Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-28

Patapseo, which was purchased by one Of thes
middie-men for $1,000, and then hired to th
government for $65 per day, and the barQ
Delaware, which cost S2500, hired for $40
day The running expenses Of this latter yes
sci were about six or seven dollars a day, an.
all the rest were the profits Of the culprits, who
ever they are. These yassels were hired bv !
8 man named Hall, who had monopoly Of sh,
business, under the direction of Col Belger
assistant quartermaster general and 5obr
/ Tucker, assistant secretary Of war. When Il
is borne in mind that two hundred aud seventy
four vessels were chartered by this man Hall
some idea may be gained of the fearful amount
OF which the government has been pluadered
/ by his operations.
The Hodas operaadi was this Hail. IS we
have said, was middle man" and through
the action Of Mr.. Tucker and Colonel BsIger.
had monopoly Of the business Of cbartoring
vessels at Baltimore. Nobody who mad even a
coal boat to hire could get access to the govern
ment officers except through him He was the
agent of the United States, selected the vessels.
and fixed their prices At the same time he was
the agent of those who owned the vessels, some
OF them being his own, and others having been
bought up by his creatures In every case he
charged a commission ranging from FIVE to
twelve per cent. on the gross earnings of every
vessel chartered. OF course the higher the rate
the more this careful agent of the government
was enabled to pocket. This, In the caSs of the
steamer Cecil, chartered of Captain Rec, al
though the vess Il was offered a. fifty dollars
day, Hall had hired her at seventy-fve dollsrs
and before the bargain was eOnsummated, raised
the price to the astonishment Of the captain, to
eighty dollars per day. This seandalo6s feature
appears in every transaction An agent of the
government raising the rates on his own princi-
pal to ruinous prices, that he might get higher
commissions. Here again we must remind the
reader that this man Hall, who was the cnnfiien-
tal agent Of Colonel Belger and Mr. Tucker,
chartered two hundred and seveaty-four yes
sells.
Baltimore, however, had not monopoly of
this . Ell Dorado" to the fortunate owners Of
steamers, barges and tugs, aud the lucky ones
who acted IS agents for the government. The
committee extended their Investigations to the
Delaware, and on cur river they found the same
system of plunder prevailing to the same fearful
extent. Let our readers look and be amazed at
the prices that were paid ont of their pockets
for some of the worn-out old hulks formerly SO
familiar to their eyes. Here also we had agents
Here also we have the sorry spectacle of men
acting for the people, and at the same time act
ing for themselves in fixing e9ormous rates
upon their own vessels, and all, too, under the /
gsrb of exalted patriotism.
To show the utter reckless aud disgraeeful |
character of the Baltimore operations we invite [
attention TO the fact that il one case vessel in
the service of the government, at the exorbitant /
rate Of $3.50 per day, was engaged in running I
on excursion trips for the benefit of her owners ;
that in another q vessel was fitted up with bunk /
ers, at government expense, to accommodate TIE |
private freight Of soma of her owners, who were /
at the same time suffers in the army, one of 1
whom made $4,000 in one trip; that in still I
other cases the government tugs were used by /
their owners to tow private vessels for pay 1
that in q large number of cases the miserable /
old hulks that were chartered ct such monstrous /
prices, were SO far gone that they had to be fitted
up at an expense equal to their original cost, /
and that sach repairs were made at the public /
expense. Is there another Instance iG h;Jtory |
of a nation struggling for life being SO hesrE- /
lessly aad shamefuIly robbed by its own trusted I
citizens
The whole report IS reeking with exposed I
enormities. Il is impossible to estimate the plnn- I
der. Millions will be required to cover it The /
committee eensure some high officisls-they 1
eourtmarlial for another-and they I
demand, what the public voice should echo in |
that such ill-gotten gains shall I
be disgorged That word disgorge should be /
the universal cry, and until justice is done the I
public treasury, and then it should be seen
whether criminal indictments win not lie against
sll the spectators on tha enuntry's ealamities.