The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-07
LITTLE MULLETTS CAREER.
IN INTERESTING HISTORY FOR
1RCHIrECTS TO READ.


The Career of One Fraud that Boss Shcp-
herd has ~addied upon the Country-ErOm
SOdn Fountain to the Waite House.
WARRINGTON, oct BIN 1868 =. p.
Chase, then Secretary Of the Treasury, appointed
A. 10. Mulett, Young local politician of Gin
ciunati, TO a clcrkship in the Registers Office OF
the Treasury. and after a ~ lille this young man
was transferred to the Supervising Architects
office. The little individual was rather fussy,
and so Isaiah Rogers the architect soon gave
him comnissiOn ~ assistant, and sent him
with rowing trrand' to California and all over
the country. At length the head OF the depart
ment was kicked overheard, and the assistant
stepped into his shoes. Then followed the in-
qury. How came this unknown young man to
be elevated to so important pos and It was
ascertained that he had dispensed soda water
in a Cincinnati drug store. wormed himself
into the confidence Of an architect who drank
at the "fountain." aud bound himself over to
him as an apprentice. These relations were
soon terminated, however, on account Of the
restless disposition Of the apprentice. AMI he
went into the UiiCe Of Mr.. Isaiah Rogers. where
he stayed Two years. anu learned something OF
architecture lhcn Uncle sam took MN up,
and after that time millions were wrested from
the taxpayers of the United states to continue
tue education Of this adept, until Secretary
Bristuw found him ont
Mullett was thereafter out Of ONCE for nearly
two wears. and during that time he was not IN
trusted with one cents worth of work as an ar
chitect by any individual. But by following his
bent az "A lobby agent and hanging around the
Treasury Dep Irtment plotting with Boss Snep-
herd and other influential GRANTEES whom he Lad
hclurd To enrich no IA length brought influence
To bear upon the great refOrmer, Lot VI. Morrill,
the Secretary Of tho Treasury. and his head has
again been lifted from under the bushei.
Instead Of enlargng upon the disgraceful
spectacle Of incompetencv. pronig CIV, squander-
ing and IODbery that nourished all over the
country under the authority u TINS talkative
humbug. will simply recall the Incidents OF one
ace:
\ Commission. appointed under a resolution
Of Congress In January, l-11, procured plans aud
Specifications for an cdlhce for tho purposes ~
a United ; ates Post Onice and Court House in
New York. which. under the law, were sub
mitted to the Secretary Of she Interior aud the
them. aud transmitted them to Congress on
Feb p, loGS. The Commissioners were Mayor
John L. Hoffman, Il Postmaster James Kelly.
District Attorney ;. G.. Courtney, A. a. Low,
President of the Chamber OF Commerce, Jack
son ;. schultz Charles IL. ltusseii. Gas. u.
X gers, and Noses Taylor, all or New York. All
these zen lemen served without compensation.
The Committee on Post Ohices ana Post
Roads Of the Fortsth Congress approved the
plans OF the Commi-sion' anu tue erection OF
tn Post Ouice In accordance herewith. These
plans were the result of a general compeuuu On,
III which nity-two designs were submitted, II
which thirty seven were rel ctcd, ana the re-
manning hiteen we're thereafter reduced to hve.
These I've ilah-. submitted 10y those Distinguish
| 81 architects, kenwick sands. y. ehrun. hlch.
NJ. Hunt, Schultze u tn0eu, and JOun CorreiO,
after careful computations were estimated to
! involve. including contingencies, an eXuendi-
tute II S3.jf2.rJ. These nighly Responsible gen
| tlemen subsequently, feafiirmed under oatn. be
| fore a committee ~ the House. the correctness
Of their plans and estimates. ana the estimate
! was also compared, revised, and FOUND correct
Architects ONCE Of the Treasury Department,
| whp had mad an expctience of fourteen years in
| TINS particular branch. Toe exact estimate Of
! this Officer was S3,i6e,s.46.
Nheu the plans and estimates reached Null
| let's HANDS, he called theu extrav"gant' ana
said that the cost of sucn an edince IN WAS de-
| signed should not be more tn II s2.l55,655.OG.
| In March. 1889, Congress appropriated S2ODOOO
| for the beginning 4 AN edince under the pans
| that had been approved by the committee Of
tue House but In the recess Mullett substituted
! plans, prepared under his authority. and got
| them endorsed. without any comparison win
the approved plans by the then fostmaster-
| General C. res VEN and the Secretary OF the In
terror. lie also got The decision of the Comp
trpller II the treasury that an old appr1uriatio on
OF S.oOOO, made rs far UacK as Aug. Is, 1886, was
still available. aud upon these iretuises and with
tAis money lie commenced The excavations ana
! Foundations ia lS9
| On the 21th 81 december 1890, an investiga-
| ton was ordered, and when pat under pressure
| Mulctt raised the estimate for the structure rs
| much as Sl,sV1 5s3.sT bringing II up to S3,Sji.
| uesSj ms feckiessness was duly condemned
| 10y the majority of six Of the committee, hel. ed
| Toy Gen. j. h. FarnswOrth, and whi.ewashne
| minority Of two, headed Nv Ginery lwicuell
! Nentured no further tnan to recommend limit.
| au"n Of the whole expense oi the Post Office &c
| s3i,l,UlO
| ne nee tion Of a big fraud was incontcstibl,
| shown during The INVESTIGATION. lruposiLs tot
| Jiufii,hti the granite. tor toe foundation uuh
nad ne. O. advertised for, tn. lowest ma ha, u.et
| rejected. ana the Dix lsiand Granite Company
| a- the second lowest bidder. ere awarded 90,
contract for furni niug tue granite for tnc uhol
! huliiing and also Tor the WORKING. dressing, "a
| surfing, and boxing of the same AZ fan expense
and cost, iutre Sod pN fifteen per ceutum. The
! contract was verbally almost "a counterpart ol
the contract for furnishing the marble II tn,
| tnurlestun -. c. Custom House a contract un
der which Us wa, proved bN Ellgy rgcnt u
his letter days, ia o2, j.th tonLr, "a Ses-., Il -
49, the marble column cap TAI, ~ CuaTlrstot
q. a 5000 apiece. whie larg Z capitals OF Ga,
same st, le, II the United states Capitol in Wash
ingtuu, n4d cost uui, from SluJJ 10 el.3Du apiece
| rms eNpcfince WIS an lost Ou The pruIi-4te Hud
iobOiug Congress, under the iead Of cape Ann
| Granite Bon. +. Butter, aud the result Is. tha
| without any utner authorized change than Ia,
| addition Of one story. the cost OF the New \ Orl
Post once has been iobned up, according 10 III,
latest uihrisi heuies, 10 nearly Ss'VOO,VO0, witt
the a. per story SIN unfinished.
| The TOT CA which the Post ONCE stands con
tauS t.,,,5a square feet, Of when ABOUT jo,UJO ar
pullt over, 81 tuat with eight millions there H.
an expenditure Of sl40 per square foot Of coy
ered space ty way OF comparison | will IN
stance the splendid ireproOf Busiou C.N liail
In style and material similar TO lhe NrW \ uri
lidiug. IL vas erected when hi-htst ".
prices prevailed. az a cost Of 81. 50 per super
nCiil foot OF ground covered.
| THIS Is not an Isolated case.