New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-07
FINDING AGAINST HILGARD.
INVESTIGATION OF THE COAST SURVEY.
SERIOUS OCCUPATIONS AGAINST THE sUPERINTEN-
DENT AND OTHER OGFIcERs.

"--
DENT AND OTHER OGFIcERs.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-The Committee
appointed to, investigate the affairs of the Coast and
Geoetc Survey and inquire into alleged Irregularities
and Official misconduct the part OF the superntend
tnt Professor ilgard. made their report to the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury to-day The committee began me
investigation July 23continung IL daily until closed
They took possession OF the books accounts and records
OF the survey examined large number of witnesses
good deal the testimony referred to. aud some OF
That taken, tho committee says, was hearsay ana
nferontal: but the evidence Afforded by books ana
papers by the testimony of witnesses. either unis-
puted who carried vicon hy their intelligence or
integrity BOTH established concusivey TO the minds
Of the committee the following facts:
That moneys received from the Navy Department and
the office engineers or the army FOR eectotyp-
ing. and from the District OF Columbia Tor services
were not deposited the Treasury, but aer certain
deductions for cost OF material etc, were divided among
employees receiving regular salaries as extra ps ior
That the hooks kept In The Instrument division, al
though exceedingly imperfect and incomplete sun
show that many valuable instruments charged 10 per
sons no longer IN the service nave not DeGn ,e,i "
accounted forand That hummer OF VaIuhhie
nave been lent Institutions OF learning and To indvh
uals without any apparent authority therefor ana that
such Instruments are still out
That q. " sacsmilIer late chief of the instrument
division was while such chief, partner in the rh OF
Fiuth Co.. instrument MAKERS OF TINS city, "ho nave
furnished large rha!e OF the instruments puIcase ny
the survey SIce the tad lfm was orGahltd Nhhs
their trade with the burra hls been large. Their
seldom appear upon The abstracts ndered to The Treas
that property and materials have been wrongiully
converted to the Use o. that iirn
That visiting cards Tor private par iesnclalng super
n'cnen iiilsari and family and other employees OF me
bureau have been frequently printed III the engraving
time. by the direction OF III. q. Ogden, CHIEF oil tie
division
That the chief OF the drawing division, ". T. Bright,
has been ia Il cumni- sous work done by employees
OF the DIVISION for outside private parties; as that
moneys have been paid to employees o. that dylsIn oy
Lieutenant Colonel CrAghlI ana IIcutchnht-'oiohci
Warren The Army, for work done out OF the appo-
That W T. Bright was mu il addicted to the us, OF
strong drink and was frequently under the Influence OF
liquor In office hours.
That travelling expenses have been incurred unnoccs-
sary. and apparently with Wow - favor certain en-
poye- rather than for advancing the real go0d OF tho
survey IN the cas-" oi MurEdh ai lalsois WHO 'u
separate trp~ 20 New-fok 10 get paper OF evien'e oi
relation to voucher for Sl20 suspended IN Morgans
accounts: IL tie Of VI. ". Wines, VINO na7 maze
ont apparent necessity and Ia the case OF 'mp"g.s
sent out 10 make observations at points
where II was altogether usclc- sand unnecessary.
That ~ the ca'c OF Assistant j. : Brh"iorI VINO pre-
-cncd false vouchers in his accounts aud when d'c1y-
cred refunded The amount thereof through his VIE ny
advance of his salary. action was taken except 1"
let hln cby." Professor IIlgIrl phrascd H. He
continued N the employ Of tho survey II seems TO
have been a deliberate condonug OF embrzlrncnt,
forrcgy and drunkenness. TO the Inevitable denord@a
That Frofcs.of iIlrari has frequently seen at
the o.lco under Tie influence oi liquor aud thit his
every afternoon aud that of late years he has manifested
general unhtncss AID incapdc'ty for the duties OF ais
That old and incapnciated persons have been and are
si carried on the rolls OF the survey without rem
That q number OF ladies the rolls never to tn
office xrp To receive their paw their work bring
- fhcin being 20 -ht that the en-
ployes seem generally to CLASSIFY them % Prn-ioncrs
That valuable WORK, belonging t. the library ot the
survey have been Laen out by employees anc never re-
Thai DR.. Thomas Craig While in the employment Of
TIE survey. was also receiving pay from johns Hopkins
mi chyonometer watches Belonging to the survey
W. y tu
Including Professor ililshri.
That several years. beginning in 1873. C. s. Peiree
assistant. has been making experiment. researches WIN
lcnduuins. without restrictions or limitation rs to
That since 1879, expenditures on account OF these
experiments aside from tie salari,s oi Shi.ls .h h
value OF these experiments TO the bureau nave
been substantially Destroyed.
That T. August Eubsen. An lnexperenced boy ws7
paid r.9js duriue the ak months from January los1
bad been turned ~ H. g. Ogden to other ensraVers
In tho Office. with whom Rubscn had made
sub contracts to do engraving Tor which he had made
contracts In hi own name with the bureau.
That arr.ugcment was made with the superintend-
tidal observer $50 per month. from Apri - to July
l. without performing any service superintendent
y. y. CAN'T. who paid SlOa month rs special OBJ
server ut Mobile for which he rendered no service.
That g.. W slcgnulrT continues Ia be really partner
In Fanth Co.. Notwithstanding his pretended WITH
drawal.
statement OF witnesses would appear to warrant the
opinion that under the present state OF appropriations
tho force might be considerably reduced h. n
ludolous system OF natural sclcction, or rather
rational rejection. The committee says:
II IL but far state that the extra work Of electro
typing done after hours done and pay received
without thought 81 Illegally. with the fun assent
of the bureau officers aud IN pursuance OF custom
which las long openly prevailed. Enforced restitution
would involve serious hafdNips IN nearly every case
In view Of the facts. and of the possible legality of the
trnnsaction We venture suggest the pruprcty OF
reference question OF it's legality To the Attorney
General
or the nfty eight employees of the bureau twelve
classified as very able and efficient thirytwoas efficient
reliable. six able but not efficient two either
Inefficient well Informed. two usefulness impaired
by age or innrmty but s capable Of efficient work,
capable Efficient work by reason of or III
trinity"