The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-11-13

breastworks 35@4Oc; roofing S2@S2,50, and
total cost OF six fortificatons not over $50, 600
The contract for Notifications was drawn up
ner order of General Fremont. The contract
s regarded by the committee as irregular and
informal, except that it provides that mo mem
Der OF Congress shall be interested in the said
contract" The contract is in part irreg-
ular. for the reason that according to the reg
ulations OF the department, the Quartermas
ter only can make contracts OF this kind.
The fourth act Of fraud is the house rent,
first in the palatial mansion OF Mrs. Colonel
Brant. cousin OF Mrs. Jesse Fremont, rented to
General Fremont for head quarters Of Major
General, his private Secretary, and Chief Of
staff, at the ra of $1,000 per annum. Other
palalial mansions in the neighborhood are zen
led at sim liar rates and occupied for offices OF
members Of tht staff
Iarse and expensive barracks have been
built in the immediate vicinity as quarters for
the accommodation Of tie Fremont Body Guard
numbering 800 men. The Barracks, will ac-
commodate $500 men. The cost of these bar
racks and Benton Barracks, copocious enough to
accommodate 1000 men, will be about $780,
900, double the amount necessary to erect pre-
cisely similar buildings In the roofing o these
buildings which is upward Of 5000 squares oi
100 superl fetal feet, the Committee have dis
covered much fraud. The contract provides
that the roof shall be threepy, and put on
with felt and soaked in hot tar, and in sub
stantial and durable manner. The Committee
have evidence that the Superintendent and
! Architect, A. B. Ogden received draft o
| S7OO on General McKnstry from Clapp e Co.,
| provided he (Ogden) woIld obtain the contract
for them at their bid, which was $3.50 per
square of 100 superficial eet. A Mr.. King
under oath, testifes that he gave Ogden draft
on McKinstry for 5 500 for his services in get
ting him the contract for So % per square -
| To each olthese Ogden promised the contract.
The work was awarded to Altman Thompson
at So so, but whether any bonus was given
does not appear. The Committee find that
| Thompson sold the contract for an advance o.
! $1,000 and that the party doing the work on
| Iy put on one ply roof and that with felt dip
! ped in cold tar. In few places there were
only two phys. The facts were obtained by
cutting into the roof at various points. 1t is
also in testimony that there were responsible
bids at 81 for this same work.
An other fraud was in the contracting with
! E. w. Fox or the manufacture OF picket pinI al
40 cents each, when Thomas Hood, black
| smith with good security, bill for the same al
| =
900 pins. Also to Fox and others, camp ket-
ties at IS cents, when there were bids at 2C
cents; nails axes, spikes, &c, at similar rates
Saddles tha. were rejected by the Qdartermas'
ter were purchased by Fox at low figures and
sold to McKinstry at increased rates.
The building of sundry tug. boats and char.
tering OF several steamers at double their cost
and value particularly the chartering of sun,
dry boats belonging to the Keokul Packet Com
| pany, have been gone into at length, and much
imposition found to exist. The tug boats are be
inc built at q cost Of $500 each when they
ought to be built at 81, 500 each.
| Other frauds in the purchase OF oats clothing
blankets, tents, &c; the issuing Of tranSporta.
tion tickets and paying of employees in uncur.
tent funds such as the Union Bank and Banb
OF St. Louis, 35 cents discount instead Of Gov
ernment lunds, &c, &c, are fully in evidence
before the Committee, but all are on par with
those given above. No frauds were found in
the Cornmssary Department, but the report
of the Committee will exhibit the transactions
ofthe other departments in an exceedingly un-
| favorable light. AS The California contractors
are alleged by the Committee with being large
| ly interested in many Of these contracts, we
give their names: Joseph Palmer Of the firm
Of Palmer, Cook g. Co., Leonidas Haskell; E
L. Beard; Major SeloVer, of the firm Of selover
& Sniern, keal Estate Auctioneers, and |. G.
Wo4ds, manager OF Adams Express Company
Three of these gentlemen are living in st.
Louis in fine style, and two are on General
Fremont's staff.
| The Committee could have continued their
Investigations further, but they believe they
have sufficient evidence, and have gone TO Cal
ro to examine few witnesses there.