National Republican., 1883-03-17
BEARING HIS CROSS.
Gen. Brady Endures the Examination by the
Opposition Without Annoyance,
Though Mr. Bliss is Beginning to Pro-
pound Some Hard Conundrums.
Notice Given that now that He is on the Stand He
Must Run the Risk Of eliminating Himself
ne OF the Price Drafts Presented for His
Identification.

0lilnR Ine Ddubl VI bnC lhC Nllhhi-
nal court, yesterday morning Gen. Brady again
took the witness stand and was further cross
examined by Mr.. Bliss. He did not remember
that any incongruity in Miners affidavit upon
the Tongue river route had attracted his at
tention. The witness described the method
of preparing the advertisements for letting
the miscellaneous services. The temporary
contracts originally ran for six months, but
the term was aftcrward extended to one year.
A con tract might have been discontinued in
order TO put on better service, and for O5her
reasons the power of the second assistant in
that respect was broad. But in all cases except
where the service was discontinued for cause
(suCh as failure to perform service) IL was
requirement OF law that the contractor be al
lowed one months extra pay. Witness could
not remember whether or not the. practice OF
posting bulletins of temporary service to be
let followed the congressional Investigation.
Mr.. Bliss instanccd the Tongue River route.
and asked how the contract was to be made
profitable by expedition when 1T was losing
contract at the old schedule.
The witness drily answered, "Hou will have
TO ask the contractors about that"
Q. You stated that you expedited it 10 make 1t
profitable to the contractor. How?
A. Expedited so as TO get good service, l snld
that we preferred TO help tile contractors rather
than opprcss them. Whether 1t did or not, is
matter for them.
MT. bliss prtkSeu U0c question:, III u uiucTcnb
form, the witness answering that he would
not like to take tri-weekly service without
expedition when ho was losing money ON one
trip per week. Where expedition was added,
however, ii seemed to benefit the contractors.
How the witness did not know. That was
question for the contractors.
Mr.. Bliss inquired why the witness did not
let the service under temporary contract
instead of expediting it.
He answered that he did not now remem-
Der the considerations that then affected his
mind. But as matter of fact no one in the
wide world would take such service under
six months contract
He was asked how he proposed to get rid
of the stumbling block of increasing the
ridiculously low figure at which the original
service had been taken to a profitable figure.
The witness answered, ave kicked the
stumbling block out of our way IN order to
get just what we did-good service"
In answer to q question as to why the route
had not been relet, under the miscellaneous
letting, the witness called attention to the
fact that the letting did not take place until
the fall Of 1878. Then the lowest bid would,
in all probability have exceeded the figure to
Which the route had been expedited when it
was considered that it was new route,
through a rough country. Some such result
might have been reached under cover of law,
in a roundabout fashion, perhaps. Mr. Bliss
asked why the witness had heightened the
schedule time. He answered that ii was only
just, where the schedule had been fixed and
the contract taken on u misstatement Of the
distance.
Q. Then why did you tell Judge Kldder that
you could not do it OH the Vermi illons Sioux Falls
route?
A. Because do not remember that there was
any such misslatement of distance
Mr.. Bliss asked if service was every put up
for an individual. The witness said that he
sometimes accommodated his friends in that
way. The contractors were very well treated
when he was assistant postmaster general.
Mr.. Bliss Il should say that they were."
The witness added that he thought 1t had
resulted in better service.
Mr.. Bliss. Don't you know that the Postoffice de-
partmcnJ Is now seltsustaining?
A. do; but that is not through any curtail-
ment Of star service 1t only results from the in
lowest possible rate?
davl ofthe contractor, and having general rule of
my own that the western service should not eX-
eeed sSO per mile lried TO get II at that rate and
that we were getting 1t much less.
The witness was aked why he allowed tho
contractor SO much more for expedition than
its actual cost, as shown by the filed subcon-
tracts-suCh as upon the Eugene City Bridge
Creek route. He answered that he was not
dealing with subcontractors. The contractor
was held for the service summer and winter
The subcontractor was not bound to the de-
partment and could throw up the service at
any time in the middle of the winter, when
the contractor was bound to Immediately re-
store the service. He thought the service on
the Eugene City-Bridge Creek route was
eheaply let. 1t was not the practice to
increase and expedite route wheRe the service
was being already inadequately performed
Saw Vaile very infrequently while in the
Postoflice department. and could not remem-
ber how he learned that Vale was going to
assume service for Miner, Peck & Co.; had
probably been informed by the chief clerk.
The congressional investigation in 1873 was
reason for not insisting upon immediate es-
tablishment OF service at the beginning of
the contract term upon the Canon City-Fort
McDerm0tt, and other routes 1t was ALWAYS
better to grant n small allowance of time than
TO declare the contractor to be failing con-
tractor. There was abundant reason for this
Postmaster General Key had investigated the
charge of extravagance against witness. Was
before the congressional committee in 1880
several times. Thought that he then testi-
titled that in almost all cases he got the ex-
pedited service at less than pro rata and that
statement was true.
Mr.. Bliss. Are you aware that twelve of the
orders In this case were made pro rata?
A. am not; my assertion on yesterday was too
broad aud now tnd seven orders made at less
than pro rata.
ihNoS NSlc given III uelOll Dy tnG
witness. Eleven orders, he said, were made
Mt pro rata, and seven at less than pro rata.
Witness meant that expedition, and not in
crease was allowed at less than pro rata,
gauged by the contractors affidavit. Witness
did not know that there had been two atli-
davits upon one of the routes, and SO had no
explanation TO offer in relation to an instance
cited by Mr.. Bliss where the affidavit most
favorable TO the contractor had been accepted
Mr.. Bliss then took UP the report of the pro-
ceedings of tho congressional committee, and
asked the witness IL his statements then made
were true. lie asserted that they were. He
said that if it was necessary to expedite u
route and the contractor insisted upon a pro
rata compensation it would be necessary to
allow it or continue the service on the old
schedule.
Mr.. Bliss inquired what would be done il
the figure was too high, under his rule.
I'VE would say, old fellow, you will have
to come down and make another proposition
Meanwhile we would continue the old SER
vice"
Some discussion took place in relation to
this point, Mr., Bliss cOnteudng that the
contractor could be forced to carry the mail
upon the basis of the actual number of men
and animals used, regardless of the con-
tractors affidavit.
Witness presumed that the congressional
investigation of 1850 had been brought ON by
his request for deficiency appropriation of
two million dollars.
He was asked If he did not say that he had
spent $3,s00,000 of the total appropriation of
$5900,000 for 1879 before the first Of January
ha al,.,N L.