The national Republican., 1869-02-04

velope paper bought, but not over 10k
reams can be accounted forj 1,006, 900 enyel-
opes paid for, while the uses Of the office
would amount 70 about 10000. OF taffeta
ribbon 10, 100 pieces were paid for, and 1 900
gross Of rubber bands; and there was like
ostrayagance In the other articles.
The prices charged were as extravagant as
the quantities. We give few cases books
worth 20 are charged at s45 cash-books
worth e5 charged at $25; cards worth about
% per thousand are charged at $40; print
ing envelopes, worth about s2.5o per thous-
and, Is charged at $50 and $40; ruling,
worth about t2.50 per thousand sheets, Is
charged at s50i printing 100000 blnnks,
worth, perhaps, ~ per thousand, charged OF
$3.50 and sl7. To give them all would be.
come tedious.
The messenger who had custody Of the
goods and certified to their delivery certified
to the correetness Of the July bill, which ran
s7,1s3.26. From July 8 to July "a he was
absent, and IL was during this time that
s5,SS3.26 out Of the s7,1sS.26 are charged as
delivered. His assistant kept q memoran-
| dun Of all the orders given and the goods
received In the absence Of the messenger,
and the gross amount In value Is less than
| 800. = .. .... .
to investigate the complaints made by
Commissioner Foote to the Secretary OF
the Interior, with all these facts In testi-
mony before them, could find no evidence
| of abuse or fraud on the part Of the con-
tractors, while they do find and report TO
the Secretary of the Interior "that the loss
to the office since July, 1867, has been $751;
54s.45," is beyond our comprehension. They
had evidence before them, and state In their
report, that these contractors had charged in
their bill for ono month, and were paid for
| printing 1900 patent heads more than they
have ever delivered, at $40 per thousand,
which are now procured at a cost OF t25 per
thousand, and that they still hold 10000
sheets Of bond baper belonging to the Gov
ernment. II Is difficult to conclude what
| would be an abuse II charging and getting
pay at this rate for work to the amount OF
S2,3S0 In one month more than was per-
formed was not one.
In another Of the findings Of this commit
tee we were surprised, considering Its at
tempted results. They were limited In their
range Of powers to the complaints made by
the Patent Office, and when they decided to
enter upon the consideration Of the question
whether Dempsey & O'Toole had contract
for undelivered bond paper, which was not a
matter Of complaint and not legitimately
before them, the Patent Office protested
against 1t. Yet with the law specifically re-
Quiring all contracts to be made In writing,
after advertising for proposals where the ex-
lgencies of the service do not forbid the delay
they found contract verbally made for
600, 600 sheets Of bond paper at eight cents
per sheet, about half Of which was unde-
livered and unpaid for, to exist, without any
shown exigency, which would even warrant
purchase In open market, without a writ
ten agreement, without even a written order
but upon the testimony Of one Of the parties
In interest-the statement Of an employe Of
the Patent Office that the acting Commits
| thnxv hnx-n - tal,a H.
paper, coupled with the drawing of a war;
rant on the Treasury for s24, 200, designed
to be used for Its payment. Having entered
upon the consideration Of that matter II is
unaccountable, II they desired to have all
the facts, why they should not have called
General Stout, the acting Commissioner, as
a witness, who is alleged to have made the
contract, and who was In close proximity to
their place Of sitting.
The committee find the following facts
} from the evidence In regard to this bond
paper.
Philip & Solomons, former contractors for
} stationery with the Interior Department,
: held contract for printing specifications
!, with the Patent Office, for which the office
: furnished bond paper, buying it of Philip &
Solomons at eight cents per sheet and using
not far from 100000 sheets per annum,
D When Dempsey & o'Toole obtained the In.
4 terror stationery contracts, they claimed the
d right to furnish this paper as 1t was re,
d quired. The matter became the subject Of
consideration between the contractors, the
Q Acting Commissioner and the Secretary Of
: the Interior, and resulted in the purchase
y at different times, of 81 900 sheets for pat
!, ent heads, Philip & solomons having 65,O0(
9 sheets on hand for printing specifications
General Stout, then Acting Commissioner
l. states that he sent q communication to thu
|, Secretary of the Interior advising the pur
!. chase Of large lot Of bond paper, ant
4 stating he would do SO II ordered or granted
- permission. This was given for 800, ,OOt
A sheets, and q warrant drawn for S24, 900 t,
a make payment, and advanced to the con
q tractors, and a bond taken from them as sc
!. curity for the delivery Of the paper. Thi
a statement is confirmed by the committee VIII,
q made the award Of contracts for the Interio
n Department, who say that 1t was known b!
!. one of their number that 800, 900 sheets o
l. bond paper had been purchased, before th
n bids were opened, and hence they disre
/, garded the bidding for that article, knowing
i, the Government would not want any. Gen
4 Stout further testifles that he was given t.
X understand by the staff Of his superior, tn
IL Secretary of the Interior, that II would b.
n agreeable to have another like quantity pur
n chased, and that he had warrant draw
r. for S24, 900, In anticipation of an order Il
"a make the purchase, for its payment; but a
., which would warrant him In making tn
~ purchase, and as the directions to make tn
ts purchase did not come down, he addressed
N communication upon the matter to the Sec
~ retary of the Interior, to which he receive
N no answer, and for that reason declined l.
make any order for the paper. 1t is pei
n haps due to General Stout to say that h
"a testified to being in office temporarily a
a Acting Commissioner, and followed tn
= routine he found established, and made N
"a | changes but such as he was authorized O
/ directed to by his superior. 1t Is also due t
~ Dempsey & O'Toole to state that we thin
,t they were warranted In believing the pui
I'd chase would be effected, and had the pape
q In controversy manufactured In anticipation
.irr The law in regard to making contracts fc
or supplies is very clear and explicit, yet thl
commission, without any advertisement, will
m out any urgent necessity, without q write
os contract or written order, and without eve
d. inquiring Of the only person who could max
nj the order, found contract to exist fC
he 60O, 900 sheets of bond paper Of the value
to CAS-, 900, one half of which had been deli,
cs cred; and upon the report made of their hnt
n. ing the Commissioner of Patents was ordere
~ by the Secretary of the Interior to make pa,
ot ment for 300, 900 sheets of bond paper at ii
be price of $4,000. This will appear the mol
.ct strange when we state that the whole amour
ed of purchases for the Interior Department {
Ia stationery, In all its forms and for oil i
'rs bureaus, excluding the Patent Office, f
bc which u contract was made, will amount
nd but little If any more In the last eightee
he months than this single item, which the Con
he missioner of Patents Is ordered to pay, an
"a which we believe Congress ought to forbi
,r- for these reasons.
"a If 1t was q purchase where the urgenC
er would not allow advertising and write
~. contract, and 1t was ordered from contra
re tor, he is bound TO furnish 1t at tn
ve lowest market prices. These contra
I'M tors have furnished 35l 900 sheets
on bond paper and been paid s2s,0S0. Its hig
,as est testified cost was $1,000; add Is per cen
In. for profit, u ,053, and you have $S,073. d
Ire uuel TINS ltosl ON tne nno not Pu.u, unu ica'
nS of $2s, ,0s0. Or, to state the transaction In
IS different way, s24 900 of this amount W