The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-24
WASHINGTON.

Department..
Some queer developments In regard to the manner
in which our common uncle's property is disposed
Of by officers OF the army who are account
able FOR Its preservation have been made within
the last few days. These disclosures prove that all
the departments OF the government are given to
slight irregularities in handling the public property
and money. The country has been entertained fol
many months past with rich revelations concerning
frauds in the Treasury, Post once and interior de
partments but since the questionsIof who made the
most money In the Ordnance Bureau has quieted
down and who did the most profitable business II
paying the bOunties to colored troops has beer
husned up, very little In relation to frauds in the
War Department has appeared. Now the War De
partment comes In again for charges Of question
able dealing, II not Of downright fraud. This time
the Quartermaster's Bureau is the scene OF opera
tons. There is good deal OF difficulty en-
countered in ascertaining the exact facts in the
case but what little is known Is enough to show very
clearly that certain officers OF the army have either
been guilty OF premeditated fraud or gross misman
agement or else they have been grossly wronged The
facts 80 far as they are known are as foll0ws:-In
July and August last Forts Q. f. Smith and Reno in
Montana Territory, were abandoned and the
United States property was sold at auc-
zion. 1t is commended by many persons
try that the order to abandon those forts created no
little SURPRISE as the necessity for their continuance
was then, and is yet, just as great as when they
were established. The order, however, was iss ued
and advertisements, 1t is said, were published in
several Western papers, announcing that the build
ings and other public property at these forts would
be sold to the highest bidders about the LIST Of
June. Those who dwelt in the vicinity OF these
posts well aware Of the value Of the public pro-
perry there, and its worth was variousy estimated
at from 100000 to $780, 900. One individual be-
lieving that in order TO settle up affairs as speedily
as possible the officer In charge would
probably sell the property at Q large sacrifice,
went to the General Commanding and offered him
$4,000 for the whole concern at Fort Smith. The
General gave him encouragement to expect that his
OFFER would be accepted. When the person who
made the offer came few days later to close the
bargain and pay portion OF the money the General
informed him that he could not dispose OF the prop
erty at private sale, and when he spoke to
him about It before he was not aware
that the property was already advertised for
sale at auction. When the day OF sale
arrived no bidders appeared, and the accounting
oflcer took the responsibility Of postponing it for
about ten days. At the expiration Of that time o
very small group Of persons were assembled, con-
and the large number Of people in that part Of the
country who needed just such materials as were
to be sold. The absence Of bidders was an indica-
ton that there was screw loose somewhere. and
II is intimated that the loose screw was in the
feeble manner In which the announcement OF the
sale was made. At all events, there were but few
persons present and all Of them proved tc
DC spectators, except one. Only one bidder coul(
be found and all the public property at For
Smith, estimated to be worth nearly $200,OO(
was Knocked down to the single bidder n
$4,o00 This property consisted OF several building
one steam sawmiIl, one water mill, saw and grist;a
large quantity Of clothing, camp and garrison EQUIP
age, quartermaster's stores, stoves, &C. The stem
mill sold for fifty dollars and the other articlesin
proportion. The only explanation OF this alatn-
ing sacrifice OF public property is that the
forts had to be abandoned, ~ the trUps
were to be Withdrawn, and the country
was filled with hostile Indians. The sale wasiad-
vertlsed as extensively possible for three moths
before It occurred There ia no law which autiDr-
lies accounting oficers to sell United States prp-
erty in any other way than by aucti6h, and tina If
the property had not besp sold ct that time it
would have been necessary to destroy it to re-
vent the Indiaps from obtaining possession. ne
property ut Port Reno was sacrificed, It Is ALLEGED,
in the ssne manner, and the 'lucky purchaser MT
tbtanding the hostility Of the Indians, took VI
b. bargains and realized to the tune OF 100000.
The Meeting Of the Louisiana Legislature.
The apprehended troubles In Louisiana upon the
assembling OF the Legislature next month seem 80
- tn be without foundation. The two Senator'S
nom :; :; s"re say that they have not y,
cslyed any information, eft6es NV. Z e. Is
which would indicate any attempt TO prevent tns
Legislature from meeting peaceably. letter TO
ceived by Senator Kellogg from Lieqtepa9g Wy
ernor Dunn states that some threats had
been made, but little attention was paid them
O. they came from parties Who never yens ssSrthe
than to make threats. Governor Dunn cypress
the opinion that the masses Of the people OF Louis
lana are opposed TO any further attempts to create
disturbance. Senator Kellogg hearing u the reports
relative to an expected outbreak called to-day ppon
General Grant and laid the above facts before him.
Senator Sumner ON the Finances.
Senator sumner, who ia spending the recess here,
Is busily engaged in preparing . speech on the
finances which ID to be In the nature OF reply to
Governor Mortons recent essay on the same subject.
Sumner favors speedy resumption OF specie pay
ments, adopting In this respect the views OF Horace
Greeley. Soon after the recess he will endeavor to
call up his bill for the resumption Of specie
payments on the Atm OF July next which
he introduced on the first day OF the session. On
this he proposes TO deliver the speech In course
OF preparation. The subject Of finance Is new one
with Sumner, and some curiosity is manifested
among Senators to see how he will handle IL. Some
of his colleagues laugh at the idea Of his attempting
TO instruct the Senate and the country on
this branch OF political economy; but the
Massachusetts, Senator Is industrious, and II
he does not advance any new ideas he win
at least get up respectable array OF old facts and
theories Several other Senators are understood to
be preparing speeches on the finances, ana the In
dica.ions are that this subject viii receive conslde
rable attention in the Senate after the recess.
The Union Pacific Railroad.
The President to-day ACCEPTED two sections OF
twenty miles each OF the Union Pacific Railroad and
directed bonds to be issued upon the same amount
ing to ST. ESQ 900. This extends TO the 940th mile
post, which Ia as far as has been reported by the
Commissioners.
Sale Of Conhscafed Cigars
The Commissioner OF Internal Revenue, in re-
Spouse to letter from collector OF New York, stat
has Intoo f Ia