Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-06-07
Architect Hill
SEEMS TO HAVE EBECTED A GOOD DEAL CT

The committee appointed to lnvesti'
gate the charges of INSTRUMENTATION
of the supervising architects Office,
met to hear the staten ents of PaulsOr,
of the firm of Paulson & Eyer, touch
ing the execution of the contract by
which compliments proposed to fur
nish iron-stairs for the government
building at Austin, Texas. Mr..
PauIson recited the terms of
his contract, and charged his firm
asked Hill to protect them against un.
fair treatment from his superintend-
ent, and Hill refused to do so. Paul5on
offered in evidence Il correspondence
between his firm and Hill and report
the government Inspector recommend
ing q RI duction Of $500 for alleged de-
feCts in works. PaulsOn produced d
drawing to show that the deduction
was understandable and not justified
b. the report. Col Lowe, Of Hills
Office, who investigated the matter and
then charged Hill with retain
ing in his office an ignorant
aad vicious superintendent in the face
Vi DuBIGIOuo CO1l DldllIbos Il dCloOl1
claimed that Glenn, Hills superintend
ent at Austiu, had discharged good
workman and hired a man just released
from Jail, to whom he paid fall wages
for no service rendered except at his
own home. Chill, this is a charge
against Glenn. | viii write 10 him
about It," Hill then replied briefly his
action in the matter, being based upon
the report Of the government inspector
and superintendent Hill was asked
if he haG heard Of the charge of exrrav-
agant payment to q vagabOnd work
man previous 10 the commencement of
this investigation and replied, not
while work was going on. It bad
come up at the time of the settlement
of this contract but the pay rolls
would settle The investigation Of ex-
travagance. They would show the
man was paid two dollars per day which
could hardly be considered exorbitant
IN the south. The case was then sub
mitted to the committee. Adjourned
till Tuesday.
Murch to-day addressed the follow
ing letter to Secretary Folger:
WAsHINGToN, June 2, lS83.-To Hon. c. j.
Folger, Secretary eff the Treasury Dear Sri
had the honor to address you a communication
on the I'D of April last In which / asked refer
ring to charges against the supervising architect,
''Shall | have power to prosecute and employ
counsel" In your reply of the 9th inst. same
month you said, "Section 789 of he revised stat
utes torbids any department employing counsel
cut | have requested the attorney general to
detail for the purpose of assisting in the prosecu-
ton OF these charges some gentleman OF legal
training from the department of Justice He has
designated John S. Blair as such person. Rlair
has since appeared before the committee on in
vestigating the charges in the capacity
OF both counsel for tn e prosecution and defeEse.
AT the last meeting OF the committee
Hill appeared by counsel when | wrote you re-
questing that / might have power to employ
counsel at the expense of the United States [
supposed, it coun e was allowed me- it would be
some who would represent the interest of those
preferring charges against the supervising arch-
tect OF the treasury and no person representing
both prosecution and defense. In the matter of
these charges however, as this may be, Thomas
who had previously appeared before the
committee as counsel for of the
firms whom it is charged Hill has favored
In the matter of contracts with the United
States again appeared before the commission at
their last meeting day before yesterday and
said: Before proceedings commence [ desire TO
state TO the commission that before the adjourn
ment of the commission last Tuesday, L had
been employed by Hit TO appear also for him in
particularly interested. Having been heretofore
retained by Bartlett, Robbins & Co.. / thought
there was NJ improperly in my acceding to his
request" You will readily see the present stu
alton of the compels me to have COUNSEL
who viii be unembarrassed by having both to
prose ute and def nd before the mmttee. /
have accordingly at my own expense retained
counsel who will hereafter represent ne. You
will pardon, me, therefore, if l withdraw the e.
quest heretofore made, that the nited States
tunlSh me cOu sci TO aid in this investigation
there now being no necessity Tor such counsel.
Very respectfully I. II. MURcH.
Murch has received the following let
ter with enclosures, from Crane Bros
Manufacturing Co.:
CHICAGO, May Is.
To Hon. Thompson II. Murch Washington
Dear Sr:-I am pleased to see y u e taking
aCtre steps to investigate the charges a sainst
Government Architect Hill, IN regard to alleged
malieasance in office in letting contracts and va
rious other irregularities come cted with his Off
cial position l am wei aware this course has
been needed for long time past and as / can
only speak in spirit of concentration of the eff
forts you making towards having a Oh
investigation of the charges made against Hli,
trust that you wilt continue to persist in the
good work until you shall have reached the bot
tom of what appear to have ben iniquituOuS
proceedings connected with the administration of
MS office tor some time past. For SO doing / be-
lieva you will receive the commendation of ali
well meaning citizens, who are cognzant Of the
fact that this investigation is taking place, as
many who have heretofore endeavor8d to do
business with the department have been treated
IN the same amer as ourselves [ beg also 70
inclose herewith copy of a letter sent TO Hon.
Chs. Folger, secretary of the treasury, which
viii give you some idea in a general way of the
treatment we have received at the hands of the
government architect. Trusting this will be of
some use and service, yours truly,
r. I. CRANE. President.
The following is copy of the letter
from Crane Bros. to Sec'y FOlger. re-
ferred to in the preceding communities
ton:
CHICAGO, April II, 1888.
Hon. G. ] FoLGER, Sec'y of the Treasury:
DEAR 5 R--In the spring of 79, this company
among others, made bid for elevators for the
castom house and pest Office in Chicago, but
throughthe error of the superintendent in charge
here, our bid was made for steam elevators, while