The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-05-17
STAR ROUTE.
How the Fraud Was Kept
Quiet Under the Last
Administrator

Washington, 16.-According 10 the
last annual report Of the second assistant
postmaster general, there were, Nov.
10th, 1880, in the United States, 1865
"Starn routes, on which service was per-
formed by men and horses, or mules.
The annual coat Of these routes was ST.
32I ,499. There were also l3l steam boat
routes, the cost OF which was 1887, 221,
Many of these steamboat routes were alb
solutely worthless and a large part of the
money paid for them was thrown away
for the benefit of contractors and those
with whom contractors are supposed TO
have divided. Since the beginning of
the new administration, a special COM
mittee has been sent south fol- the pur-
puse of inspecting the steam bost service
there, and making reports in relstion TO
it. In accordance with this committee,
service has been cut of on several routes,
but there were already in the possession
of the department, reports considering
this service. These reports were made by
J. L. Reside, special agent, and certified
copies Of than were furnished 70 the con-
gressional committee. Reside was an
expert employed during the investigation
made in the spring OF '7S, by the Houss
committee on postofice and postroGds. |
He had been = contractor and thoroughly |
understood the wsys OF contractors. His |
reports created great anxiety among
steamboat contractors and they came to |
Washington. His first report were made |
October 18th, II. Seven days later, |
Senator Dorsey wrote TO the postmaster |
general, denouncing Reside and his |
recommendations l believe. he wrote. |
1t is the duty Of the department 10 dis |
IL ,a.EaaI 80 h.
routes alluded 20. John d. Adams had /
was a dead beat and blackmsiler, and |
on Nov. Is, IT, Dorsey wrote long |
personal letter to judge Key, again de- |
nouncing Reside, saying he had q we'll |
established reputation as q professional |
blGckinailer. On the same day, Dorsey /
directed letter to Brady, requesting that |
Reside be forthwith recalled from Mem
phiE. If any further investigation of the /
steamboat mail service in the southwest, |
but especially in ArkanSas. is desired,
Gen. w. ?. Edgerton, who Is thoroughly |
familiar with the country and the people, |
or Col. L. b. SchAurtie, chief special |
agent for the southwest, should be de |
rected to make an examination, IS they |
are both men OF integrity and character |
and familiar with the subject they are |
called upon 10 investigate. A petition |
mill was set ct work and many letters |
were written to counteraet Resides as |
sertions, Senator Dorsey sent in many
of these petitions and wrote separate |
letters for each route. He most earnestly |
urged the continuance Of route %, 095, |
which has recsntly been cut off for cause. |
Wiltshire, OF Arkansas, who had signed
lome fly proposal bonds in blank, for
the Dorsey com bination, as surety, made
an elaborate defence of the routes sgAinlt
Reside. The latter was appointed by
Judge Key, September Ist, ", and was
reappOinted one month later. His COM
mission was allowed 10 expire December
3lst ", although the commissions OF all
other special agents were renewed. From
letter which he then addressed
to Judge Key, it appears the latter
had told him his reports we're satisfactory,
but he had been too Zeslous. Brady had
told him he had no objections TO his re-
appointment. Reside asked why he
had been left out. In reply, Judge Key
said Resides work was finished, and
therefore there was no demand fer him..
Brady, be said, had told him he needed
Reside no longer. The postmaster gen.
eral adds this sentence, which is amusing
now: ''The duty Of the department de-
mards Of TO husband its resources, and
not exhaust them by salaries which may
be dispensed with" In the foregoing
narrative, Reside appears as faithful
officer.
Reside, during and after investigation,
saw the strength of the rings and the
weakness Of Congress. 1t mAy be re-
membe Col. McKibben once started
an investigation against the contrs ctors,
and then became the contractors agent,
at large salary. Reside found it is
laid, that the contractors were his friends.
The "too Jealous" special agent again be-
came contractor, and he i. a contractor
to-day.
The correspondent then gives from
record an official and unofficial sto:y of
how Reside was given arbitrarily some
Star routes; relates the connection of ex-
Congressman J. S. Sypber with the
Louisiana Star route operations, and
closes with an official history Of two
routes IN Texss upon which James Black.
man and Jos. Funk offered bids. Black
man and Funk were recently arrested ia
Philadelphia, for having bsen straw bid
ders for route No. 81 ,5S5, Fort Elicit to
| Niehits Falls, Tex. The contract Was
| hhdIAcu W NbOtO oAAa~ee 20
given in the books IS care George 81.
Giddings, Washington, d. @.
GiddiBgs was connected with Colonel
| MeKibben, and the latter was agent for
the Gilmer & Salisbury combination.
Blackman failed to fulfil his contrsct,
aud tbereupon the department went
upon the list of bidderi Nine OF the
bidders declined TO take the work at the
prices set agsinIt their names. j. B
Price offered to do the work in bis bid fol
s., 96l. George 81. GiddiDgs stepped il
and offered 70 take the route for 81 less
or g $50, and it was given to him.
In November, 1880, the contract wa,
transferred TO E. w. Parker, of To-
Parker combination, for route No. 81, 1872
Fort Griffin TO Fort Elliott. There wa
long list of bidders for this route
Funk was the last at 81 $50, and the con
tract was awarded him. His address wa
like that of Blackman, scare OF Ceorg
II. Giddings, Washington, D. O." Funl
failed, and the bidder above him refused
to stand by his offer. Giddings then ap
pesred, snd offered TO take the route 10
81. 400, or $40 below the next bid. Ate
Giddir e got Funk's route, his pay wa
increased. Two additional trips per weel
were ordered May 10th, 1850, about fiv
months after his contract term began
and s., 920 was added TO his pay. Tn
4