The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-11
INNEMORY OF BELKNAP.
253,oss GravestOnes to Commend
rate His Moral Death-The Honor
ing OF Dead Soldiers Made Dishon-
orable-A New Yorker who Bid for
a Controct, but Would not Pur.

for headstones to soldiers graves IN ma
tional cemeteries, has been made afresh
since Secretary Belknap's disgrace. The
act to establish and protect national Gem
eteries is dated Feb. ~, 1867. Belknap
secured an amendment on March 3, 1873,
assisted by Samuel Bridges, friend in
Keokuk, Iowa who had then recently
failed in business. The amendment au-
thorizes the Secretary to advertise
for and accept bids for furnishing
and setting suitable headstones, the
contract ITO be awarded to the person
whose samples and bids should best guar
antee durability, decency and cheapness
according to the Secretary's judgment.
The number required was for known
names, 147,684; unknown l05, 1894; total,
253,OSS. The bids were to be opened
Sept, g. 1878, and the lowest was that of
the Knoxville Marble Company, for
which Horace Maynard'is said to have in
terested himself actively; but this bid was
rejected on account of the inferior quality
of the samples shown. The next lowest
bidder was Charles S. Jones OF Washing.
ton. to whom with his associates, Samuel
j. Bridges (Belknap's friend and neigh
bor) Thomas p. Morgan and ID. q. Sage,
the contract was awarded. The third
bidders in order were Walsh Brothers of
New York city, and Mr.. Maurice 7.
Walsh, who was then an active partner,
but 1t is now only special. is response
BILE for the following statements, the
truth of which he processes to be able
., ,>.aro baF,ra apv pnmpptnnt tribunal 9.
There were seventy-two OF these ceme-
teries named in the advertisement of the
War Department, and Mr.. Walsh, who
was one of the heaviest importers of
marble IN New York, determined to be-
come bidder. Believing that rothing
but Italian marble would come up to the
specifications, he made arrangements to
have the chief part of the work on the
monuments done in the city of Carrara,
Italy, where stone cutters could be hired
for forty or fifty cents day, instead Of
81 as was paid here, and to have them
shipped to points nearest tc the Gene
teries. He visited the seventy-two sites,
and made close calculations of the cost OF
transportation, which was to be included
in the price. On the day of the opening
of the bids in the Quartermaster-
Generals Office he was present, having
nut in three separate bids in his own
name. They were opened and read by
Capt. McGoaigle, and the bid of Jones
IL Go. did not appear until after the
Others were read. Apparently the figures
were fixed up, and the bids thrown INTO
the basket after this was read. Walsh
accused Capt. McGonlgle of unfair deal
ing, and went to see Gen. Meigs on the
subject, but Meigs declined to believe it,
He nevertheless admitted that Mr.
Walshs samples were superior, and ek-
pressed a wish that the Secretary of War
would adopt his bid. After remaining
in Washington for day or two to see
Secretary Belknap, but in vain, Walsh
retured home, and the list OF bids was
published soon afterward. Then he went
to Washin gton again, and sent in his
name to Belknap. He tells the story of
the conversation thus:
"When Belknap found out who | was
he turned around in his pompous way
and said, Now, if you come here to fight,
I'm ready for you. Go on said, No,
Mr.. Secretary, l didn't come here to
fight, l simply came here to demonstrate
against my not getting the contract
when | have offered the best stone and
made the lowest bid that complied with
the terms OF the contract. My lowest
bid was $923,27l.l5 for the third quality
Of the best marble in the world. Out OF
that 100000 comes back to the Govern
ment in the shape of duties, leaving the
amount to be paid only S72S,27l.l5. My
next bid was about 100000, or with the
duty of $4,000, for the second
quality of the best marble in the
world, and my last bid for the
first quality of the same marble was
1904. i46.54. Wouldn't that suit people?
He said i don't care anything about
the people; you must suit me. sad;
The act of Congress compels you to give
it to me- He replied: 4 don't care
ANYTHING about the act of Congress; the
President gives out this contract. de
will not have foreign stone over the
graves Of American soldiers said
This is a very lame excuse, Mr.. Score
tary.' Then Belknap turned around to
Col Mack and SAID: Have all these
people filed good and sound securities?
Yes, sir; every one Of them, Col. Mack
said. That was the end of the CONVEX
sation."
MIR. Walsh saws that there has been no
attempt made to fulfil the requirements
of the law. The advertisement required
that the part of the headstones above
ground should be polished neatly, which
was not done. The tops were TO be slight
" curved. This would have made them
/ cost from ten to fifteen cents apiece more,
and was not done. The figures and cap.
ital letters on the face were 20 be-two
inches high. Those they have cut are
not over thre6-eighths OF an inch high.
The portion below ground WAS to be
rouch dressed. As they were sawed out
! in mass this was not done. For the same
reason they have disregsrded the require
mepts that below ground the stone should
he at least half an inch wider and thicker
than above. The marble slabs were to
be white, fne-grained, of good texture
hard. of uniform grade, and Tree from
oxides. The only marble that comes up
to this description is Italian marble, OF
which thew have not put up a siusie
block: and what they have put up is AL
ready disAgured with oxidized STAINS
The granite was to be good granite ioI
building purposes, and they have not put
up any granite at all. In the Frederieks'
burg Cemetery the hesdstones are bed
ded in whitewashed cobble stones. Inns
work was three times rejected; but they
succeeded through influence at court IN
having inspector after inspector removed
until they found one to suit them.
Soon after the contract was awarded
Morgan went to see Mr.. Walsh in New