The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-08
ORTIL GRANT As AN AGENT.
Hired by n Baltimore Firm to Procure 10
them Government Patronage.

BALTIMORE, March THE Baltimore
Gazette will publish tomorrow the fact that Or
vii Grant has for the past eighteen months held
the nominal position OF solicitor for Baltimore
nrm and used his influence for a money consid-
eration to secure to that house the Inside track
on contracts.
II Is well known fact that for many years the
large Baltimore nrms engaged In the manufac-
ture of steam heating apparatus have been act
i've com petitors for Government patronage. and
among some engaged In this branch OF business,
Il Is claimed that one large house here en-
joyed q monopoly Of Government contr. cts
prior 10 Mr.. Brstow's appointment as member
Of the Presidents Cabinet. The house alluded
to, who have at this moment In their employ
the Presidents brother, 10 that OF Thomas G.
Bashor Co. CThomas e. Dashor and Wallace
| Stebbins), engineers and manufacturers OF heat
ing apparatus. and while they acknowledge
that he is regularly their pay roll at the rate
OF t2.4O year. They explain that owing to the
manner in which the Government contracts for
this class OF work were let prior to Mr.. Dri,-
tows appointment they we're compelled In self
defence to have a solicitor TO keep them posted
letting.
In an interview to-nisht Mr.. Bashor said " Mr..
Grant has been In our employ about eighteen
months. We employed him Just as We would
employ any one else to solicit business, IeRttL
mate business for as The fact 4. before Mr.
Bristow became q member Of the Cabinent and
we were unable 10 put In a bad for Government
contr.cts One nrIs In BsltiG ore ~onopoi.sd
bsfsie.t; RcsSin. Go. ara,n'' salary
our transactions through Mr.. Grant have been
| perfectly fair and square. II ne proves TO be
have no.hins 70 % isar % from the I'm invostisa,ion
| Of any Transaction arising out Of any con
tract We have rsosived sleoe he entered our
him, that he had no prom tses, but that he would
exert himself leRitimately In our interests just
as any other solicitor would do. We were bid
! ders Tor the post once heating contract, and
Mr.. Grant gave Ne what legitimate aid he could.
W. We M is''sd. nows,sI, 20 gs, @ H. d Ine s1m q
to do Il for te4,OOO at pront OF Is cent,
| equal to about that sum. The contract was
at the same rate, 10 per cent. pront, through
| the influence OF the supervising architect. A.
influences obIained the contract for the District
jail. Treasury Department and other work.
The nrst contract Mr.. Grant secured wss 10
supply the heatiug apparatus for the Cook
| County Hospital In ChiclRo. That Is to say, he
| acquainted us with the fact that the contract
| was to be let, and We bid for and obtained it.
| Our bid was the lowest. and the transaction was
| clearly legitimate. IL was worth about $20.OOO.
| Mr.. Grant also obtained us about year ago a
| contraot for ship knees at Phiade elphia. 1t was
worth about $500 OF 5000. We also obtained
| a contract through him for about 100 knees for
worth about tl0,UO. IL was bis business TO let
| us know when contracts were to De let, in order
/ tnat VIC might nave an opportunity Oh
with the baltimore Post once contract, before
we employed Grant, we made every effort to get
| In q bid. ! saw MIR. Denison aud was by him IN
| troduced TO the architect employed in making
the repairs. lie said he would give US an op.
1 portuDity to bid, but We were prevented from
doing so. We found that Bartlett, Robbins q
| Co. would get the contract and saw no use in
| attempting to obtain IL.
Mr.. Bashor having stated that his partner,
Mr.. Steobins, made the arrangements with Mr.
Grant, the representative of the Gdzette called
| upon him this evening. A conversation ensued
| substantially as follows:
Q.-Please state the circumstances under which Mr.
Grant entered the employ Of your house. A-(AfteI
some hesiatiOn)I don't think the G1sefte should IN
Qure into the private Affairs of business house.
Q-Mr BasnA has referred us TO you for this Informs
tlon A.Noi knowing what be has sslo don't car. e
answer the question. ! viii say however that MIR
| Grant entered my employ at my solicitation.
Q-Where did you arrange with him? Ain New
| York. where went for that purpose.
Q-for what particular business this service
Qured? Al decline TO answer, but will say that hs
failed accomplish the object Tor which we employed
hun.
WASHINGTON. March 7-Orvil Grant, the Presi
| dents brother, arrived here tonight, and wai
| Immediately served with summons TO appear
| before the War Department Expenditure Com.
| mittee Orvil affirms his innocence. and says
that his REGULATIONS, like those Of Schenck
| have been very Improbable.