New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-25
THE MELINE~REPORT.


GLASSES OF SUPPLIES
WAsutNGToS Oct 24.-On May D last' -.
r Meline John Walker and w II. Hills were apPoih'ou
a comnittee to examine the disbursements Oh eo oon
fineellt expenses account Of the treasury DePa ~
On Iune "A secretary Window called for report COW
ering the investigation up TO ana iheiuuus 'h'lt u
s,s renor, having never published was called Tor
hvarcsoluton offered In the Senate by senatorSherman
which was adopted on the 21st inst The report was TO-
tay submitted to the Senate.
The Committee say that Owing to statements made
sous by the Chief Clerk have not made examination
the accounts for stationery but have confined our IN
ures TO accounts and expenditures under the appro'
priations for other contingent expenses The attention
OF the Secretary called to various sections of the re-
vised statutes prescribing the powers and duties OF Ger
tain officers OF the Department, in relation to the
accounts under examination all Of which are quoted in
detail. The report says:
For several years there has been in the Department
duasi-ofieer called the Custodian who has under the
business connected with CONTINGENT expenses 81 ~
Treasury Department and the custody ana olsposo %
EXPENSES The present Custodian, o. L. Pltney,
was appointed by the Secretary OF the iressu NY
in Iune 1876 with compensation at the rate OF $500
per annum His compensation was lncreasedtO TZ2oo
from July 1877 and Is paid out Of TT the n bnd
ings under the control OF the Treasury Department.
Your committee of opinion that there is no authority
of law for either the appointment or payment OF this
Section 3709 of the Revised Statutes enacts: An
purchases and contracts for supplies or services In any
Of the Departments of the Government except for per
son9 services, shall se made by advertising suheleh
time previously for proposals respecting the same when
the public exigencies do not require the immediate DC
livery of the articles the performance OF the service
delivery Of eTYee Iq rea6sd may
ut the OI places and ii the manner in which such
services engaged between individuals" The require
ents of this section seem to have been observed only
chases and ncnrrng expenses to be paid our OF apPro
prati0ns for the other contingent expenses OF INC 10
he
been adopted by business men generally to secure Iea
in many cases exorbtant prices have been paid
Onr first step in making the examination was 70 take
ing to- the United States Before doing however
we called for the books showing the amount OF stock on
hand and informed that no such set OF books had
been kept. We also informed that no inventory OF
this property had ever been made .
The committee find that during the fiscal year Of 1880
11sls yards of Wilton carpet and border ana cost OF
Expenses e9f S or OF TIE treasury Department
enSe aTs 2, HoOe Bros
city and they have repaid the amount o bs @ On
In the which the storekeeper claimed was IN
1881 t was discovered that Mr. Moses had been paid
for 637 yards of carpet which already belonged 70 e
sent TO SS yards Of carpet Of an in
ferior quality, to make good the amount
The Committee denounce illegal the payment of
eabnetmakers Of the Department out of the apprOpra
ton for fuel lights and for public buildings Con
tinuiDG, the report says:
Your Committee find that in February, March, April
partment bT J. Bradley Adams OK this city, for ffty-two
dozen Woodruff ile-hOlders, which bills amounting to
S502 were paid out of the appropriation for "lce etc
but that the fle-hoders, paid for in such
bills have never been delivered to this Department
matter and he has refused to furnish any explanation
stating that personal explanation viii be made TO you
We also find that in August and October $50 two bills
amounting to 1892 were presented by W. b. Reeds Sons
city for twenty-five boxes of candles, which bills
paid out oi the appropriation for sas etc. 1851
but the candles rs paid for IN sueh bills were not FUR
that these bills cover lemon and sugar used
for lemonade for Secretary Assistant Secretary ana
nished in this building last summer, about the time OF
the Chicago Convention In regard to this statement
Assistant Secretary and Mr. Power Chief Clerk have
knowledge Of fact that the lunch paid for out of
the public funds but that they contributed out OF their
toward the cost Of said lunch reported TO them
and believed 1t all paid by private contribution.
Mr. Upton also stated that he at one time gave the
Custodian S20t0pay for lemonade furnished his room
Your Committee further find that In November, 1880,
hdJanuary 1881 three bills aggegatng $l4s 80 for
and wagons were presented TO the Department in blank
and by the direction OF the Custodian" made up
for billiard cloth for covering desks and were paid out
of the appropriation for furniture etc, 1881" Also
ordered of N W. Burche for the Treasury Department,
barrel containing 53 gallons of bay rum at So 80
per gallon, which was billed as deodorized alcohol
Your Committee inquired why this course
pursued and infOrmedbg the Custodian" that
IL done that accounting officers would not qaes-
. We further find that from July l. 1878, TO May 4,
was soid to me amount Of S5Os2 co. that during said
Of said sales but the money received therefrom was
paid the Custodian" who states that he paid the
s SaaSee IN his safe awaiting az
TO what disposition should be mate Of IT:
the Committee the attention Of the Chief Clerk was
Ssea to the 5n meter Red Z TS5 ss to aqs e
posted in Treasury without further delay This
for their services during the month May, 1881 when
the SUM OF 2i1G 20 balance stated as on hand was DC
Various ether details of less important character
cited in the report, and conclusion the committee
say:
We are not at present prepared TO submit any
endatOns relative to the changes think necessary
5n the system OF making purchases and dispOsng OF the
same: We VIII say noTeped ahat We tnik tne SYSTEM
and in our opinion ii should be materially changed
EXAMPLES OF EXCESSIVE PAYMENTs.
Appended to the report the following exhibits
"a" Ten dollars per dozen has been paid for Wood
rs eholders, when they could have been bought for
dollars each has been paid for Directories of the
District OF Columbia, when, had competition been ILL
yited, they could have been bought for 81 80 each or
Twelve dollars each has been paid for websters and
have been bought for $40 each or less.
Twenty dollars each has been paid for Cotons Aliases
when they might have been bought for 81 each less
Other books OF miscellaneous character have been
bought at regular retail rates when discount Of at
least 20 cent could have been obtained elsewhere
"B" All Of the foregoing articles were purchased OF
J. Bradley Adams, Of this city, who seems 10 have re-
The Department has been paying at The rate OF 50 so
per day for horse cart and driver the usual price in
the District is 81 IS per day.
The Eerson TO whom tins payment is made is employed
IN the Treasury Department
HThirty cents per paid for slowing coal fur
nshed the Department forthe current tsca year when
the actual cost OF slowing said much less The
difference between the amount paid the actual
appears TO have been paid TO the Engineer Depart
nent because, as has been stated the Committed his
compensation Is inadequate for his services
During the months OF May, June and August 1890
175 copies Of the United States Government: lam,
phere were bought of George n. Lamphere al SD each
when, informed by bookseller of this city,
they could have been bought for 81 so each with 20 per
cent discount.
AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION.
Communications from Assistant Secretary Upton COW
erng period during which he Chief Clerk OF