New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-12
A SEAL LOCK JOB.

PAYMENTS FOR SEAL LOCKS ALREADY AMOUNTING TO
Sl31, 500-THE SECRETARY HEsITATEs AT $4,000
MORE-EXAMINATI REVEALS THE FACT THAT
THERE WAS no CONTRACT BETWEEN TIE COY
ERNMENT AND THE MANUFACTURERS.
IrRov TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, March l0-The Commission ap-
pointed asi Fail by the Secretary OF the Treasury
to investigate the relations which exist between
the Treasury Department and the American Seal
Lock Company and the International Steamship
Supply Company, and any contracts OF these Com
panies with the Department. has just submitted its
report to the Secretary. The report shows that the
aggregate payment to both Companies has been
SlSl 800, and that tho total number OF seals pur-
chased from them in connection with locks has been
$4,000.
The Secretary's attention was called to this mat
ter by bill amounting TO about $4,000 brought In
for purchase Of these locks. lie suspended payment
upon this and after some personal inquiry ordered
a full Investigation which has been III progress ever
since. No original contract between the Company
and the Department has been found. or is known to
exist and the only papers implying any definite ar
rangement with the Companies were letters which
passed between Secretary Richardson and sew
eral representatives of tho Company So far rs this
correspondence appears in the report, ex-Assistant
Secretary SAWYER seems to have been the chief
official of the Department who carried on the trans
actions with tho Company.
Locks were first accepted for use of the Treasury
Department in the Customs Division; subsequently
their use was extended to the Internal Revenue
Bureau. and afterward to steamboats,, for locking
up such safety appliances as the law required to be
used, and next their use was extended to securing
bonded cars upon railroad lines crossing the north
ern border The price fixed was 500 per dozen, with
two dozen glass seals accompanying each lock.
thousand locks were Immediately ordered Tor exam
inatIon aud approval. Subsequently committee
was appointed to examine into the matter OF price.
and it was slightly reduced. Mr. s. r. Brown' ex-
member of the Board of Public Works Oh Washing-
ton, appeared as an agent of the Company.
After the matter had been running for some time,
the following letter was written by ex-Assistant
Secretary Sawyer to F. w. Brooks, superintendent
of the international Steamship and Railway Sup
NV Company which had succeeded to tho arrange
nent made with tho American Seal Lock Company:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
WAsUISGroN, ID. c., March Is, 1874 )
SIR. Referring To- a conversation had with you this
MOI ming In pegard to tho American Seal Lock made by
your Company have to say that me Deptrtuent ms
decided 10 adopt the for bonded warehouses; aud
also for use upon cars containing unapprased merran-
disc. place OF those now 10 use ou are
houses and an equal Number for railroad PURPOSES with
the supply OF seals for each When tou
whence they will he issued 70 customs officers Tor
delivery to railroads and bonded wafenoases. very
respectfully, +. d. sA"fEh' A0'''""' o0o'e'"i''
On the 4th of May Mr.. Sawyer received bill of
$500 for seals on account of this order. and mott
fled TO Mr. Brooks that tho bill had been rejected on
the ground that the locks would not DO ready before
October On the 9Th of May he officially notified to
Mr.. Brooks that, having heard verbally from him
that locks would DO ready on the LIST of August he
had approved the bill. He further Informed him
that a number Of SEALS already ordered could be
delivered at the convenience OF the Company whon
payment for locks would begin.
The Commits considered at great length the
matter of these letters and concluded that they do
not of necessity bind the Department to any such
EXTENT 1t is claimed there was nothing in these
letters of Mr. Sawyers to indiclts the cost aud in
all respects they were too indefinite to be consid
cred IN the light of contract. Furthermore, the
Department had paid oil expenses for material.
The Committee conclude as follows:
Finally your Committee OF the opinion that there
N no contrscs Of suy kind Implied betweon
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