, 1861-11-06


committee Las been In scsilon most Of tic
. summer in New York, Bcstde; New Bedford,
Washington, ste, and ias 1aeazthed vast
amount Of rasea1ity, and haa secured various
sums that have been wrongfally taken from
the Government At The sess1on Of tie COM
mistee In et Louis running through two
weeks, In which near two hundred Witnesses
we're examined, IN amount of Waste, extrAVa-
gance, corruption, rascality, prof1gacy and
downright and unblushing scoundrelism haVo
teen developed that is without parallel IN the
history Of this country.
HoW IT WAS DONE.
The California gang had the inside. The
bsck stairs were always ftee to them, and
while men who were anxious to deal with the
Goyerrment~-fa1me1sN with horses and mules,
manufacturers with all sorts Of supplies for
army use-we1e in vain laying their offers
before the proper contracting officers Of the
Government, these patriots from the Pacific
we're getting the Generals name to whatever
orders or acquisitions they we're pleased to
ask, and at prices which have not failed to
make Ill Of them rich.
SOME PARTICULARS.
There we're five foEts-each one as useless
as the fifth wheel 10 eoach-erected On a
semi-circle on the western boundary Of st.
Lcuie, These were constructed by men
employed By the dag or hour, but divided into
gargE, working day and night, and at wages
that far exceeded the average Of prices paid in
st. Louis to laboriug men. The cost OF these,
thus built, was about 10000. But five other
forts were required, each .ttzh larger than,
though Of the same pattern a., the five first.
The contract for their construction was made,
By command Of the General, with one E. L.
Beard, one Of his old Calitornia neighbors !;
and Central Qate Provost MarshaD McKin.
stzy's friends say that the prices were agreed
>upon between the contracting parties. To
show the character Of the transaction and the
| enormous waste Of public money, we specify
few items, which We know to be correct, as
ne have had the original contract In our
| hands:
| For excavations, Nhe ground is yellow loan,
with not pebble in it, Is cents per cubic
/ 3atd-Horth trcm to 10 cents.
| Fer embapkments dirt thrown with
| the shovel out Of the trenches,
ard that only-dfty-dve cents per yard
excavations and embankments amounting to
| sl00 per yard. The testimony Of practical
men il, that Is to 20 cents would have been a
1emunerative price.
| Fer all puddled earth, 90 cents per yard
Tie work was done for 2 fraction more than
cents.
| For soddipg the slopes and the sod walls on
the scarp, $3.50 per square yard-worth 20
cent?.
For fascines-bundles Of twigs bound up
| Ike sheaf Of wheut-$10o per cubic foot.
They we're worth, possibly, 10 cents.
For orlumber-equa1e timber reduced to board
measure and planks-thsse are the figures
800 per 1000 feet! This includes, in the
words Of the contract, stuff for officers guar
terf, soldiers barracks, sewers, &C., sc. Tt il
worth there $l2 to FL per i 900.
But in this connection. the cisterns in the
earlhwcrks for supply Of water for some
impossible siege, afford the richest item. They
are contracted fer st Is een&spsr cubic gallon q
231 inches A cistern holding 10000 gallons
| we'll bricked up, cemented and finished fol
the pump, costs here $50 to $40. Each one O
these military cisterne, Of like capacity, has
| coet s., 500!
These figures are staggering; but they ar,
| nominated in the bond, and Mr.. Beard has
thanks to tie Generals care for him, got
large partof his money. How much the Who'll,
! JOB costs, ne did not learn butthat, when tn,
bottom is reached. the sum will be founs
ene1moue, let these prices attest. We max
TO charges in connection with this matter
Tie facts are what the people want. Wehav
told them. The publication Of the testimon
will bear us out. We commend them to th
rotiee Of tic lumbeImen, and an other me
who have blamed the TRIBUNE for its fri
quert illusions to the California gang.
But while On this branch Of the investing
ton, let US say more: Ever body recollec:
that when Mr.. Cameron, Secretary Of War, r.
turned to Washington from Miesyuri, he pei
enptorily ordered, 1st, that the work on thea
Notifications should be arrested ct once 2;
that 10 more money should be paid by th
disbuEsing officers on account of these COZ
tracts; and, Sd, that hereafter, all purchase
for the use Of the army should be made on]
by Tie proper officers Of the Government,
~hcm there are plenty shere. These orde
were transmitted to the General, and printe
in ali the newspapers. In defiance Of ther
the works we're finished, and Gen. Fremont
short time ago, peremptorily ordered Maj
Allen, the Quartermaster there, to Fay this MI
Beard, his California neighbor, x6o, 600 on
count Of them. The order Was dieobeyed a
I transmitted to Washington. He also quite
peremptorily orde red the anne officer to {,
: power this same Beard to purchase for 1
: army now in the field, supplies to the amou
4 cf nearly 81, GOO, ,M0, among which the folio
ing items occur-4000 mules, 400 Wagons, !
anbulances, u corresponding amount Of b
), ness, &C., &c! Mr.. Beard is not known to t
e army; but his earthWorks will Nuke him
mcus. These orders are in testimony, q
L copies ofall have been sent to the Departme
Let Others characterize the Generals often
u when We tell them that, at this moment, th.
Is ere more than 5000 mules, 800 wagons, and
L. unlimited supply Of harness, for which
" would appear that the army has no pre3t
LII use, between st. Louis and Scdalia. But 1
Is bly, richer by quarter OF million that het
not get it. The Generals disregard OF pu
), tive and necessary command Of the War ]
:, partment went for naught. Let him set
~ ~ with his supefioss.
~ HORSE AND MULE CONTRACTS.
~ In the items and charges above we give
20 u specimen bricks. In all the operations
~ this gang that the Committee has touch
NJ ~ this waste, profigacy and rascality are ma
i fest in just SIS clear light, The necessity
- thousands Of horses and mules, afforded th
~ ~ an opportunity that they could not negle
~ ~ Their plan Of operations was this: One
~ these back'stairs men would, say to-day,
Fortune the General for an order (-aothj
ha wEs advertised for-that would not do,
II. coI1se ! tor 5000 horses at any figure, IA
70 irg fiom 11911zz to $50 dollars, according to
10 service Tor which the enima1s we're intend
~ ~ Next day another order for j 900 would be e
- aid rezt day third order for 500. The US
~ mtthod vas this: To offer these orders
ia sale, at prices Like tbese-for an order
~. 1900 horses, $20oo0; for 1000, always 8
Ia oco; for SEQ, not less that q, 600. But vi
a.. buyers were not plenty at these figures,
~ contractors themselves commonly would
bo dertake to procure the animals. Aud II
n here new phases Of frascality are opened.
u How TO But CHEAP HoRsEs,
One man-a Californian, Of course-hayins
- order nf + 0Il0 hnrsea ceoda h;a c1ar1- ~