as paid out. Yet If the vessels upon
coming in from their cruise should return portion Of
these supplies, frequently happens, they have not
again been charged against the storeeeper on the books
Thus the storekeeper would have hand stores for which
see how such case could arise without gross neglect
somewhere The purser or commanding officer of the
vessel is should be- required to account for all stores
permanent pehabe, aud if paid over again to aDava
storekeepe the receipt of that officer should be required
This abuse however, Mr.. Herrick states has been re
formed during his service
The amount Of stores which should be on hand in the
Offices Of the different storekcepers the LIST Of July,
1853 according to the records OF the department, is
A. New York alone the amount hand at that time
should have been 81 62 g. and at other yards
There passes through the hands The store
keeper at New York. the OF the year stores
amounting TO something like half million Of dollars
The penalty Of his official bond, he states is $4,000
only This appears to your committee TO be scarcely
| adequate.
| EDITORS APPOINTED
Though the importance of this Office is thus shown, IL
appears for years past and under the administrations
different parties to have been regarded respectable
and comfortable place for some man who wished govern
ment aid while be carried other business. II has often
beer filled by editors of newspapers. Such Col Full.
ler under Mr. Flmores Gen Taylor's administration
Such is Mr. Herrck now. He says, in his testimony:
keeper salary aGa ia
sumes.
When asked whether he devoted as much as ono
seventh OF his individual time to the duties of his office he
81 do not know that do but do all that
| CURED" Again, be says -
knoSn AND have @
or t sae an c c ssS
Quoted the business just do-s least suppose they did
place as one Of responsibility the sorel Is expected
| TO do manual labor or the work of a clerk.
O. Has not this Office been given for under all
o
eor Col Des Ss So In
any business when he was appointed he politician how
While Commander Rootes thinks that the force in the
storekeepers Office is unnecessarily large he thinks
SMALL and states that his books behind that
| account.
the government should approve the policy Of paying
one man for responsibility and another for labor II will
find occasion to increase its employees in all branches Of
| pared to recommend.
He disburses all the money expended at that point both
under the Bureau OF Yards and Docks and that
Construction Equipment and Repairs, amounting in the
| year TO 90, 600 ,0G0 and more.
Against this Office for years past, has alleged
grave abuses and therefore your committee resolved 10
| make an extensive examination into lis management
CHARGES AGAINST GEORGE SANDERS
Many charges, more less grave, made against
tho present Navy Agent, Mr. Sanders, by different wit
nesses in this investigation.
Mr.. R. Swackhaner, who had been employed AS q clerk
under Mr. Sanders, been discharged Stated that his
accounts had been falsely out so us TO show lese
Of money chageabe against him than and also
that he had some cares fer compensation to himself
paid money to some parties before II was payable with.
holding from others to whom II was due Mr. Swacls-
The last monI there did not represent the the
M Onaed snea ar & Ssen ps s
Of one month"; when they really paid early in the follow
q. BY whom was This done A. BY the chief clerk gene.
/
O. VIVA. enect would that have upon the statement
account? Would enable Mr. Sanders 10 moneys
A. Yes sir took that 70 be the design; would
incorrect view the matter 10 the Secretary Of the
would not suppose that there much in hand
| there really
Q. How long did you continue with sanderss A. Until his
Office was conhrmed-a little year after his appoint
| ment
Sn; :sss I ss Or g s s which
q. What the aggregate anouAr A 1t passed from
month to another probably Increasing; remember
bill of 5000 and odd which reported paid IN April
l which was not paid until some time In May
Slr Swaokhamer further sad that the of the
| stated aiso .
Others charged Mr. Sanders with sending his requisi
almost exclusively TO Sccor Co Of which house
his surety is member without making the requisite call
pon contractors, and without knowing anything abou.
the price which secor Co. would charge; and many wit
l nessos charge him with neglect OF duty &C.
Mr. SANDERS BxIrAINs
IuOn all thcsc points Mr. Sanders NJ