The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-17
RUFUSINGALLSS ECONOMY.
RMS IN WHTCH SHEPHERD'S MOD
ESTY Is CONNPICUOUS.
An illegal Act for which Belknnp Assumed
tho Responsibility some Of Gen. Iugalls's
Iirnsa MIarcprpacnIaI ions ENpOsed.

An illegal Act for which Belkunp Assumed
tho Responsibility some Of Gen. Iugallss
Gross Misreprescntations Exposed
WAsn1NoroN, March 1G-The illegal
renting by Gen. Rufus Ingalls, OF a building on
PENNSYLVANIA avenue for cflices having become
the subject Of Congressional investigation. Sec
rotary Delknap transmitted to the Speaker OF
the House ON Feb - a letter In which he as
sumcd the responsibility for the violation Of the
act OF June q, 1874, md attempted to justify II
on the ground Of economy. This lctter was ac-
comIanied 10y letter from Ingalls, TO the Secrc-
tary OF War, In which the defence Of econo my
was laboriously set forth and by other papers.
Extracts from tho letter of ingalls, are given be-
low. with comments which will aid the reader In
arriving at fun understanding Of the case:
lgrcpy to House resolutions. IN motion Of Hon; u.
nHHi1e o v,,, crSr ~ e a Fiiteenh Street Wai
leased M.y ~, is', az s.ja" per entum. h. lease
~ Nerch, 1874 new ea.c was made, ana The rent re-.
un,ea ~ lns 9ng r' ~. tr} , }s N
: ooon were eip,nted for aicfaiote AL repairs
wn be found ~ rcfc'cnc' 70 the .ccomranl ns tils
9' TIE f1pen',s IN rl2i4s 'e v 1InE 70 r s PINK INK
duriie the cn year ths bridng was cupcd ~, Coy.
and u Nas PROBABLY worth only some $4,000 Wheh nst
The Government did not DO anything OF the
kind. And IA to the building being worth only
ment that the building wss bdilt for a hotel, was
rented to Coleman OF New York for $1,000 a
year. and was owned finally Oy George w. Nsgs
and George II. Plant. Mr. Riggs subsequently
bought Mr. Plants half ana Iaid him t9jtW
cash These facts were stated In The Sun at tue
time, aud Iugalls's attention was called to them.
lie continued
The buildingwas 'nconv nicr' AZ m Office, being den.
ellen. III light and ycntauen aud the records ane nles
were unsafe, and inconycnicntly arranged
This Is simply untrue. The building was
roomy, light, and well ventilated. The upper
story never WAS occupied, because there was
| room enough for the force without II. 1t Was
not nrs proof; but the building now occupied
! Is mere shell. built Of & very cheapest mat
rial, and peifect tinder box. u cost, inde-
| pendent of the ground, WAS less than s,EUOJ.
| asked authority 10 make the changes and IL was
gnpted by The War Department aug u last. .,., -.
estimates by more iha4 one.half aud was greatly dc
My orders 10 TIE suoorolnates weTo positive and
sST 'hS' my S Of he mere out IL
s isr M . bse sa of the Snns
he cern,r OF Fifteenth treel end P,nnsi wants
Win ~ rr,ilsge OF continuing lie sane from gnti
TO mouth for hve ytafs. believe II will be required
We ire erecting q new state. War, and Navy De
| partment building. Necrly 1ve millions Of dol
lars have been appropriated for II and spent
! The north wing, although occupied by the state
Department, Is not flushed. The east front
two stories Of which are up, and for which
million nd half Is asked for this wear, - foi
the accommodation Of the War Department ant
eli IT. bureaus: and nabcock. In whose chag,
IL has lcen plgced, gays he Will have II ready {,
occupy next fan. II THIS he true what need II
there Of leasing a building Tor i've Ne'rsf
The dins is,o iagc9 eeIer 'daric! tr an o'e
sayel ~ lhe Tolhns force snd other sSpcnscs 4 III
that discharges mfy te made At the proper tine
The list Of persons ingalls, proposes to dis
change includes about twenty disabled snlcitr-
most OF whom sien their name with an MARX
and i've scrub women. This ov man VIII,
THINKS u oil right 10 waste eight or nine thou
sand dollars on costly caIpe - mirrors, and "a
ira carved walnut furniture lie Il ashemed I,
include these tits, and perpetrstes anothe
msrel rcsentation Ia the vain nope OF conceal
ing the ruth. some bills are yet outs,aud
Ing" he saws, for furniture. carpets, 60 &c
their amount Il not Yet ascerillnel." luey haV
not been paid. but they were sent In seyern
weeks ago. and lngall, must know their exac
amount. only one OF teem ia IN dispute.
I Informed BY The owner tNr nsnialD that IN
huldiue now occunied cost about Gpi he the one "
Gated, sd as an ohoe, In any opinion s very superior
MIR. Randall, the owner, Is truthful and sensi
| tie man, and would not tie Likely 70 make an
such ridiculous statement IN the face OF IN
facts.
The enc as been reorganzed, ara ,ii the record
and lee carefully aIgi god, 50 that IS before stated,
reduction 10 the eA. erscs Of the ace OF $4,000
Tie building he retained I'VE years. AMI the proa,
economies pinctifed. uercis no good res n Why "a
thousand dolars By tue change.
The idea Of Ruie ingalls, practising the propc
economies Is suhnniely ridiculous. How, ac
! cording to any but West Point arithmetic he
to make saving Of eighty thousand Goilars
Among the papers sent with this letter wer
seyei0l bills From these II appears that the ex
! pense OF putting the building vacated Oi tn
corner Of ffte,nth and g streets in orde
amounted to s4.,ffS3 For getuux the u-'
offices in readiness Tor their present distingli.h
ed occupant tho following bits were paid In tn
Qnartermnster's Dep rtment;
| James o. Nnylor z r. alterations aud repairs