The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-29

illustrating Is, that the department OF steam
engineering OF the Philadelphia yarl, In its
exhibit, not only compared new aud larger
price demanded for 1t in 1866, as was shown by
It's own records.
RIvRTMG MACHINE AND PUMPS.
As to the riveting machine, the committee beg
leave TO remark that II appears to be we'll
built machine. 1t, however, has not had the
sanction of experience. The committee could
learn OF no establishment that had one in use
or had in any way tested It. 1t may be valua-
which 1t was purchased. 1t has never been
called into use, and mas not, a. the date of this
report, been fully set up for use, though it
stands on expensive foundations erected ex-
pressly for II, and in new frame tower forty
feet high. 1t is not probable that the Bureau Of
Engineering will have occasion to test 1t during
the ordinary lifetime of the tower, unless the
country should be involved in another war. AS
to the Cameron n Sewal pumps, they are in
general use IN the navy, although the stock
provided for the Philadelphia yard may have
been somewhat larger than the immediate
requirements ofthe navy, The committee found
nothing in this connection upon which To
comment.
CONCLUSIONS or The COMMITTEE.
The transaction with John Roach q Son 10
justly subject to criticism. 1t has not been the
usage OF the Navy Department TO permit the
purchase otsecondhand tools. The purchase of
particular tool 20 meet an eXigeucy or of n
Tor general sale, that has been used has some
llmes taken place, but each instance has been
Justlhed, so TAR as the committee have oeen able
10 ascertain, by It's special circumstances, and
none OF them iUrDish precedent for this
wholesale purchase Of the tools of a nrm which
was not declining business, but was about to
change its premises, and probably found it
more profitable TO sell OLD stock than 10 transfer
II 10 its new premises. Messrs. Roach
& Son were about to close the Etna Iron
works, havlng. purchased the Morgan Works,
an and Engineer Hellei's attention was directed to
the Etna Works by the order OF Mr. sherwood,
Chlet OF The Bureau OF Steam Engineering, of
June 10, already set forth in this report
During lS6l-62-63 tue eXlgencies of the navy
might possibly have ocen pleaded N justification
OF this tTaneactiCn. The demands upon the
machine shops of the several stations were then
douotess IN excess of their power; but this
oIuer was gwen more than two years after the
war had closed, when little or no work was
doing, and even less was likely TO be done at the
yard in philadelphia. Not only were many of
these tools not required by the wants OF the
yard, but as has been shown by the testimony
OF Inspecting Engineer Johnson, there was
no place ready for their reception, and he
passed and received them without adequate
inspection, because they would have had to lie
four or five months before he could put them
up and see whether they were in RAINING order
lnoeed, the receipt and accommodation of the
machines purchased, as we'll as those contracted
Tor, REQUIRED the construction OF new buildinpg
Tor their accom- odation. And the Bureau Of
Steam Engineering could not have been igno.
rant, at the date OF these contracts, of the
anxiety of the Navy DepaI tment to transfer the
station and its workshops from the contracted
limits OF the present yard TO The broader space
provided by the city of Philadelphia for a
naval station at League Island.
In view of all the facts, the committee are
unable to discover anv reasons consistent with
the Interests of the Government that prompted
this purchase, aud believe that the department
should relieve the engineer corps OF those who
have been falthless TO the trust reposed in them,
1t Is perhaps due 70 Mr.. Zeller that the COM
mlttee should say that he is not practical
machinist, and evidently has no capacity for
knowledge of the details of his office, and to be
con pletely in the hanos of Assistant Engineer
John Roop,, Inspecting Engineer George r.
. JOHNSON, ana his drauehtsmaD, Emil Goldstein,
SUPPLEMENTARY FACTS.
Before concluding this report it is due To the
committee aud 10 the Honorable Secretary of
the Navy to state that, finding it i'm possible to
report to the House at its last session, the
of the fraudulent character of the
paTer purporting to be statement of the
comparative bids for these tools (herein spoken
of as al exhibit and called upon HIN tor that
The Secretary suggested that the
statements made, to which he seemed to attach
importance, should be put in writing. In
accordance with his suggestion the following
letter was addressed to HINT
Judge KeDey's letter is dated July %, 1868,
and he states to the Secretary of the Navy that
"List of tools and machinery, etc, showing
TO Roach g. Son, and the bids of other manufac-
turers for tools OF the same kind, and the same,
or nearly the same CAPACITY presented by the
engineers, did not present the prices of Messrs.
Bement DougheIty and William Sellers & Co.,
but were false and eXaggerated.n
On the 30th OF the same month the Secretary
of the Navy ordered Chief Engineers Wood,
Henderson, and Inch to make complete and
detailed examination of the transactions in the
case OF each tool, and TO confer with the Phila-
delghla toolmakers, and all other persons who
could throw any light on the subject.]
The terms OF this order of the Secretary of the
Navy are, ii will be seen, broad enough to have
justiued thorough investigation OF all the
questions involved, But such examination was
not made; and il in the general facts disclosed
prove the utter generalization of certain mem
ters o. the engineer corps OF the navy, IL is
FURNISHED by the TACT that Chief Engineers
Wood, Henderson. aud Inch conducted the in.
vestigatlon with such tender regard for their
brethren of the corps as to have felt justiied at
its close In reporting that 1.-THE purchases were
made after careful examination of the equiva-
lent tools made by other makers whose competi.
tive oilers received candid consideration. So
far from any evidence OF any fraud or collision
appearing, the reverse Is proven to have been
the case, the selection and pur Chase having been
made wholly In the interest OF the Government,
and without wrong to the interest or, rightful
claims of any,"
The committee has at its command no terms
in which 10 justly stiematiZe this second en-
dorsement by board OF engineers of trans
action so detrimental to the character OF the
corps of engineers and the interests of the
Government. 1t is impossible that it's conclu-
sion can be based upon any examination of the
papers on hle IN the dtpaI tment of engineering
of The yard, or Of the members OF either of the
firms with whose memD Ders the Secretary directs
them 10 confer personally.
Through The kinoness of the Secretary the
con mittee have been enabled TO Law this portion