Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-06-21
Etc.
The sfar-Route Frauds-Further Evidence
of RascalIty.

The sfar-Route Frauds-Further Evidence
OF Rascality.
NEW YoRK, June 20th.-The Washington
correspondent of the Times says: The collec-
tion and classification of evidence, upon wbick
to base the prosecution of the dishonest star.
route contractors and their confederates in
Office, has been continued quietly, but slowly,
during the week. The force employed is
small, but excellent progress has been made.
Evidence is coming from all parts of the
country, and the Investigators have had their
attention directed every day to hitherto un.
known cases of fraud. At the same time the
Postmaster-G General and Second Assistant
Elmer have continued the application of
common-sense methods and business princi-
piles to the existing fraudulent star
service, and the incomes of ring favor.
ties are continually growing beautifully
less. The reports made by honest special
agents in relation to the "crooked service +"
are now coming in every day, and much use
less and fraudulent service has been marked
for discontinuance Action upon these cases
will not be taken until after an exhaustive
examination and conclusion Of arguments
upon both sides.
The Department proposes to be sure it is
right before it "goes ahead" at the same
time the methods which have prevailed in the
Department. the allotment of clerical work,
location and divisions and many other details,
have been closely examined by the Commis.
sion, whose purpose is to introduce proper
business methods and reorganize the working
force in the most efficient manner which cir.
cumstances will allow. The results of the
iabors of the investigators and examiners of
fraudulent and useless service and the inspec-
ton of the internal economy of the Depart
ment cannot fail to be Of almost incaiculable
advantage to the people of the nation.
The correspondent tells the story of another
Salisbury route, in which he says the records
show that in this case, as in many others.
the Salisbury ring were not troubled by the
little formality of advertising each route
once every four years, and letting it under
condition of route advertised and relet but
these proceedings made but little difference
to them. In 1873 Gilmer & Salisbury were
carrying mails on the route from Franklin to
Helena, Idaho, and their annual pay was
SAT 800, or more than SIS per mile for one trip
per week. In the list of bidders appear
several persons who then represented the
Salisbury combination, but who do not
now appear in the same way. Sanderson,
of the Barlow combination. would do the
work for S135 900. Salisbury would take it
for SI2O.O0O. But Sandersons 3 man Huntly
could do it for S65. 600, and Salisbury's man
White and others could do it all the way
down from $50, $50 to S15 900. This was GER
tainly remarkable. The Mormops put in
bid of S43, 600. Jackson was given the
tractfo term of four years from July l, 1874
His principals probably continued their work
on the route for four months. Their pay was
reduced by the result Of advertising from
S47, $50 per annum to only SIS, GOO. At the
end of four months they availed themselves
of the old plan. jackson was allowed to fail,
! ~, fn,l. ,A< haaa
as was said. he failed December ii, 1874; but
before that time Gilmer & Salisbury
had gone in one and half months service at
S67, 800 The Department went up the list
of bidders, and could find no one who would
stand by his bid until D. Parker was reached.
His bid had been S64, coo. and it was handed
over to him at that price, although it had
originally been let for $4,000. Parker was
tee highest of the bidders controlled by
Salisbury, and his address was "Care of
Gilmer & Salisbury" For the last few years
the Parkers have as rule had combination
Of their owr. Parker or Salisbury had the
route at S6i. 800. Until July l, 1878, the end
of the term, Jackson's pay would have been
$50 000. Parker's must have been at least
S225, GOO Then for some reason the route
was advertised for the term from 1873 to
1882. until three months after the proper
time, SO that new contractor could not be
given the work until October l. 1873, instead
of July l, 1878 This left a gap of three
months, which was filled by employing Gil
mer & Salisbury for that time at pay of
S64, 500
We have now reached the beginning of the
current contract term, 1878 to 1882, The re-
suit of advertisement is given in the bids as
follows: Route ~, ,122-Franklin to Helena,
Idaho distance, 415 miles; service, seven
trips per week time schedule, 70 hours in
summer and $50 hours in winter, or 81 miles
and 2i miles per hour; 200 hours for third
class matter. There were eleven of these
bidders 0. j. Salisbury, S97. 600; n. S.
Huntley, $40 600; G. w. Bennett, S47 COO;
w. M. Griffith, S4S, 800; II. NJ. Norton,
S3S, $50; V. w. Parker, S3S, $50; w. Nj.
Wilson, S3S, 600; Joseph Evans, S37 900
X. H. Williams, S33 coo; Z. j. Travis,
S31, GOO; j. W. Travis, S29, GOO. -Four years
before the Barlow party had put in the high
est bid now Salisbury outranked them all.
While the two Travises, his representatives,
were at the foot, the Barlow party was sec.
ond. Keren's party, new one backed
by an active politician. was fourth.
On the Sd day of July, 1S7S Travis was
given the contract. His principal continued
the service until October l., 1873, then he be-
came contractor. on paper at least. OF
course he failed, as jackson had failed be-
books, occurred March II, 1879. Brady
went up the list, and it is supposed circulars
were sent to bidders. They declined or re-
fused to reply at all, until Salisbury, the
very highest man, was reached. The
arrangement by means of which Huntly
and Griffith and partner were induced TO
keep out is not described in the books. Grit.
fifth Kerns) was the only one who made any
sort Of offer. He wrote that he would take
the route at S43 800, if Brady would give him
time for necessary preparation. and he would
begin the service as soon as practicable.
"Owing to the probable opposition of the
SERVICE" he added, it may require more
than ordinary time" 1t is unnecessary to
say that Griffith did not get the route. There
was gap Of 81, 700 between Barlow's and Sal
isbury's bids, and Brady apparently did not
feel like jumping it, and accepted Salibury's
offer. Just then Levi L. Blake came forward
with an offer to do the work for $50, 00O, and
it was accepted. Blake was another repre-
sentative Of Salisbury, who was one of his
bondsmen. Blake's term began April /,
1879 but it was very soon discovered that he
had once been used, as Travis and Jackson
had been used, and had once been declared
failing bidder or contractor. This disauali-
fed him, and Brady gave the contract to his
bondsmen, Monroe Salisbury and j. H. Wsr-
ner, at the same price, $50, 900. Salisbury
filed a sub-contract, and at last the route
was secure in his hands again at higher
price for four years more.
After Salisbury had got a firm hold of the
route at S55, 600, there was some special ser.
vice employed at the rate of s95 ,OO0 per year.
This line extended from Franklin. on the
boundary between Utah and Idaho. and di.
rectly north of Salt Lake City, northward
through Eastern Idaho to Helena, Montana.
Its course was very nearly coincident with
that of the Utah Northern Railroad, which
was then in process of construction northw ard.
From January l, 1885, the route was short
ened 1874 miles, aud the mails transferred
to the railroad. 1t is probable, Of course,
that they had been carried on the railroad
for Salisbury, for some six months later so
miles more were cut off, and on February
3, 1881, A. miles more, so that the paw from
that date was SIS, 399, being pro rata. There
was doubt about Blske's offer to do the
work for S55000. Patrick, Of Oregon, bad
put in an offer to do it for SIS. O0O, and the
claim was set up that Blakes proposal did
not come in until the expiration of the limit
set by the Department. Patrick made CON-
plant through Senator Saunders, but no
change was made.
The Indian Territory star-service routes.