Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-20
JOHN ROACH'S FAILURE.
What is Said of the Causes of 1t.

What is Said Of the Causes OF 1t.
WORK SUSPENDED on THE NEW NAVAL CRUIs-
Ens-wHAT MIR. ROACH SAYs-WHAT SECRE-
TART WHITNEY SAYS-WHAT Is SAID BY
NAVAL OFFICERS.
The announcement of the failure of Mr.. John
Roach, the ship builder, has caused great sur
prise, both in business and official circles His
assignment to George W. Quintard and George
+. Weed directs the payment of wages and sal
aries of employees, and prefers VIM. Rowland,
of New Brunswick, n. j., for S62,217.9S. Pref
ference is also given to pfomissory note for
$4,000 discounted by the Mechanics and
Traders Bank of Brooklyn, payable in three
months from June 10, 1885. Preference, too,
is given to F. w. Gaiaudet & Co. for $4,000.
The payment of all other debts is also ordered,
including all lawful claims against the assignor
by \. Il. Whitney, Thomas F. Rowland, James
F.. Ward. Geo. W. Quintard and VIM. Rowland
for indemnity. against liability incurred by
them as sureties for the construction Of the
cruisers and the Dolphin. The total of the pref
erences is S1222l! Ids;
cipitatcd by the adverse decision OF the
ter, Witch rendered it probable that the
| contracts for the three cruisers. This fact. it
is said. had the effect OF iniurins his credit. Up
I" within year his weekly payroll was never
! less than S15OOO distributed among 500
men and boys. Now the payroll is over 900,
| but this will be reduced to-day by dlschaiging
300 employees. They will be paid all that Is
owing them-about lour days wages to each
person. Only enough workmen vii! be kept to
finish the Mallory ship Comal lying in the New
Jersey channel. Worklncn and material Will
| bc taken to her in n tug, and the vessel will
| do, btlesS he completed where she lies. Her re-
movai from the wharf was due to the assign
ment.
WORK SUSPENDED ON THE NAVAL CRUISERS.
| Work for the present will be suspended on
| the naval cruisers Mr.. Roach says he has been
very unfairly treated by Secretary Whitney
and has been ruined by him. There was not
| much profit in his contract for the naval VeS-
se.s. No other shiphuider could have made
| them as chaap-bccauSe he had the facilities
his yoriss. The contracts fnr the cruisers are
| similar to that {" the Doiphin and Mr.. Roach
| thinks the Attorney General cannot help ae-
Gliding that there is no valid contract for them,
rs me did in the Dolphin case. Consed uen'iy,
his bond>inc cann''t be held Responsible when
that if Secretary Whitney SEXES the Dolphin
his assisnees will probably sue for the balance
due.
| troubles. and his physician has directed that he
goaway ior awhile and leave his cares behind
! him.
WHAT ssCEETAY WHITNEY SAYS
| Secretary Whitley said at Newport that Mr..
Roachs bondsnen on his contracts with the
| United States were firmly held in a sufficient
sum to guarantee the government. Moreover,
the government has a lien upon the vessels for
|
that while regret,ing the failure of Mr.. Roach
he could not see how he could be held RESPONSE
BILE. The difference between him and Mr.. Roach
thus came to matter OF less than 500, 1000,
q small amount to put such IL man as John
Roach in Strengthened circumstances Upon
the question of the existing contracts uncOnl-
pleted Secretary Whitney said there was no
the least reason in the world why they could
not be gone Oh with and completed. He was
| sure the government would not interfere
long as it was getting what it was paying for.
The Secretary said he could not determine just
way OF seizure proceedings. He laid particular
stress on the fact that the bondsmen were held
He thought the failure would have no great et
feet upon the government
SIR. RoACHs PROPERTY.
The Morgan iron works. which cost Mr.
Roach about $4OO, ,OOO were valued at 5000, 900
and the Delaware River Shipbuiiding and En-
gine works, at Chester. were capitalized in 1870
os In inxSY ptem6e sha H. 1 Mr Mort a
ward Of 1900, 900, and that his material on
hand would cover his current liabilities. His
. loans then were estimated not to exceed
. $4,000 The amounts due on the nava
ships when finished were in the 'neighborhood
the Atlanta. sG6, 200; the Boston, s66, 900; the
. Chicago, $223,OO0. On the double-tnrretec
Puritan, tor repairs. $69,0oo Mr. ,,, Roach,
Chester, the Morgan iron works in New York
and the house and grounds near Port Chester
handsomely situated | in The midst Of 700 acre,
9 ot picturesque landscape The assignees are Q
. the opinion that there Will be enough realized
Of the estate To pay all claims against 1t.
e WHAT IS SAID BY NAVAL OFFICERS.
, The Roach failure was the general topic dis
e cussed at the Navy and War departments to
= day. Heartfelt sympathy for MIR. Roach Wa
e expressed all sides. Officers openly ex
!, pressed their opinion that Mr. Roach had beer
unjuStly treated. In the absence Of Secretar,
:. Whitney nothing was known definitely abou
= | the course to be pursued AS regards the com
pletiOn OF the cruisers, but it was the genera
: impression that the suspension OF work OF
!. | them would continue until the Dolphin mat
J ter Is finally settled in the Supreme Court. Un
less ROach's works kept open, 1t Is though
5 that 1t will be impossible to finish the work
y for no place else can 1t he done IN competen
!. | manner. An officer OF prominence In speakin
= OF the matter to a STAR reporter SAID: 'Roach'
Z failure is really disastrous thing for the gov
. ernment. The Attorney Generals decision
may have more widespread effect than wa
z thought. Think Of breaking up the only rea
y plant for ship building In this country, Jus
y when We are most anxious TO buiio our oW
y ships. "A plant cannot be procured In day; !
- takes years. We ought to OdOeverything p0ssibi
y toencourage ship building. Look IT the dideren
course Germany has pursued. She possesse
the best plant in the world for cOnstructin q
| guns, and does not intend TO be behind hand
shipbuilding. The Gernan-LlOyd steamer
were built In Scotland, but o few years agt
N when there was danger0f trouble with England
!. Germany realized the position she was In as n
= yards building shtpsa and Immediately SUBS
le dized the German Lloyd line, provided ia
b. company had its vessels built In Germany. a