The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-12-16

Al information on the subject, and in ansWe
20 q sudden call, and without time for tn
preparation Of plans and estimates, canno
8sIe a safe opinion ss to the necessity or cos
u me work respectfully recommend tha
nsre4fter, when applications ara made for IN,
construction of public buildinos ne f;,.t 80,
On the part Of Congress will be 10 instruct ~
AIsasory Department to make careful inr,u,r,
as 70 tne necessity Of the work. and also =
prepare estimates to be laid before C,o11rsss
W1lle this Is being done and the vEorl- s5tSS-
izec, 1t would seem to be wise 10 unal- s;-,SI
appropriation sufficient to meet tbe s1t7-,
cost, and then hold the department and ~,
SpperTis1ng Architect responsible for N,
speedy completion of the building substantial
ly upon the plans duly authorized BY the est
mate. I am satisfied that much waste ~ ,Db
lic money occurs and much complaint on tn
part of citizens arises from the small appro
priations which ars made necessary frop
year 10 year. An inevitable consequence Q
the policy is that public works are injured j
the prlcess of construction, and expenses az
largely increased. The Supervising Arcb1teC
of the Treasury states in his report that th
expenditure authorized by law for the con
struction OF q post office in the city Of NeI
York viii be inadequate, unless the characte
Of the work Is changed from the original de
sign. 1t seems to be due to the city of New
York, for general and apparent reasons, an
in consideration Of the fact that most aIisi
bic site has besn secured By the cooperation
and, in some degree at the expense Of tn
city that the baiidings should not only be
6re proof struc1urs but also of such desiE
and workmanship ask to rank among the bes
public buildings IN the country.
TIE REVENUE xkaINE SERVICE
At the present time there are tEventy-foul
steamers and ten sailing vessels attached I,
the revenue marine service, the numb,Sr hay.
ing been reduced during the year bv tbs, sal,
of two vessels. OF the latter class. a. the thiru
session Of the Forteth Congress, an aupro-
Prlstlon OF S3O0,000 was made for the c.7n-
sTuetlon OF Io1r steam revenue cutters. Al
6er proposals had been Issued and bids receiv-
60, which were rejected under the irnprsssiot
On my part that the pubhc interests did no.
quHs vessels OF as large slzs as those ro5
winch the proposals had been lssued Isn
PoInIs1 P[e!i S1 commission by letter on DecemDei
Loth, 1905 consisting OF Captain @. I. Pa1rsr-
SON, OF the coast survey; Captain D,,uol.s a.
tinger and Captain J. H. MsrriInap. Of tbt
revenue marine, and instructed them To con
sloer aud report upon the Character OF the YEA
sels oest adapted 70 the service. The 6na.
aeaon with reference to the vessels authorize.
was delayed Tor the report of the cOmnIsuop.
1hat report was made on the tirst ciaJ q
May, lo70-"Executive Documept No q.
Senate, second session OF tie present Con-
gress-" Upon the completion OF the WorA
proposals we're again issued Tor the construe.
sioh OF lour vessels authorised by law. Salts
factory bids were received, and on the 22d ol
Suiy anu tne I'd OF August last contracts
we're made 1or their construction, given by
the Compstroller. The tifty secuon Of the ael
nm l.
culVe and judicial expenditures OF the govern
ment Tor the year ending the Both OF June
LSI l, rendered an appropriation unavailable
and II therefore became necessary to norir,
the parties that made the contracts that rhel
must be considered as null and void. One o
the parties has asked TO have the eontrac
formally snnuilsd, which has been done.
recommend q renewal OF the appropriation o
eoOO,OOO for the construction OF sleam rsvenu
eutteTs without limitation as to the number O
speelncanon IS TO the sizs OF the vessels to b
built. The report Of ths Commission show
that thnt~en vessels are now IN use and the
are either old or not adapted to the servict
Ihe opinion Is entertained by me that the yes
sells IN use are longer than the nature of th
service requires, which Is confirmed by tb
report OF the Commission. They reoommsn
that the number De reduced to thirrV-rwo all
the aggregate tonnage reduced from 9,2O
tons to 7,l75 tons. They also state that IL WI
be practicable upon the proposed basis to re
duo the total number OF officers, pilots, pett
officers and men from 1886, the number the
II service, 70 l,O6l, and the actual expense O
MAINTAINING the system, not including the an
preparation Tor the construction OF the ney
vessels, from 81 AZ, 49O to S943,639, making
saving Of more than half million dollars IN
year. The report OF the Commission Is tn
result Of careful and comprehensive sxauiu
alton OF the subject by cmpetent men, AM
while 1t Is the present pupOse OF the depart
ment to act upon 1t, ! am OF the opinion tina
u should feeelvs legislative sanction. On tn
9Th OF July, 1859, convened board of exam
lners, who were charged among other things
with the examination OF the officers. Tn
rsVen1e marine board is composed Of Captain
Fanhoe and Slicer, Of the the revenue marine
and Captain Patterson Of the coast survey
The examination has not yet been Completed
a. only q small number OF the officers couls
be detailed tor examination at the same time
One hundred and ten heutsnants have besi
examined. Ten inst heutenants, nine secout
iaeutenants and SIX third lieutenants were re
ported TOR removal, and have been removed
The vacancies has created In the frst sue
second grades Wers tllled by promotions, ant
the vacancies In the lowest grade will be file,
Oy qualified persons ssiccJed at large. In,
sxalnlnatlon OF the remaining officers viii b,
continued.
