New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-20

Gross sc smGpns' io~ra;s BID. GO
100000 sheets bond paper, q cents.S5oo 90
70 dGSes p pencils. 81 100
Gross amount Observation-Disclosures
BY this example. on single items Dempsey odooe
total they are si0i2 10 above them -,,-
tracts wS Wer given 10 Dempsey oooe whose bids az
gregated $50 S. instead OF blanchard Mohun whose
ANOTHER method has been to have good understand.
Ing at the of orders and have them shaped for
Is below cost and for large orders where tho profits
large to be sure and have large stock OF al son or
ding next time going below cost where you over
stocked Tho great reliance for profits, however In
the interior Department excluding ne Patent Oncel
has been about IS per cent ana 10 the peh' onGe near
at fabulous prices, though the contract PROVIDES they
shall be furnished ut the lowest market raee recent
order from the Patent Oce gold pens with
silver handles not complied with and became SUD
iect Of oorrespondence between Secretary OF the In
erior and the Commissioner OF Patents on account OF s
eTtravagance when it appeared that % dozen gold pens
less than Is dozen wooden pen handles
The creates. abuses have been IN the Fateat once.
the expenditures We find that IN violation OF the eN-
provisions Of tho law blank books nave been pro-
cured from July 1861 to August 81 1865 amounting TO
ss9Oi OF, and at prices outrageousy ekorbitaht We
aIsI Geance q IT, to the amount OF s325 at prices
which become staggering by their extravaganza Ih5
the practice under Mr. Ihe@ker ana continued by
When Commissioner Foote entered upon the duties Of
the Office his attention was called To stationery bis for
approyal Finding such quantities OF goods charged and
al such prices TO excite his attention. lie took time TO
WINGED that the prices were beyond reason, and
the quantities unealled for by the requirements OF
the Office Further examination convinced him great
frauds and abuses had been pracced In the supplies
He made complaint TO that effect TO tho Secretary Of tho
INTERIOR who ordered commission 70 Investigate his
complaints, consisting Of H. j. Janer Morris Peters, aud
r. W W. Grifn-One appointed by the Contractors, one
,hs m agiO Secretary.
discharged the messeugo j. lTasler WHO cettned 70
the delivery OF the goods. and placed Mr. Charles H.
Thomas i'm charge OF supplies and purchases on the 2h
of september lie required all orders TO DC entered upon
an order book. and all heads OF rooms 10 keep pass
book uu1n which their requirements entered and
The result Is that the bills have averaged lees than t2s5
%G n Wi.n When Tie system Vas
in September This does not include blank books and
The bills for the three months preceding This
and printing or near 10 tunes rs much as the sae
% in"tty OF the Patent once TO account for the
articles paid Tor is still more disagrceabe matter TO
consider. -. 49,, 49,, 49,, ~, D.,
since February Ies al $40 aud 81! each while not one 81
them can be found IN the Office tbs book OF printed
forms which could be Of no use outside the oicc rs ties
TTe hundred and eighteen thousand printed blanks
consisting OF letters, decisions, &C. were charged aud
paid for less than 100000 could be accounted for by
The requirements OF the office.
OF die.wrappcrs 5000 charged and paid for at
cost Of 81 per thousand ahd ucl hhklhg hOci esl'
mates those used and On hand 1900 cannot DC ac-
OF manila and large brown envelopes, by a. $1,000
were charged and paid for while The quantity on hand
and used could not exceed 10000, leaving unaceouned
81 ards for models 100 900 were charged and paid FOR
at $40 per thousand while but 10000 can be accounted
for as used ana on hand 9dne nVVo bn io
the legitimate business Of the Patent once as sworn 10
Vast quantities OF other articles cannot be accounted
for In tile office; but they might have been made use
cases Of lie many m evidence or eyole 1870 boxes
paid for, but only 800 boxes would be required for
bought and paid for but none to be found $50 sheets
French tracing paper boughtseldo u ever used, aud
hut ~ sheets hand 11l yellow envelope paper
bought but not over lci reams can be accounted Tor
100000 envelope p%d ior So W. SsI 1i iy TS S
pieces paid for, and 1899 gross OF rubber bands;
The prices charged extrayagant the quanti
az Ss casbooks worth S. charged at S25 cards worth
about g. per thousand charged at $40 printing en-.
vcopes worth about " 90 per thousand are charged at
SEQ and $40 ruling worth about g 90 thousand sheets
Is charged at S5O printing 100000 blanks worth perhaps
81 per thousand charged at SIC 90 and ST. To give them
The messenger who had custody Of the goods and Ger.
ted TO their delivery certified to the correctness OF the
July b which ran from June "a to July a. 1888 amount
ing TO s7ls8 &C. July TO July a he absent,
and It was during this time that $3.50 % out
assistant Kept memorandum OF all the orders given aud
the goods received In the absence OF The messenger ana
How the Commission VINO were appointed 10 lnVestl-
gate the complaints made by Commissioner fOOe TO tho
Secretary OF the Interior VIII All these facts IN iesll
mony before them, could find no evidence OF abuse or
fr0u
and report TO the Secretary OF the Interior that tho loss
to the Office since july 1884, has been s 49, Is be-
yond orr comprehension. They had evidence before
them and state their report that these contractors
had charged their bill for one MONTH ana were paid
dehyered at $40 per thousand which now procured
at cost OF SIS per thousand aud that they sl hold i
600 sheets OF bond paper belonging % the Government
IL is dnlcut to conclude what would be an abuse n,
charging aid getting pay at TINS rate Tor work 10 te
amount Of g. 3S0n one month more thah was performed
In another Of the findings Of this Committee
al enuai
limited in their range OF powers 10 the complaints hado
by The Patent Office, and when they decided To enter
upon the consideration OF TIC question whether DEMPSEY
d OTOole had contract Tor underworld Dond paper
which was not matter OF complaint ana not legltl.
maty before them the paent once prCested agss
10 DO made In writing after advertising Tor proposals
where exgences OF the service 90 not forbid the dS
lay they found contract verbally liade IQr uVV I,
sheets OF bond paper at eight cents per sheet aDont m
OF which undolvcred ana unpaid Tor TO eAls Will
out any shown exgency, which would even warrant
purchase in open market without written agreement,
without even written order but upon tne testiony oi
one OF the parties In nterest-he statement OF an EN-,
Move OF the Patent Oncethat the acting Commissioners
iad they would have TO take the paper coupled WIN inc
dra wing OF warrant the Treasury Tor s2IoOO ue
signed 10 be used for It's payment Having entered upon
the consideration OF that matter IL Is unaccountabic
they desired have all the facts why they Should not
have called Gen Stout, the acting Commissioner, as
witness who is alleged TO have made the contract ana
who was In close proximity 70 their place OF slttlhg
The Committee Ind the following facts from the evil
dence In regard to this bond paper; ..,..
Philp * soomOns, former contractors Tor slatonery
with the Interior Department, held contract Tor print
ing specifications with the fateht once loT INC
mons at eight cents per sheet aud using not lar from
100000 sheets per aunun. When dempsey tooiS ~
tanned the Inferior stationery contracts tbey caed the
right to furnish this paper required Inc mat
! ter became the subject OF consideration between mo
contractors the acting ConmssIODer ana Tue secretary
Of the Interior and resulted In tho purchase NJ 9neI
ent times. Of 900 sheets for patent heads ihp sol
cations. Gen Stout then acting Commissioners stHes
That he sent communication To the bccIcla. uo Iu
terror advising the purchase Of large lot OF bond paper
/ N