The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-05-26

HOW TWAS DONE.
A Specimen Of the starr Route
SwIndaers-The Sub Contractor
Schemes.
[Condensed from n. Y. Times -
Some OF the methods adopted by the
"star" service are quite interesting in
their particulars. The department ad.
yertiked for bids for carrying the mails
from Shreveport to Red River Land
ing in November, 1877. The specifi-
cations in the contract were that each
trip OF 26l miles and back. three times
a W eek, should be performed in not
more than 60 honrs. The contractors g
bond was to be $4,000, five per cent.
OF which, or $76O, W as to be forwarded
in the form of q check with the bid,
There " ere eight bidders Tor this route.
B. II. Peterson was the lowest bidder,
his bid being $l1, 700. N. s. McGipnis
filed a sub-contract with the depart
ment, July l, 1878, to take the route
from that daie for $1,000 per AMMAN,
sffording to Peterson profit Of S27OO
per annum for simply getting the con-
tract. 1t will be seen that McGinnls
took the Job from the beginning of the
term. A little more than q year pass
ed and the time came for increase of
service. In order to furnish plausi-
BILE basis the petition mill was set in
motion. AT this date the department,
or rather Gen. Brady, Issued orders to
increaee the number of trips from
three per week to pix per week, giving
the contractor $ll ZOO, or doubling his
pay. The.running time was ordered
reduced from 60 hours to 4S hours for
one trip of 261 miles, giving the con-
tractor S2S, ,56l additional. By few
strokes of the pen the pay of Peterson
in this one contract had been raised by
these orders from. $11, 100 to $51 ,961.
On tie original arrangement he had
been making 5000 per year cut Of his
contract by letting it to another man
for $4,000. Peterson was not satisfied
with this. SO he produced supple
mentary agreement with his sub con-
tractor, M &C innis, which provided that
the latter should get only So. .2G4 for
doubling tbs trips, instead OF S9,OO0,
and should get but $3.50, Sc for the
reduction of time to 4S hours, instead
of 1870. Peterson's profits under
this agreement were $lS.O67. These
facts were before the eyes of the offi-
GERS of the department, and it is very
strange that it meyer occurred to them
that the work was being done by
man for $33, ,S94 W hilc the government
was paying $51, 1,96l. This ought 10
have been enough TO show the officers
of the department that they hsd al
lowed Peterson too much money for
the additional trips and reduced time.
Useless increase was made in line
from Fort Bascom to Trinl-
dad, New Mexico. The contract was
awarded 10 William w. Giddings, a s.
figure upon the streets of
Washington. Upon the books he is
frequently found bidding in partner
,hip with Col McKibben. The pay
or this route was raised from 81, ,760,
It which price it was taken, to Sl5,S4O
per year, at one time, and up to the
present date the contractor has taken q
bout $2S,OOO out of it. From papers :
lied recently, the route seems to be in
J. M. Peck's hands. Peck is member
,f the Dorsey party. Chas. Andrews,
If Washington, has attracted some
attention during recent
Investigations. He was fortunate
enough to secure, in the latter part of
S7S, the contract for carrying the
nails from Frio own to Eagle Pass,
Texas. When he took the route his
,ay was $500 per year. After he had
leld the route few months his pay
vas increased in remarkable man.
Ter, and al last accounts he was re-
Giving, Instead Of $500 per year, SILL
70. Hon. S. B. Msxey submitted the p
'etition without recommendation. to
Increase the service and expedition Of
his route; but when the sworn state
nent of the contractor, Chas. Andrews,
anne in, the following words OF au-,
hority were inscribed thereon: "Do
his Brady. It was accordingly
Iene, aud Andrews fret bid was null &
iplied by 10, net on account of neces-
ity, but through tho manipulations of
be Dorsey ring, assisted by Assistant
Brady. There are hum
reds of other routes that have been
and expedited in the same
orrupt manner, showing most con-
lusively that the department was in
irect collusion with the dishonest
nd scheming contractors. Suits were
egun in the district court of Arapa-
oe, Col, yesterday, against ex-Sena-
Or Dorsey, for money alleged to have
cen promised the plaintiffs for SER Il
ices rendered in procuring petitions,
reating an interest among the people, d,
tc. AS the investigation progresses,
ich Developments may be daily ex-
ected, and some very grave charges
IA " be laid at the door of prominent e
len. .4.. e1s