The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-25
THE NAVY YARD INVESTIGATION.
Report OF the Committee OF Congrcss--Inte-
resling Iestinnony-HOw the Brooklyn
Navy Yard Is sianaged-R,ch Develope-



Ghe unsatisfactory condition of the different Navy
YARDS, ana the alleged frauds nsnanagement exist
ing in them having been called of Congress
committee appointed the House to investigate the
matter, composed OF Messrs Bocock Ready, Grocsbeck
Richie and sherman THIS committee made their reports
yesterday majority and minority report. We nave
not room TO-DAY for either Of these interesting documents
The testimony alone occupies volume OF eight hundred
pages, from which publish below such portions rela
tive Navy Yard hnd space for IN our
columns to day. 1t will be found racy and sting
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD---How IT woKss-TEsTIMoS ~
or COMMANDER THOMAS X RoorEs, COMMANDER
OF THE BkouhI.YN NAVY YARD.
Question What power has the conusndant over the
after they engaged? Has he tne power 10 re-
move ihem2 l took that power upon m! self
when acting cofnmhndant; # found men ldhls away
their time dr. nissed them.
U. Was that mace matter OF complaint AGAINST Your
A. Yes, sr made II my auty 10 go through the yard
and the shops; they complained 0i that, holulne tna
shou be compeued u coubne myself more W tue ONCE
q. We're aey Complaints made 10 the secretary OF the
Nayy2 A There no compliant made cy me- except
upon reported 10 caukers TO the Secre
iary on occasion there soe 70 or 100 caukers
discharged from the yard IT was daring the tine when
We had nothing but treasury noies 10 pay the
men with, ANA 1t impossible Tor Inc purser
10 get change Tor tDat purpose; II vas some
days before the coud get paid on Oh one OCCASION
some twothUds of these men came out IN front OF
the conlnaLdaDIs OLce and densnGed 70 be paid Their
wages before the others IL The yard got thersi told
them could be made by the
purser 10 get cbang they should ali DC piu III ier rogo
lar order al TINE iey weEt 10 ne purser cice aud
came out IN trout of II just as | came along, aud they
made very improper language; when pay Gay
came Purser Murray seu my house tnat IL
utterly inposs tor HIM TO GO with .he dpiy Of
paying tbs men Tor the caukes were acting outrageous
ly; nad doubled the number o. watchneA-put ali
the yard that could vent over TO the puisers office,
ana got there ordered a die Of marines
apd'comIaanded Tue men to stand back picked
four or nYe men upon thai occsson they would never
tell ther ialnes when ~ould ask them, ana only
way could Inc out WHO they were was 10 point them
out ~ sOue vi TIE Hatcnmen, would walch
them when they came up 20 get paid and get their
names then; ltrink got three tour OF them
OCCASION and discharged them; another occasion
these dlsenai ged Tor of Work-a regular
dismissal made out by the master OF the Ciulkers
himself; On than occasion ~as just bad again; tuey
hustled me OF tue Sidewalk ana acted badly that
went IL 20 the Office and sent for list OF the whole
Of names, ninety all aud told the FIRST Lieutenant
that WAS gong 10 dis miss the whole ninety o theIu;
the FIRST leueuani said NOW, Captain Rooes thnk,
before you 40 that you had better just dismiss those
can iay our hands upon, aud leave the thing t. the de-
partment; cid SO; enclosed the whole ninety
TO the Secretary Of the Navy and requested that they
might be discharged aud allow them enter that
any other navy yard of United States AGAIN The
the Secretary of the Navy was that If Com.
mandcr Rootes would identify the who had acted IN
this way they would be dismissed; answered by
mail Stating that those could get the of had
dismissed; and then that matter ended however it had
good effect, anu the behaved remarkably well after
wards.
