New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Correspondents Of The \. \. Tribune.
,smS.ToN Marci

Correspondents Of The X. \. Tribune.
WASHINGTON, March 90, 1861.
As II is not clear TO the public in what manner
rich and influential merchants like S. j.. Chit,cn-
den & Co. of Ncw.York can be bulod Off from
n large and fair contract with the United States
Government by an understrapper in its employ
am requested to give the facts as nearly as l
can recollect them.
! will premise by stating first that the yearly
contracts for IQdan goods are advertised and
bids solicited. The Persons who Ofet tdva i;dss
OF goods at the lowest amount in the aggregate
obtains the award. Under the class Of dry goods
the amount is annually from $3.50, to $500, OOO
Frauds in executing these contracts are usually
accomplished by n secret understanding be-
tween the Indian Office ard favored contractor
that certain articles advertised for are to be pur-
chased in diminished quantities, or not at ALL aud
that the purchases Of other articles are to be IN
creased over the amount advertised for the Indian
Office having the discretion TO increase or dimIn5h
those quantities at pleasure. The articles not III
tended to be purchased maY be denomlnatcd DUN
mics"
An illustration as 10 these items will show what
the extent of such fraud may be when extended
through the whole contract for some GO or 20 iems
and how much one contractor may be favored, and
another, mol fayorite, may be oppressed
Suppose the advertisement, which Is usually
fraudulent 10 be the iOlOwiDg
biJ pair 3plnis blankets y welsh pounds
100 Usir Appoints hssLe.. 10 weigh pounds
5QOe pair 2ioints blankets, to weigh 81 pounds
A bidder, not in the secret and having no "un-
derstanding," would bid about as follows;
200 Psir Slpoips blsaists' at 81 :s.......... $50
500 IsiE aP0ins' blanket! at ~ ''..o.... is'7io
Aggregate .n............ 81 $50
Considering the weight and prices OF the Sew
kinds it viii be seen that the price Of one kind Is
consistent with the others.
Now bidder with IN understanding" will bid
about as folows and it will be seen that if his
bids for aud q point blankets are fair, the price
for the points IS Unfortunately low, IT not being
over the price of the raw wool, viz:
1900 pair 1po!nts blankets at s6.............sR@o
200 pair :. points blankets, at e5............ 1000
5000 pair 2-pcins blankets, 1T " tS........ l25oO
Aggtgai ........................"S3ISco
The contract WILL Of course, be awarded 10 the
person who presents bid like the last as the ag-
gregate is So 100 less than the other.
The milk in the cocoanut viii be discovered
when the schedules are made up and the goods fur
nished They will turn out about as follows:
1000 pairs spoint. blankets at S6...........4a6
800 pairs 2poin' blankets OF 81 3O...........' lsso
-
If we calculate these purchases by the prices OF
the rejected bid the aggregate will be found lower
than the accepted by 36625. Thus:
1900 pal. 3points blankets at S5 so..........s5gS
5000 pairs u points blankets ii ~ 25....... 2l2a9
800 puirs points blankets at % 7J.......... 1919
.......................S6iG2
A glazing instance Of this Kind Of transaction was
developed in the controversy which took place IN
1858, between Chittcnden Il Co. aud the old con-
tractors, cronin 81 Co., both OF New-York. The
Indian Office awarded the contract to Cronin ~ 20,
who were the old contractors and " understood tho
wants Of the Department" az the Chief Clerk SAID
But Chittenden d Co. appealed to the Secretary OF
the Interior, ard demanded that the goods aeHGty
bought should he extended by their prices, and also
the goods Of Cronin g. Co. in the same manner
when il was found that, upon that basis, Chttenden
& Co.'S bid was some $50, 600 lower than tho Other
Mix had urged against Chittenden d. Co. that
they were Black Republicans" 9ad should mol pc