New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-12

REPORT or THE PURCHASING COMMITTEE.
nov me "BpsLER PARrY - SECURED rnE BEEF


nov me- "BpsLER PARTY SECURED rmE BErf
CoNIEAtIs- tOMNissIOSFR SMITHS INCKEAsE
oF me AMOUNT OF CHEAT CoNrEA'T
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Purchasing
Committee" Of tie Board Of Indian Commissioners,
Hc,,l- T. 4 Ioyt. L. VI Kingsley and Clinton II. Fisk,
have made q report hat ~ detail of their proceed
in - during tr year 1870 hoping they state 10 prevent
an the future repetition Of the various schemes for
defraudue tie Indians and the Government wh'n
hav. prevailed IN the past
The C,iuittcc- iirst duty buy, In March 1879.
beef 10 fced starving Indians al the Milestone and Red
Gland Agencies. \ bad rec iyCd from william Pax
lon VINO oncicd to furnish the quantity Of beef required
t - 80 per hunlrcdwcghi On the hoof ilc former price
for supplying the agencies having been only
So 80 per hundrrdwcicht. 4 search was made
for Mr.. Paxton. but he could not he found
Then Mr.. J. ". Boscr aui Mr. \. y. Wider
suddenly appeared the Board and said that they were
PARTNERS with Mr. Paxton, and that they Represented
m They also stated That at the old price ~ 81 80 they
had lost money; that they took the contract at
That prIcc Ia drive OH competitors, and that
! the Iayagcs of the grasshoppcrs had made cdtur
dcarcr. The Committee replied that they had
been informed that cattle could be bought and
delivered at the agencies mentioned ut 81 80 per cwt
nj q liberal profit After further discussion B0slcr n
Wilder consented supply the cattle at - per cwt and
the Committee the the contract The sum OF
$4,000 was saved by TINS revision Of the bids. Tic
same contractors interested in bid six weeks after
ward and offered to supply tie great Llvup agencies
AT 81 20 per In concluding their account oil TINS
| purchase the Committee say:
The Committee deem II proper 10 say, az this point,
flat tie appropriation by t"Igfess fof The purchase OF
| thc hc I IN question was $l2OOO0 AZ - per hundred
weight This would bny 100000 pound, AMI - the puL-
chaa OF that amount ino Committee gave ts approval
The contract, however, was executed on Tie lth "i
| March by the Commissioner OF Indian Affairs, without
fut ner consultation with the Committee lor 5OOooOo
pounds amounting Ia slJOooO, hcng SJoOoo III excess
,ftn he
Why tins done N the face Of an appropriation -p
cnc.lly limiting the expenditure Tor tiis oDect 10
| = 1000.
IN letting Of the beef contracts was unsatisfactory.
L.. Ommittee LAY:
The letting Of beef contracts Is tho most undesirable
work with which the Committee have had 10 do, and they
frankly admit tat The result has been most nnsntisiac-
tory Tie whole amount al beef advertised FOR at inc
annual letting Ia III round numbers Thirty six millions OF
| pounds; which about twentysix millions are let
nudrr one act for the great Sioux agencies IL bds
Lrcouo The practice Of the Department 10 adopt THIS
course i alleged TO avoid the rivalry and conte,
tons Of different contractors who' II Is SAID must
| ura.sion has also prevailed that " the beef for
~ So ,rrucir yrr. not put together under one con
1,c ,ssibiv higher prices would have 10 paid for
the more mote agencies Ilc result oI hs years eA.
perience conynccs tn Committee mat IL Is the worst
mas e policy 20 lamp large an amount OF beef under
one contact, int itby leads 10 Tho formation OF
combinations adverse TO the interests OF ne Govcrnm'
Practically all are shut out from competition for the bd
except combinations OF contractors, the stronger oi
which usually buys out The opposing compotiioL ana by
ernnrnt 10 pay the price given to the patty
wno sell. his bid. and large profit besides. These
| he R"slei" and the "setn Mabry" party The
"Bosler party" consists OF the brothers DO Ter, A. H.
Dodse j. e. Beard and others. AS bona fde cert led
cLecks had be deposited with the Commissioner Tor
certified checks for straw bids would not and
a new device relieve the Government OF surplus cash
Eenuty though this the only praise nat can be ac
! corded ~ II.