The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-06-21
TELEGRAPHIC
More star Route Frauds.


which TO base prosecutions of dishonest
star route contractors is being continued
quietly but.slowly. The force employed
is small, but is making excellent pro-
gress.
The correspondent tells this story Of
| smother Salisbury route, in which be
| says the records show that in this case al
in many others, Salisbury WAS moi
troubled by the little formality of sdver-
Using each route once every four years
| and letting it under the condition of q
route advertised, but these proceedings
made but little difference to them. In
1873 Giimer s. Salisbury were carryin &
mails on the route from franklin, Idaho,
to Helena, Montana, and their annual
pay was S47, 800, or more than SIS per
mile, for one trip per week. The distance
was $50 miles and service seven trips per
week. In the list Of bidders appears
several persons who then represented the
Salisbury com animation, but who do not
now appear in the same wsy. Sander
son, of the Barlow combination, would
do the work for SI35, 000 Salisbury
would take it for $I20, 900 but Sanderson's
maa. Huntly, could do it for Sos, 600 and
Salisbury's man, White, and others,
to Sis, 600. This was certainly remark
able. The Mormons put in bid of $43,
QUO. jackson was given the contract for
term Of four years from July 1st, 1874.
His principals probably continued their
work on the route for four months. Their
pay was reduced by the result Of adver-
Using, from S47, 800 per annum to only
SIS, 00n. At the end Of four months, they
Ia a. - h. IL
son allowed to fail and was failing con-
tractor, because, as was said, he failed
December 18th, 1874, but before that
time, Gilmer q Salisbury had got in one
and one-half months service at $67 800
The department went up the list
of bidders, and could find no one
who would stand by his bid until ID.
Parker was reached. His bid had been
S64, 500, and it was handed over to him
at that price, although it had originally
been let for $4,000. Parker was the
highest OF the bidders controlled by
Salisbury, and his address was care Of
Gimer & Salisbury. For the last few
years the Parkers have run com binatlon
of their own Parker, or Salisbury, had
the route at $64 800 Until July 1st, '7S,
the end of the term, Jackson's pay had
been $50, 900, .Parker's must have been at
least SOS. 900. Then for some reason the
route was not advertised for the term
1882, until three months sitter the pro-
per time, so that new contractor could
not be given the work until October 1st
'7S, instead of July LIST IS. This left q
gap of three months, which was filled by
employing Gilner 81 Salisbury for that
time at pay of $4,000. We have now
reached the beginning Of the current
contract term 1852. The result of
advertisement is given in bids as follows:
Route 42,122. Franklin, Idaho, to
Helena, Montana, distance Ais miles
service seven trips per week, time
schedule, seventy-fve hours in summer
and $50 hours in winter, or five miles
and a half and two and three-quArters OF
mile per hour, and 200 hours for third
class matter. or bidders there were
eleven, o. J. Salisbury. $4,000; n. S.
Huntley, 49,400; G. W. Bennett $47,-
600; W. NJ. Griffith, $43,S00; 81. M.
Norton, $50. $50; +. w. Parker. $3S, $50;
w. NJ. Nilscn, $38 600; Joseph Evans,
49,, O0O; K. 81. Williams, $50, 900; Z. j.
Travis, $31, 900; J. W. Travis, $Z9, 900.
Four years before, the Barlow party had
put in the highest bid. Now Salisbury
outranked them sill, while the two Travis
his representatives, were st the foot. The
Barlow party was second, Kerns party,
q new one, backed by active politicians,
fourth. On July Sd, '78, Travis
was given the contract. His principal
continued the services until October lst,
1878, then he become contractor, on
paper at least. OF course he failed, "
as jackson had failed before him
Travis downfall. according to the books,
occurred March 18th, 1879. Brady went
up the list, aRd it is supposed circulars
were cent to bidders They declined OF
refused to reply at all. until Salisbury, the
very highest man, was reached. Ar
rsngements, by means of which Huntiy
and Griffith and partner were Induced &c
keep out is not described on the books
Griffith (Kernsl was the only one who
| made any sort of offer. He wrote he
would take the route st $43 500 IL Brady
would give him time for necessary pre-
paration, and he would begin the service
rs soon as possible. Owing to the prob
able opposition Of several parties to the
contract with the present service, ne
added, l may require more than ordinary
length of time 1t is unnecessary TO say
Griffith did not get the route. There
was a great gap of $47, 900 between Bar
lows and Salisbury's bids, and Brady
apparently did not feel like jumping. 1t.
| and accepted Salisburys offer. just
then Levi L. Blake came forward with
an offer 10 do the work for S55, 600. and
| it was accepted. Blake was another
representative Of Salisbury, who was one
of his bondsmen. Blake's term began
April LIST, '79, but it was very soon dis
covered he had once been used as Travis
and jackson had been used, and had
once been declared failing bidder OF
contractor. This disqualified him, and
Brady gave the contract to his bonds
men, Monroe Salisbury and j. 81. War
rem, at the samo price, 500 600. Sails
bury filed sub-contrsct and at last the
route was secured in his hands again st
higher price for four years more
After Salisbury had got q firm
hold of the route at $4,000, there
was some special service employed
at the rate of $95, 600 per year. This line
extended from franklin, on the bound
ary between Utah and Idaho. ano
directly north of Salt Lake City, north
ward, through eastern Idaho, to Helena
Montana. It's course very nearly coin
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