The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-08-03

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and wheat, corn, oats, and in fact crops
ofall kinds which were the most prom
ising of any for years will be almost a
total loss. Railroad tracks and bridges
have been washed away, houses, fences
and barns destroyed, and the damage OF
all descriptions, in this immediate Sec
ton, is beyond anything that was ever
before experienced.
The remarks of the Gazette a day or
two since, relating to the Buena Vista
stone and the Chicago Custom-house,
caused US to make inquiry after the facts
connected with that subject. For ex-
PLANTATION we were referred to the
printed 'sstatement of John M. Mueller
to the President of the United States in
regard TO matters affecting his contract
for stone for the Chicago Custom-house,"
which we were kindly permitted to take
for examination.
1t is. a remarkable paper. A private
citizen appeals directly to the President
for the immediate exercise of his au-
thority in arresting the misconduct Of
the Secretary OF the Treasury, whose
conduct he describes to be such as fully
justities him in seeking so unusual a
method of relief.
The matter, as presented, lifts an in
dividual grievance into grievous pub
lie wrong. 1t is no longer question be-
tween contractor and the Department,
but one involving the integrity of the
head of that department of the Govern
ment, which, Of all others, should be
above reproach.
The country knows that Bristow
thought Mullett swore too hard for lit
tie man, and that Mullett thought that
the Secretary was putting on too many
airs; and that this difference Of opinion
resulted in vacancy in the office of
Supervising Architect which was soon
after filed by the son Of Bishop Potter,
of New York. 1t is equally well known
that the main business of this appointee
OF General Bristow was to show that
the office had been heretofore filed by a
mullet-head.
As it was known that Chicago was a
fast place, and that the ground on which
it was built was originally very soft, it
occurred to the new Supervising Archi-
tect that the foundations of the great
building being erected there by the Gov
ernment required looking after. He
looked, and Immediately the underpin-
ming of the superintendent of the build
ing gave way. He went out, and Gen.
eral Holman went in. He felt lively
interest In rival stone-quarry. Mr..
Mueller tells the President, and imme-
diately went to work pecking holes in
the stones, and driving wedges to split
the walls that Mullett yainly thought
would stand as monument to his ge.
MUS through all time. Not only that,
but he set all the Chicago reporters
bowling over the strange sights he
pointed out to them, and to cry out for
the destruction of the building, on which
two millions had already been expended.
At this stage it appears that Ex-Mayor
Medill thought he would examine the
building for himself. lie did so, and
looking for mountain he found small
mouse, and suggested to the Mayor that
the Council ought to appoint select
committee of architects to examine and
report. The suggestion was approved,
the committee appointed, who made due
examination and will report.
In the mean time, General Bristow
had appointed Commission, New
York friend of Potters and aman who
owns quarry in Massachusetts,, the
stone from which he thought much more
suitable for large buildings than that
from the Buena Vista quarry. These
two were personal enemies of Mullett,
and the third member Of the Commission
was General Smith, who, it seems, was
Of that accommodating disposition which
unites with the majority.
This Commission went to Chicago to
Investigate, and to the quarries to find
out all about the building and the char
acter of the stone of which it was built.
Their examination was searching. IT.
was like the examinations made by other
commissions that have been sent out
from the Treasury Department at the
public expense. They contented them
selves by sojourn of day or two at
the Burnet House, taking hack ride
through the quarter where the distiller-
les are located, and going back to WASH
ington big with report. This Commits
Sion did not do as much as this; they
stopped two days, to be sure, but de-
clined even to take hack ride to see
Muellers stone yard, to examine the
gerry thing about which they were here
TO inquire.
They took some pieces of stone with