Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-07
a SANDSTONE ,sI L,SI, h PRESIDENT. ID
How Grant Became y StOckhOIder
In the seneca Quarry.
Correspondence Of New York SUM-


Correspondence Of New York SUM-
WAsniN0ToN. September 80, 1871.
Three years ago J. l.. Kidwell, OF this
city, made the discovery that he had
some, valuable stone quarries on land
which he owned in this vicinity. He
proceeded at once to organize com
pany. known as the Seneca Building
Stone Association" with view TO have
this material introduced in the various
public buildings and works of Washing
ton. Kidwelps political antecedents,
however, were of such an Objectionable
character, and his sympathies with the
Lost Cause had been so openly avowed,
that he met with no encouragement on
the part of the authorities, and all the
orders received by his company for the
products Of the Seneca quarries came
from old private citizens and secession
lists Of Washington and viciAity. Har
Kidwell is a shrewd man, and it did
not take him long to find out that under
the present Administration he must
offer some other inducement than would
merely benefit the public, before ne
conld touch the sympathies or awaken
the interests of those having authority,
So he increased the stock, which was
originallymarked at 5000 900 to $500, ,O0O,
and proceeded to distribute the same ju-
diciously among the different members
Of the Administration.
This new departure disgusted large
number of Washington business men,
who we're willing to subscribe to stock
in this company so9long as it was a
legitimate enterprise, and they. withdrew
their names from the concern altogether.
They argued that such barefaced at
tempt to interest Government officials in
the Company would overreach itself, and
that the fraud would be so patent that
no official would dare to order any of
this Seneca stone to be used in public
work of any kind. But Kidwel had
faith in his plan, and has continued it in
the face Of all opposition. Mullett, the
Government architect, has held out
against all Establishment until this sum
mer, when, either through want of inHu-
ence or positive connivance, he has
allowed Seneca stone to be used in all
directions.
The Government stockholders, as they
now stand on the books, with the amount
of stock credited to their names, are as
follows. r.ra
U. s. Grant, President Of the United
States, $25, 900. %
Horace Porter, private secretary to
President, $4,000. sIN 5fit
Gen. f. T. Dent, assistant private
secretary to President, $4,000.
Gen. Michler, former Superintendent
of Public Buildings, $4,000.
Gen. o. Il. Babcock, present Superin-
tendent of Public Buildings, $4,000.
H. d. Cooke, Governor District Of
Columbia, $24O,0O0. wea
dJ.,L. Kidwell, $l30,000.
Paymaster-G General Brice, $4,000.
Surgeon-General Barnes, $ll 900.
Quartermaster-General Meigs, $4,000.
John w. Forney, $8000 atas,
Gen. Eaton, $4,000. b. t
, p Nathaniel Wilson, $1,000. ,.io
Gen. Dent received his stock on the
day that Henry d. Cooke received his
appointment as Governor Of the District
Of Columbia. Gen. Babeock received his
about the time he was appointed as
Superintendent of Public Buildings, vice
Gen. Michler, removed.
Since this governmental ring was or
ganized, the Seneca quarrles can hardly
yield fast enough to supply the demand.
The stone is used for everything. There
are two miles of solid walls built Of this
material around the Arlington Cemetery,
and it is used exclusively in all the ma
tional cemeteries within convenient ac.
cess Of this point. The immense Freed
mems Savings Bank, which has just
been put up in Pennsylvania avenue,
north of the Treasury Department, is
built Of Seneca stone. This is the build
ing which is hereafter to accommodate
the Department of Justice, and several
other Government officials, at a rental Of
SIS, 900 per annum. The foundations Of
the new STATE Department building, now
being erected in the rear of the Navy
Department, will be built of this stone,
in spite of Architect Mullett's earnest
protest to the contrary, he being of
the opinion that it is too soft for
this purpose. AL the improvements
around the Treasury Department this
summer have been made with this
stone; new walks laid with it, and old
ones torn up and replaced by it. Over
at the Agricultural Bureau it is also the
favorite material for all kinds of pur-
poses. And up at the capital this sum-
mer it has been used in immense guam
titles in the general improvements made
in the grounds around that locality. In
some instances, as ia ] street, whole
thoroughfares have been paved with it.
As the Seneca Building Stone Associa-
ton nov stands, II is one of the most
prosperous business institutions in the
country, and most fortunate are they
who own any of its stock.
The published proposals for work in
the natiolsl cemeteries, and other public
property, which are prepared by Quar-
termaster General Meigs, and signed by
him, require that Seneca stone and none
other shall be used. SENECA.
u. - wnA unn