Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-19
Mr.. Bliss, Opening Address.
HE CONTENDS THAT BRADY Ran THE STAR SER
VICE IN THE INTEREST OF CONTRACTORS.

up by him was No. 3S156, from silverton to Par
rott City, carried up from 81, 4SS to S16,512, a
fictitious addition Of ten miles having added
$1,000 to the amount annually taken from the
Treasury The contractor got of the total sum
S11, 800 net annually, As for the expedition for
which this large amount was paid no time was
gained in forwarding the through mail, the mail
having to lie over night at each terminus On
this route. when a Senator acting upon the
petitions OF the people of Silverton, requested
that the expedited schedule be restored to the
old time, the recommendation was ignored
They would find that Senator was all power
full when asking an increase, but when he asked
Tor retrenchment, which would cut down the
receipts of thercontractors, his recommendation
was ignored. The fast schedule was continued
not for the benefit of the people but tor the
benefit of these contractors.
Mr.. Bliss next called attention to route 3S14O
from Trinidad to Madison-a route on which
the government was compelled to pay large
amount OF money on account of alteration in
the direction of the route-useless for any pur-
pose, except to add to the profits of the con-
tractors. On this route. after Brady left office.
Mr.. Rerdell wrote to the sub-cOptractor that the
investigation being made by the department
WOULD AMOUNT TO NOTHING,
ton made by Congress year before Mr. Bliss
said that he thought that by this time Mr. Rer-
dell had changed his mind. and concluded that
the investigation amounted to something more
than the Congressional Investigation. The
route originally let at 1888 was carried up to
81, 290.25, of which amount the contractor in
Washington cleared 90, 402. 25. The next route
was No. 3Sl34, from Pueblo to Rosita, which
f.-, o. O
No. 4Ol13, from Los Alamos to Wilcox by way
of Clifton In the desert region of Arizona, which
was run up from 81 56S to S27, 913 So under the
pretense of expedition and increase. Route No.
44l4O, from Eugene City to Bridge Creek
Oregon, was let originally for 50 1853, and
run up to S21 400 80, of which amount the con-
tractor IN Washington realized S14.060S9. It
was true of seventy miles of that route that
there was not a soul residing on It, and there
was not even road. One day the entire mail
consisted Of
ONE POSTAL CARD AND ONE LETTER.
Mr.. Bliss next considered route 4416O, from
Canyon City to Fort McDermott, let for % 2SS
The service should have commenced on the LIST
OF July, 1873, but it did not commence until the
following December. However. twelve days
before the service had actually begun, Brady
stepped in and made an order for expedition
ana increase, allowing S21 .5O0-ths being done
before particle of mail had been carried on the
route. OF this sum the contractor received a
profit OF ST. 800. In the following August the
route was again expedited and increased and
run up to 500. 1865, of which amount the sub
contractor received but $4,000 The remaining
S3O.0O0 went to the contractors. except such
part as went into the pockets of Thos. J. Brady.
A letter from the officers at Camp Harvey in
September or October 1880. complaining that
the mail did not arrive, was placed in Jacket
and used by Brady as one of the papers on
ytron 1{por
On this route petitions were prepared by John
II. Miner. The first name on a petition which
the jury would see was that Of the postmaster
at Canyon City, who would swear that the
SIGNATURE WAS A FORGERY.
Iney would show, he believed, that the forgery
was committed by John r. Miner The four
Other names on the same sheet were those of
persons whom no one on the route ever heard
or Then there was pasted on list of names
which had been detached from another petition
These names were those Of persons living in
Utah: thousand miles away from the route.
Mr.. Henkle interrupted to call attention to the
fact that the petition did not set forth that the
signers were residents Of Oregon.
MI Bliss said he would give them the benefit
OF that. That, however, did not Justify Brady
in using such forgery for the basis of an order
taking thousands of dollars from the Treasury
IL was On this route also, that Miner had writ
ten TO his agent to buy up certain postmaster
VINO INSISTED on complaining to the department.
Inc next route taken up was No. 44l15
from The Dalles to Baker City, which was in
creased and expedited from $S2SS to $72, 500
There were only three settlements on the route
Route No. 35O51 from Bismarck to Fl. Keoyh.
was run up by various means from 81. $50 to
$4,000. On this route the contractors spent
$1,000 for building stations before any order
was made, which indicated that they had reason
to expect the expedition. On that route J. w.
Dorsey wanted the sub-contractOr to have his
men sign petition, representing that they lived
at supposltitious settlement, near the route,
ana ask Tor an extension of the route to that
place. The sub-cOntractor however, was too
honest, and declined to do what was asked.
MI Bliss having referred to Gen. Miles letters
TO the department respecting this route,
Mr. Henkle asked why he didn't tell what
Gen. Sherman said about it.
WHAT CEN SHERMAN SAID.
General Sherman, said Mr. Bliss, "said no.
thing about expedition. He said that what the
army wanted was increase in trips and not ex-
petition
why don't you keep quiet" said Mr. Mer-
rick to Mr. Henkle; edo these facts disturb
your"
81 want the TRUTH" said Mr. Henkle.
81 am giving the TRUTH" said Mr.. Bliss.
" You remind me OF the sailor who said he pre-
ferred particular kind of religious service
because he had chance to jaw back
The next route was No. 46247, from Reddinp
to Alturas, California. let originally for 81, 9SS
The sub-contractOr was paid when the
original contract was made more than $40
more than the contractor received One
trip was added before the service began
and the service was expedited within
six months to S35.925. Bv subsequent changes
the contractors cleared 81 ,916 year. while the
sub-contractOr received $500 Brady was
paying this large sum of money for expedition
when, as matter OF fact, the mail was carried
In the first place at a faster rate that the expe-
dited schedule called for
Route No. 1912, from Julian to Cotton. Cali
iornia was let originally for 81 1873. The petit
lions on this route asked for schedule. OF 36
hours, yet. disregarding these petitions, Brady
gave schedule of rs hours, adding IS go to the
cost. In the order the ..26hours" was undoubt-
eddy written originally $50 hours" and it had
been changed to 26.
AT this point the court adjourned until to-day.
A MARRIED WOMAN's RIGHTS IN CoURT.-
Yesterday. in the Circuit Court, in the case of
White ct al agt Hlton-action Of eiectment
from premises on 18th and X streets southeast
after the testimony of plaintiff was given, the