The New York herald., 1869-02-03

Patent ONCE has been about fifteen per cent and In
articles in Vie schedule are charged at fabulous
prices, though the contract provides they shall be
l,au iarnished at the lowest market rates recent
pens with silver handles was not computed with,
and became subject OF correspondence between
OF Patents on account OF its extravaganza when IL
appeared that thirty dozen gold pens with silver
handles by the contract cost but 50 TO- and less than
niteen dozen wooden pen handles.
Inc greatest abuses have been IN the Patent
once where, heretofore. CONGRESS has exer-
hnd that in violation OF the express provs-
ions OF the law, blank books have been pro-
ing to sls2oi o. and at prices ouIrageousy exorbl-
tant. We also find that they have procured printing
against law and In defiance OF IT. to the amount OF
$oz,3 al prices which become staggering by their
extravaganza. This was the practice under Mr..
Theaker and continued by Mr.. Stout
Wnen commissioner F00te entered upon the duties
| Of the 0fce his attention was called 10 stationery
bills for approval. Finding such quantities OF goods
charged and at such prices as 10 excite his atten-
| lon, he took time 10 make inquiries In regard 70
them, and became convinced that the prices were
beyond reason and the quantities uncaled for by
| the requirements OF the office. Further examina-
ton convinced him that great frauds and abuses had
been Dractised In the supplies. He made complaint
to that effect TO the Secretary OF the Interior who
| paints consisting OF b. r. James, Norris
Peters and L. w. W. Grifin-one appointed by the
| contractors, one by the Commissioner and one by
the secretary. He discharged the messenger, ;. J..
Frasier VINO certified to the delivery OF the goods,
and placed Mr. Charles K. Thomas in charge OF sup
| plies and purchases on the oath OF September. lie
required all orders to be entered upon an order
book and all heads OF rooms to keep pass book,
upon which their requirements were entered, and
the result ID that the bills have averaged less
than S265 per month, with abundant supplies and
larger STOCK on hand In January than when
the system was commenced In September.
lhs does not include blank books and printing,
which are now procured where required by law.
| this change was S799l IA, OF which S4,13S 55 was
for blank books and printing, or nearly fifteen times
| as much as the same articles now cost.
The inability OF the Patent once 10 account FOR
the articles paid for Is still more disagreeaDle
| matter to consider. Forty-six caveat books nave
been charged and paid for since February 1858, at
| $40 and SAL each, while not one OF them can
| be found In the olilce. This is book OF printed
| forms, which could be OF no outside the
office. as testified by ali parties. 5ls,0Oo printed
blanks, consisting Of letters, decisions, &c. were
charged and paid for, when less than 1000 could
be accounted for by the requirements OF the ofce
or flewrappers $4,000 were charged and paid for at
cost OF S57 per 1Ooo and after making liberal estl-
| accounted Tor. or manila and large brown en-
| velopes nine by twelve $4,000 were charged ana
paid for, while the quantity on hand and used
| could not exceed 10000, leaving unaccount-
| ed for 10000. OF cards for models, 100, 600
| were charged and paid for at $40 per
! thousand, while but 10000 can be accounted for as
used and on hand leaving 900 unaccounted for.
The above articles could be OF no use anywhere but
| in the legitimate business OF the Patent ONCE, as
| sworn TO by all parties.
| Vast quantities OF other articles cannot be ac-
| counted for in the Office; but as they might have
| loined. We give few cases OF the many in evil
dence:-0f eyelets, 1920 boxes were paid tor but
only Sso boxes would be required for the business q
Sus oand; 500 500 sheets French ' tracing @ i paper s
| bought, seldom II ever used and but
twelve sheets on hand; III reams yellow envelope
naper bought, but not over l0la reams can be ac-
counted for; 100000 envelopes paid Tor, while the
uses OF the Office would amount to about I50, ,000
| or tafeta ribbon IL, 100 pieces were paid for and
1893 gross OF rubber bands, and there was ike ex
| travagance IN the other articles
The prices charged were as extravagant as the
| quantities We give few cases:-Books worth SO
at SIS; cards. worth about bout IS per thousand % nd
| are charged at $40; printing envelopes, worth
about S2 so per thousand, is charged rat
$40 and $40; ruling, worth about 81 so per thousand
sheets, is charged at $50; printing 500 900 blanks
worth perhaps 81 per Thousand, charged at $40 30
| ana $17. To give them all would become tedious
the messenger who had custody OF the goods and
certified to their delivery certified TO the correctness
OF the July bil, which ran from June "A to July a.