q who are the civil officers in the yard according to
their rank and what their duties? A The naval con
". IS
charge OF the shpbudng-,o attend the whole general
building Of the ships then comes Mr. Graham, the
structng engineer ne called he attends build
Ing and repairing OF DOCKS the building and repairing Of
houses &c then comes Mr. Hastings, who is Mr.. tira-
hams assistant; his DUTY suppose, TO carry out the
orders OF the constructing engineer then there Mr. An
son Herrck, the nava slorekeeper he has charge of
everything that comes into The the shape Stores
with the exception OF those the ordnance department
and the puses department be las charge OF all things
that pertain 70 ships, timber, rigging, &c; then
comes George W. Lee, the clerk of tue ward: mig
duty is TO see that the men are mustered night and
ing and calls one portion Of the roll himself, thiak
we'll as can recoect the clerk of the YARD keeps
counts OF all the men employed IN the yard list of the
time they are there ant by LIS books they paid then
there In the surgeon Of the yard his title indicates his
duties there is the purser of yard whose duty ia
pay of ali the officers men Of the yard and to paw of
all who upon his book, Of whom may be IN dis
tant States Purser Murray IS in the Brooklyn navy yard
stance, requson made out for certain that
needed; goes his office, he believe is
SUPPOSED W Hnse purchases on open contract ali pay
meDts Of moneys for these stores pass through the office
OF the navy agent; the Commodore himself can
pay no bill IN the yard for these stores, but his
signature Is guarantee to the navy agent to
pay it; then there is gunner OF the yard; he
warrant officer ia the service; his duty ~ Ct out
that portion of the chip under his charge with the
assistance OF the ordnance officer put guns and
the ammunition then there gentleman callei carpen-
ter to the navy, or master Of the Carpenters he
some few hands under his charge and attends patching
up about the yard, the ratings, Whatever else tum
bes Gown the ssiinsker is another officer; his
duty to attend the cutting and making and the
pairing OF all sails for ships
q. 10 you know how many master workmen-masters
OF different gangs of workmen-there were in the yard
when you went ia IN May, 1857? A. When first | Joined
the yard there were master workmen: James r. Notice
carpenter; William Merried. blacksmith Francis Phil.
lips, spar maker Romeo Fnganza ship JOINER j. Harden
brook, cooper T. Strickland caulker Peter McManus
blockmaser; Lewis W. Berry, painter James Kerrgan
boat builder; A. J. McCar'y, plumber Hugh Mclaughlin
iaborer John Farron steam engineer; each OF these
master workmen has department of his own
with number Of men under him; the head or master
aoorer Is man who has charge Of large number of
men, putting stores in ships &c Peter Turner was
ter gun carriage maker; Lawrence Cohen was master
house carpenter John Moore superintendent of the
coffee MILL IN the Brooklyn navy yard we grind oil the
coffee pepper mustard for all the service we grind
up 20 900 lbs OF coffee at time sometmes under the old
contract system We used to get black pepper half Of
which would turn white in a few months; now We have
none Of this adueraton il these things; think this
OF the best things for the service that has been DONE they
have perfectly fresh articles OF this kind when vessel
leaves she takes three months supply of coffee,
and then when that is gone ia them; Henry
Kent s master machDIs aud Edward Hart is draughts-
man TO the naval constructor.
q What were the number of men employed in each of
these departments when you went into the yard A. The
number Of men for each every day the year can be
stance on rainy days there would by COO 500 900
who would not come into the yard all this be obtain
ed from the clerk Of the yard New York; think that
when LETT there were come 300 in that yard;
understand that the very day was detached and
On here there were great many persons put 10.
O. Was there any limit upon power OF these masters
~ the mechanics TO pu, in? A. will state this
When change was made or one OF the master work
men, the would come into the yard and
fnda gang Of already there; it became necessary
to discharge some of the men for want Of work
and the list was made out and approx
by the master workmen and by the commandant the
yard and the dismissed when IL became ne
cessary afterwards TO appoint men, observed thai
1t very seldom that many Of these Old back
again.
q. Who made the selection OF the men9 A. The master
workmen; for instance, In Mr.. McIAughlin's depart
ment--that Of the laborers-one hundred men dis
charged to-day; when We want one hundred add
ttonal he max es tue selection.
O. Who makes the appointment Of the master work
men, and Of AL the oicers The Secretary OF the Navy
l think.
O. What power has the commandant over these civil
oicersy A. None at ALL for instance the Secretary Of
the Navy orders gentleman there before the board u
stand an examination for the place Of carpenter
or master blacksmith; The oommandant Of the yard
the naval constructor and the constructing engineer
compose that board, they examine the and make
their report; If be passes the appointment given
him.
O. Has the commandant OF the yard the power 70 dis
miss these master workmen2 A. No, sir be can suspend
them from duty and report them 10 the department.
O. Has the commandment of the yard any power oveI
the officers the naval storekeeper the naval agent &C.