Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-03-29
ROBBING DMD SOLDIERS.

has added 10 th side OF our national
history fol whil every American is
made to blush, here is not one which
moro completed discloscs the utter
hypocrisy of thq'bloody shirt" gentry
than that relating 10 the national
cemeteries. 'rh act TO establish and
protect nationa cemeteries became n
law February 2, 1867. Belknap, as
sisted by Samrl j. Bridges, who had
then recently hiled in business at
Keokuk, Iowa, secured an amendment
on tho I'd dag Of March, 1873. The
amendment auhorized the Secretary
to advertise 70 and accept bids for fur
nishing and selling suitable headstones,
the contract tobc awarded to the per-
son whose SAMPLES and bids should best
guarantee daability, decency and
chcapness, according TO the Secretary's
Judgment. n-
The numbeircquircd was for known
names, 1850 unknown, lO5,39i
total, 253, ,Oss. The bids were to be
opened Sept 1873, and tho lowest
was that of tE Knoxville Marble Co,
for which Hoaco Maynard is said to
have interesto himself actively; but
this bid was rtected on account of the
inferior qualii, of the samples shown.
The next lowet bidder was Charles s.
Jones, of Washington, to whom, with
his associates, 'amnel J. Bridges Bel.
knaps friend md neighbor), Thomas
P. Morgan, anl D. c. Sage, the con
tract was AWARDED The third bidders
in order were Wash Brothers, of New
York city, and NJ Maurice F. Walsh,
who was then IN .ctivc partner, but is
now only sp,cih, is responsible for
tho following sat,ments, the truth OF
which he proio'seI TO be able TO prove
before any con,,eunt tribunal;
There were stvclyt-twoofthcsc com
ctcrics named % nc advertisement Of
the War Dcpaltant, and Mr.. Walsh,
who was one Z the heaviest importers
Of Italian mario In New York, deter
mined to boco,c a bidder Believing
that nothing BIT Italian marble would
come up to thespeci6cations, he made
arrangements have the chief part Of
the work on te monuments done in
the city of Carara, Italy, where stone
cutters could b hired for forty or fifty
cents day inscad of 81 as was paid
here, and TO nve them shipped to
points nearest o the cemeteries. He
visited the sevoty.two sitos, and made
close calculatio Of the cost Of trans.
portatioD, whin was TO DO included in
the price. 0nlho day OF the opening
Of the bids in be Quartermaster-G en-
erals office he 'as present, having put
in three separte bids in his name
They were cfded and read by Capt
McGonigle, an, tho bid of Jones & Co
did not appea until after the others
were read. A,parestly the figures
were fixed up, nd the bids thrown in.
10 the basket aicr his was read. Walsh
accused Captain McGoniglc Of unfair
dealing, and wot to sec Gen. Mcigs on
the subject, bu Meigs declined to be-
lieve it. He ,everthclcss admitted
that Mr.. Walls : samples wcrc much
superior, and e,orcssed u wish that the
Secretary of VIZ would adopt his bid.
After remaining in Washington tor
day or two TO sc Secretary Bolknap,
but in vain, Wash returned home, and
the list Of bids vas published soon at
terward. Thci he went to Washing
ton again, and snt in his name to Bel-
knap. He tellsthe story of the con.
versation thus
"Whcn Belknp found out who was
he turned aroui in his pompons way
and said, 'Nowil you como here TO
fight, I'm readi for you. Go on. u
said, No, Mr. Secretary, didn't come
here to fight, | imply came here to re-
monstratc against my not getting the
contract, whcnI have offered tho best
stone AMI mac the lowest bid that
complied with tic terms ofthc contract.
My lowest bid ras s923, ,27i.15 for the
third quality oitho best marble in the
world Dat Of that, 100000 comes
back to tho Go'ernment in the shape
Of duties, leaving the amount 10 be paid
only s623,27ll5. My next bid was
about s969,O0t or with the duty off
100000, for th second quality of the
best marble in hc world, and my last
bid for the fiis quality Of the same
marble was ,99l,l45.5l. Wouldn't
that suit the popleY lie said, 4 don't
care anythingabont the people; you
must suit me- | said, 'fhe act Of Con-
gress compels you to give IL to me-
He replied, Il lon'i care anything for
the act Of Congcss the President gives
ont this contl1ct lie will not have
foreign stone Ger the graves of Amer
lean soldiers | said,. That is a very |
lame cxcusc, Mr.. Secretary Then
turnel round to Col. Mack
and asked, Haze all these people filed
good and sound securities Yes, Sir,
every one Of hem, Col. Mack said.
That was the e,d Of the conversation.r
Mr. Walsh sys there has been no
attempt to fulh the requirements OF
the law, but tat the whole scheme
w" SIMPLY 9 speculation involving
barefaccd robbery Of the dead. Those
be your patriotl these your Christian
statesmen thee the men who profess
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