Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-11-01

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ed, and thus obtained the control of all
the work that he accepted Bridges bid,
and allowed him more money for his con-
tract than he allowed to other parties
for the same character and quality Of
work that after the contracts were let,
notifications were made In the lettering
and shape of the stones very decidedly In
the interest of the contractors that the
original contract, which provided that
all work In a cemetery must be COM
pleted before any money could be drawn
on it, was so modified as to allow con-
tractors TO draw GO per cent. as soon as
$1,000 OF material was delivered to a
cemetery.
"The conclusions of most moment to
the public service TO which your COM
mittee has arrived are the following:
"7hat the awarding Of tie contracts for
head-stones referred 10 aoas made IA the clio
lation Of lasc, and shOrs disregard Of Of.
fetal duty.
THAT the contracts ,rere not ararded 10
the lorest responsi5le bidder, as required By
ldD.
"That the separation or division OF the
contract, and the awarding Of parts OF
the same to different contractors at diff
|
by the Secretary of War in the exercise
OF discretionary power, or not warrant
| ed by any law, and that such discretion
was assumed without right, TO the preju-
dice OF the Government and the injury
of bidders.
"That some of the inspection appear
to have been corruptly made, and the in
spector who made them was unworthy
| 40 ,oN nj ha faa m ra inf na1
that he has been dismissed.
"That the changes in form and diner
sions of the head-stoncs, without cor
responding change In the price, have
been made by the Secretary of War after
the work was commenced, in the interest
of the contractor, and, in the judgement
of the committee, constitute an abuse OF
official power on the part of that officer.
"In conclusion, your committee find
that the awarding of the contracts ap-
pears to have been unfair, unjust and In
! violation of law, and to have been de-
cided without any proper consideration
OF the rights of bidders, and with the
special purpose to give a portion OF the
contract to Samuel G. Bridges, of Keo-
kuk, Iowa, who, under his bid, was not
entitled to the contract, nor any part o.
the same that this Samuel q. Bridges
who figures in the evidence as a friend
of the Secretary, purchased all OF the
contracts that were awarded to others
that he was not man OF sufficient pc
cuniary means to carry out this contract
alone, and without large assistance from
other persons"
Mr.. Mast might improve his pic
ture and make it nearer the truth
Let him overcast the sky. extin-
guish altogether the feeble ray Of
light on the Goddess of Liberty, re-
move the emblem Of piety from the
neighborhood Of the capitol, paint
the War Department with the
blackness of corruption, or thrust
it altogether out of sight, shade the
light he has thrown upon the fore
ground, march off bis guard OF
veterans or picture Belknap and
his friend Bridges prowling among
the graves of the dead soldiers.
II he desires to still carry out the
spectral fancy that seems to have
seized upon his imagination, he
might introduce in the darkness the
shadowy forms Of select corps OF
body-snatchers, waiting, until the
secretary of war and his familiar
friend have glutted themselves with
the surface stealings, to dig down
into the graves and rifle them Of
the few brass buttons and the bits
of cloth that alone remain OF the
soldiers who went forth to battle,
who died in the service OF their
country, and whose memories have
been desecratsd by the same cor
ruption that has walked through all
the departments Of Government,
cloaked in the flag Of the Union,
whispering the legends of the war,
and its horrid form disguised by a
grab of excessive loyalty.-Louis-
vile Courier Journal.