The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-26

deem 1t unnecessary or instantaneous TO the
public service
"3. The Secretary instructed Mr.. Lenthall,
as he understood, to specify, in the advertise
ment for the timber, the earliest time at which
it could be cut and delivered and he specified
the first of February, 1859, as the earliest day
practicable. Of course, the Secretary knew it
would take several months to clh and deliuer ii.
"a. But little of it has been used since the
delivery of it on contract, as hereafter stated.
Mr.. Lenthall, chief of the bureau of construc-
ton, equipment and repairs, testifes as fol-
lows
90 / think that timber of that description was
needed not the whole oft /; probably we could
have done with much less than was called for.
But think it was for the interest of the ser
vice to have got that description of timber, and
/ think we wanted it then.
a. Question. At that time?
az AnSOer. Yes, sir portion of it.
"They got portion of it as already noticed.
They must have gotten all or nearly all then
needed, for it is proved but little of the timber
referred to has been used since it was deliver
ed under the contract. According to the testi-
mony of B. +. Delano, naval constructor at
Brooklyn, about one-fourth of the quantity de-
livered then, say six thousand feet, has been
used. Samuel T. HART, naval constructor at
OOSpOEL, proves L0dL ADOuL lUTce uuHuTSO lScL
have been used at that yard
Francis Grier, naval constructor in the
Philadelphia yard, proves there was a little of
it used on sloop No. l, in the Philadelphia yard,
and that some was used on the Griffith ship,
but leaves the quantity indefinite. He also
says, if the matter had been referred to him, he
would not, as matter of official duty, have
recommended the purchase of Swift's timber,
and 1t was not necessary to purchase 1t to carry
on the business of the yard.
Proposals for timber were prepared by Mr..
Lenthall, under the directions of the Secretary.
When submitted to him, he did not approve Of
the time fixed for the delivery, which was the
LIST Of February, 1859, and changed it, making
half deliverable on the lst of September, 1858,
(about twenty days after the contracts were
completely and the remaining half on the LIST
of February, 1859.
Swift and Bigler seemed to have entertain
ed no doubt they had the contracts within their
grasp, as they had the timber already in all the
yards except Warrington ; and, to prevent COM
petition between them in bidding, Swift agreed,
if he got the contracts, to purchase all of Big
ler's timber at the same rate for which be con
tracted with the Government. Swift bid to
furnish the timber at $l.30; Bigler nominally
bid at much higher rate In order that the con-
tract might be awarded to Swift. 1t turned out
there were several other bidders, though they
knew it would be impossible for them to deliver
any timber on the lst of September. They be-
lieved the Secretary would grant them an ex-
tension of time, and doubtless, under that be-
lief, bid in good faith. Swift was underbid for
every yard, and the contracts were awarded to
the lowest bidders Buxton & Lawrence, at
Kittery, Charlestown, and Brooklyn Samuel
b. Grice, at Philadelphia and Gosport and
Coates, Degraw & Beech, at Warrington. Bux-
ton & Lawrence failed to execute their contract
within ten days allowed them. The other sue
cessful bidders executed their contracts as re-
qured. Samuel B. Grice delivered only l,4OO
feet of timber at Philadelphia within the time
stipulated for the first delivery. Coates, Degraw,
d Beech, did not deliver any at Warrington.
They each applied to the Secretary for an ex-
tension of time, which he declined to grant :;
and on or before the 10th Of September the con-
tracts were all annulled, and a contract made
with W. c. n. Swift to supply all the several
yards, at the same rates at which the contracts
were first awarded, ranging from 81 .O9 to SLIT
per cubic foot, and being an average of SLIP
"The usual time allowed contracts for live
oak is one and two years because, unlike
other timber, it is rarely kept OH hand by lum-
bermen, and generally has to be cut near the
coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, after the con
tracts are made; and being esteemed more
valuable when cut between the lst Of Novem-
Der and lst of March, one winter season at
least is allowed for that purpose.
Having shown the Secretary did not deem
this timber necessary for immediate use, it may
be here remarked that he could not, and did
not, under the first contracts, or under that with
Swift, expect half of the timber to be delivered
on the lst of September, or near that time.
Every one knew it was physically impossible
to deliver any portion of it at Warrington
(Fensacola) by that time, or for months after
wards.
"NOne of the contractors for that yard had
any timber there, or near there. Each of them
had to cut it from the forest before he could
deliver it. The yellow fever was prevailing
along the Gulf coasts with great fatality, and
no one would have exposed himself to the dan
ger by cutting timber during its prevalence.
Without this obstacle, it was impossible to have
cut and delivered the timber by the time speci-
fed, or even to have placed force in the for
ests, where it might be cut between the execu-
ton of the first contract and the lst of Sep
TENDER.
1t appears that Coates Degraw, & Beach,
the first contractors for the Warrington yard,
were making reasonable exertions to furnish
the timber. There is no sufficient reason for
believing they would not have furnished it as
soon as Swift. In fact, it appears, he has not
yet complied with his contract at that yard and
has delivered but small portion of the timber.
Beach, of the firm of Coates, Degraw, d Beach,
testifes that they had made arrangements by
which they would have been able to deliver it
all by the lst of February. And whether that
be so or not, there is nothing shown to Justify
the belief that they would not have furnished
it as soon as Swift. The inquiry at once
arises, why was their contract annulled, and
new one made with Swift i? If it was the de-
sire of the Secretary from the first to give the
contract to Swift and Bigler, or either of them,
an answer is furnished.
1t is, however, proper to state in this con-
nection, that the Secretary, in the month of
December last, annulled Swift's contract for
the Warrington yard, on account of his failure
to deliver the timber; but orders have since
been given by the chief of the bureau of yards
and docks to the commandant of this ward, to
receive timber offered under the contract since
it was annulled.
"Some facts appear, touching this matter, to
which it is deemed proper to refer. Swift and
Bigler had previously been reasonably good
contractors for live-oak timber, and seem to
have had more favors than other contractors,
in allowing their surplus timber to remain in
the yards; favor which perhaps they deserved
Swift was an ardent friend of the present AID.
ministration, and had expended his money
freely-more than 100000 aid the election
of Mr.. Buchanan. 1t was known to the Secre-
tary that he had been liberal, as proved by
George Pitt and it was natural he should have
a kind regard for him.
There is striking agreement between the
timber for which the proposals were adver-
tised, and Swift and Bigler's timber in the
yards. This may have been accidental and
Lenthall testi6es that the description of the
timber in the proposals was not made by the