! 1885, amounting to $7,lS3 20. From July to July
| "a he absent, and 1t was during this time that
s6S33 20 out OF the 81 1873 20 are charged delivered
given and the goods received in the absence OF the
messenger. and the gross amount in value Is less
| How the commission who were appointed to inves-
\ tigate the complaints made by Commissioner Foote
to the Secretary OF rhs INTERIOR with all these facts
abuse fraud the part OF the contractors. while
they do find and report to the Secretary Of the lnte
been 4 s beyond enr
l. They had evidence before them, ana state
In their report that these contractors had
charged IN their bill Tor one sm0nth and were paid
for printing 1900 patent heads more than they have
ever delivered, at $40 per thousand, which are
they s hold 40 600 sheets Of bond paper belonging
to the government 1t Is difficult to conclude what
| would be an abuse II charging and getting pay at
| month more than was performed was not one.
| In another OF the findings OF this committee we
were surprised considering its attempted results.
/
! complaints made by the Patent 0fice and when
they decided enter upon the consideration OF the
| question whether Dempsey d 0'Toole had contract
for undelivered bond paper, which was not mater
| OF complaint and not legtimately before them, the
Patent Office protested against II. Yet with the law
| specifically requiring all contracts to be made in
writing, afer advertising for proposals where the
| exgencies OF the service do not forbid the delay,
they found contract verbally made for 600 600 sheets
bond paper at eight cents per Sheet about half OF
which was undelivered and unpaid for, to exist.
without any shown exigency, which would even
warrant a purchase In open market without writ
| ten agreement, without even written order, but
upon the testimony OF one OF the parties in inter-
est-the statement OF an employe OF the Patent
/ once that the acting commissioner said they would
have TO take the paper, coupled with the drawing OF
| warrant on the Treasury for So, 00A designed to
| be used for its payment. Having entered upon the
consideration OF that matter 1t Is unaccounIable II
not have called General Stout, the acting commits
sloner witness, who Is alleged TO have made the
contract and who was In close proximity to their
4 place OF sitting.
The committee find the following facts from the
| evidence In regard TO this bond paper:-Philp n
/ Soomona, former contractors for stationery with
/ the Interior department, held contract for print
| ing specifications with the Patent Oice for which
the ONCE furnished bond paper, buying II OF Philip
| Soiomons at eight cents per sheet and using not
/ far from 100000 sheets per annum. When Dempsey
0'Iooe obtained the Interior stationery contracts
they claimed the right 10 furnish this paper
required. The matter became the subject OF consider
ration between the contractors. the acting Commis
soner and the Secretary OF the INTERIOR and resulted
in the purchase, at different times, OF $1,000 sheets
for patent heads, Philp h Solomons having $1,000
| sheeis on hand for printing specifications. General
stout, then acting commissioner, states that he seat
| communication to the Secretary OF the Interior
advising the purchase OF large lot OF bond paper,
/ and stating that he would do so If ordered or
| granted permission. This was gwen for 200, 0O0
| sheets, and warrant drawn for 600 TO make
payment, and advanced to the contractors, and a
bond taken from them as security for the delivery
OF the paper This statement is confirmed by the
committee who made the award OF contracts for the
Interior Department, who say that 1t was known by
Of their number that 300 sheets Of bond paper
had been purcnaseu hagore the Rias were opened.
and hence they dlsregarded the bidding for that
ticie knowing the government would not want any.
I'm fftofn na Ia