The condition Of the marine hospitals ha
been improving during the past year. TIN
result Is Largely due 70 DR.. j. s. Billings, 0
the Surgeon GensraI'1 Office, who has TSitac
nearly all Of them, and through whose Adyic,
many important changes have been made
NO appointments has yet been made OF q su
sarErutr don ~.
wherein authority u granted to appoint z su.
psrlntendsDt- It Is a desirable office. It /,
desirable office, although the salary does no.
appear 70 be sufficient. ] however recon
mend such an alteration of the law as vii
permit the President TO detail surgeon of tht
army or navy 70 perform the duty OF superip.
5sndant, without any addition to his pay 9th
ct than his necessary travelling expensss
With such authority the Department comic
have the benefit Of the services of DR. RiIlIngs
or some other competent surgeon, with les,
expense than would be involved in a reoDIal
even with the present saIarv
Five of the principal parts Of the couutrS I,
New York, New Orleans, San Francisco. IA.
umore and Pnliadelphla, are without hospi.
tai accommodations and provision is made
for the patents by contract with a hospital or
pr1yste parties. The War Department ia IL
possession OF very desirable hospital At New
Orleans, known at the Sedgwick Hospital. and
I earnestly recommend the passage OF an act
by which the building may be Transferred
TO the Treasury Department for a marine hos
pital, and that an appropriation be made for
The purchase Of the land on which it stands.
At the last session the attention of Congres
was called to the subject OF transferring Davids
Island, at New YORK, from the War Departs
ment to the Treasury Department ior the es-
adjustment OF q marine hospital This rec
ommsndstiOn is now respectfully renewed.
TIE SEAL FIsRERns.
In compliance with the act Of July lst. 1870, in
reference to the seal fisheries proposals. were Is.
nsd and bids received for the exclusive right to
asheries Tor the term Of twenty years The phras-
eoioVv employed in the act warranted the inter-
pretstion that the contract was TO be awarded to
me Alaska Commercial Company if che pl opposition
vas as favorable to the government as that Of any
awarded TO that company. A copy ofthe contract
and Of the papers connected Herewith, viii be
transmitted to Congress. About eighty-six thous-
and seal skins have arrived at San Francisco, as
ne Toduet of the year 1863, on which the owners
nave paid one dollar each, required by the sixth
section Of said act.
SALARIES OF OFFICERS.
consider it my duty to call the attention Of
CopQress to the inadequacy and inequality Of the
salaTes OF the officers in the Treasury Department
ss fixed by law. The Offices recently established
are supported by proper salaries but the salaries
attached 10 many Of those created at the organixa
ion of the government are insufficient. as TEN.
porary means Of silsyiating the admitted evil Con
ssress mas from time to time, AID for many years
made appropriations TO bo used at the discretion
Of the Secretary for additions to the salaries of Of
ers Of the Department. In the nature Of the cast
this Is sasreeAbe duty for the Secretary TO per
oruap is usually unsai isfactory to the parties In
terested and the result has not the sanction Of and
support incident to . system Of specified salaries
estsblished by law. At the present time, the sun
Of 81 500 is distributed BY the Secretary in his dis
crstion- After = careful examination Of the sub
sect think an additional appropriation not ex-
eeeding sl6 600 year. will BE- sufficient 70 provide
adequate salaries for the officers Of the Treasury
Department The act Of 1888, in regard 20 the sx-
Animation of clerks has been observed by Inside
partment, and with beneficial results. Itisvorthy
Of consideration. however that it would not be
wise to prvids for an examination board The ma.
iority OF whose members should not be officers Of
the depart ent TO which the lerk isto be assigned
In case of appointment aud approval. THIS sys
ten should also be extended 70 the principal Gus
tum houses and raveuue offices Of the country. By
def nfte Eacurffv vvorIld