Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-07

for the Committee of Seventy In
Washington.
Correspondence of the New York Sun.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 80, 1911
Three wears ago J. L. Kidwell, of this city,
made the discovery that he had some valu-
able stone quarTies on land which he owned
in this vicinity. He proceeded at once to
organize company, known as the ''oeneca
Building Stone Association, with view TO
have this material introduced in the various
public buildings and works Of Washington.
Kidwell's political antecedents, however,
were of such an Objectionable character, and
his sympaties with the Lost Cause had been
so openly avowed, that he met with no en-
couragement on the part OF the authorizes,
and all the orders received by his company
for the products Of the Seneca quarTies came
from old private citizens and Secessi0nists
of Washington and vicinity.
Kidwel is a shreWd man, and il 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 be could touch the SYM
pathies or awaken the interests of those
having authority. So he increased the stock,
which was originally marked at $20O,OOO 10
S5O0,0O0, and proceeded to distribute the
same iudiciously among the different MEM
bers of the Administration.
This new departure disguised large
number of Washington business men, who
were willing to subscribe TO stock in this
company 50 long as it was a legitimate en-
terprise, and they withdrew their names
from the concern altogether. They argued
that such barefaced attempt to interest
government officials in the company would
Overreach itself, and that the fraud would
be 50 patent that no official would dare TO
order any of this Seneca stone to be used in
public work of any kind. But Kidwell had
faith in his plan, and has continued it in the
face of ali opposition. Mullett, the govern
ment architect, has held out against all blan-
dishment until this summer, when, either
through want of influence orpOsitive cOnni-
vance, ne 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 fol-
lows:
L. S. GRANT, President a the United
States, S25, 900.
Horace Porter, Private Secretary to Pres
ident, $4,000:
Gen. f. T. Dent, Assistant Private Secre-
tary to President, $4,000.
Gen. Michler, former Superintendent Of
Public Buildings, $4,000.
Gen. o. Z. BabcOck, present Superin-
tendent of Public Buildings, $4,000.
HID. Cooke, Governor District Of Col
umbia, $240,00O.
J. L. Kidwell. S130,000.
Paymaster General Brice, $4,000.
Surgeon General Barnes, 81, 600.
Ouartermaster General Meigs, $4,000.
John w. ForDey, 49, 900.
Gen. Eaton, $4,000.
Nathaniel Wilson, 81 900.
Gen. Dent received his stock on the day
that Henry d. Cooke received his appoint
ment As Governor of the District of Column
bia. Gen Babcock received his about the
time he was appointed as Superintendent OF
Public Buildings, vice Gen. Michler re-
moved.
Since this government ring was organ
lied, the Seneca quarTies 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 mate
rial around the Arlington Cemetery, and 1t
is used exclusively in all the national GEM
eterieS within convenient access OF this
point. The immense Freedmen'S Savings
Bank, which has just been put up in Penn
svlyania Avenue, north of the Treasury De
partmeat, is built of Seneca stone. This IS
The building which is hereafter to accOmmo-
date the Department of Justice, and several
other Government officials, at a rental OF
$4,000 per annum. The foundations OF the
new State Department building, now being
erected in the rear Of the Navy Department,
viii be built Of this stone, in spite of Archl-
tect Mullett's earnest protest to the contrary,
he being of the opinion that it IS too soft
| for this purpose. All the improvements
around the Treasury Department this sum-
mer have been made with this stone; new
| walks laid with it, and old ones torn up and
| replaced Dy il. Over at the Agricultural bu-
reau it is also the favorite material for all
| kinds of purposes. And up at the Capitol TINS
| summer it has been used in immense guam
| titles in the general Improvements made III
| the grounds around that locality. In some
| instances, as in l street, whlOe thorough
fares have been paved with it. As the Sen
eca Building Stone Association now stands,
it is one Of the most prosperous business
institutions in the country, and most tortu'
nate are they who own any OF its stock.
The published proposals for work in the
national cemeteries, and other public pro
nerty. which are prepared by Quartermastel
General Meigs, and signed by him, require
| fb1t Seneca stone and none other shall be
used. 0ENbcA'
a =