The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-28
ADMIRAL PUR4EA's NAVr.
Iow the Coal Contractors Fix Tfinss 10
sutt fhcms 'l,cs-Iiow Honest Oniccrs
mr. Punished for tacir Llorts 10 Protect
f.ax ,t.ut

uow the Coal Contractors Fix Thinss 10
Salt Thcm- 'lscs-IIow Honest Oniccrs
ar Punished for tacir Llorts 10 Protect
the Govsrnment.
Among the illustnous citizens OF Washington.
where large fortunes are said to be made Al the
hriefeut time thTonsh iuGucnce at Court arc Messrs
Brown 4 Co., contractors, Who supply the Navy
Department with coal. They ore not unknown 70
fame, tspoeiay among naval officers. who have oc-
easou to insre tand accent or condemn coal at The
various Navy Yards OF tho United stltes. They
have extensive contracts with the Government. ana
supply vast amount OF coat, whleh s iberlllv paII
for by Cncle fam Il Ia Understood that thoy h,y.
peculiar influence In some occult manner at tne
NAVY DGpartn en', ara that their wishes ave nttle
less than Law With the officials With whom they como
In contact.
Recently very curious incident occurred ut tho
BROOKLYN Navy Yard, which either goes 10 prove
our staten ents, shows that the most singular GO.
incdencos may occur, that are beyond all rlausibe
exrlapa don. Messrs. Brown & Com any of W sh.
lngton recently sent to the Brooklyn Navy Yard two
large bnrgss loaded with coal part Of tho supaly
their contract eompes them TO furnish In the usual
order OF Affairs, onu Of the CHIEF engineers OF the
yard, Engineer Dandy and Lieutenant Commander
wnceler Of the Equipment Bureau, with another
ofbeer, were ordered 10 inspect the coal and to AS
~ "e' VI quautD ana KIM Oc
msnaed by thc specifications Of tile contract. The
sxami, alton was made IN the regular manner sud
the coal was found 20 b. almost worthless at any
rate qql'e unnt Tor uso Ss'd Of worse quality ii
the Government had pad for. Their report
WA made condcinn!ng the coal, und IL was not re.
O. we'd or paid Tor. A day az two aftsrWsrd Mr.
Brown, tie head OF the Washing on hrm Of contrac-
tore, came u the Navy Yard. demanded the names
Of tue Board Of Survey, and finally saw Clief Fin.
giheer Dandy lie inquired 81 the latter whether
he bad been one OF the Board condsinning the coal
and received an affirmative response. Thee. said
he, How long have YOU bern In the Navy Yard !"
Nearly two wears, SAID lhe onleer
wei, We viii see aoout that" responded the
contractor in very significant tone. and then
| walked of.
Tue Chief Engineer was 20 muoh struck with the
tone and bearing OF the mAgnate that no l. I'd his
friends AZ once that he long Tor the Brook.
An yard that he was TO be ordered away, as pun.
hment for daring 10 eond' mn worthless COAL Turn.
ish by noNerlul contractors VINO have tile Inside
| track IN the Navy DEPARTMENT. Sure enough his
fOrebOdin2s we're July realized. The contractor re-
turned 10 washington that night, and tue follow
ing day telcgraplic orders acre received by Chief
Engineer Dandy TO proceed without lass OF tluc 10
| New orleans, to assume certain duties tn1re. lie
Was not allowed time enough to turn over ls stores
for which nc 10 personally Responsible aud TO obtain
recsipis from his successor, n Que had been up
pointed.
| Lieutenant Commander Wheeler WINS DE- tached two
DAYS later, and ordered 10 ION The ttOro sn,,
Guard, which already had Its complement OF OniCt ri
| 90 go on the Agreeable Darien expedition.
Thus IL waa that the coal contractor IN Washing
hgtOn rtvengcd himself IN one r. who did thcu
duty IN protecting the Government from imlOsl
partment rewarded tLer Efforts to serve the coun
| tly instead OF u Iri contractor.
l. II To be wondered al that tle expenditures OF the
| Navy Department arc increasingly