Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-29
CONTRACTS FOR NAVAL SUPPLIES.
Paymaster General Smith Before the
Court Of Inquiry.

The Smith court of inquiry met again this
morning. Paymaster General Smith testified
that the quantity of supplies on hand at the
storehouse in New York showed the require
ments of the service, but, in answer to q ques-
ton of the judge advocate, said that the sup
plies of other storehouses showed the require
ments of the service, but only in a small degree,
as their supplies were very small. A memoran-
needed, and the Secretary of the Navy orders
the advertisement The whole matter Is In the
hands OF the Secretary of the Navy and is regu-
lated by law. The judge advocate asked If
Austin 2. Brown was q regular dealer under
the law in the supplies for which he was award.
ed the contract I'm November, 1882. The wit
ness replied that the Secretary of the Navy
construed the law in the matter in 1884, bar.
ring out many who had been allowed to bid for
bidders who were the regularly authorized
agents OF companies or who filed the power OF
attorneys: Mr.. Brown, having been ruled out,
sion that Mr.. Browns evidence was insult
ficient to prove him q. regular dealer in the
articles, and he was excluded from bidding in
the future. The witness stated, in answer to a
question, that there was no necessity tor un-
October, 1882, and later, when the enlargement
OF the contract was made, and in 1883. The ad-
vertisementS were made annually.
Witness thought there was nothing due from
Mr. Brown on former contracts on November
IL, 1882. nominal bids, he said, ''are those
made by bidders who do not understand the
matter thoroughly and make their bids at
prices much lower than the goods can possibly
be manufactured for. In such cases the bureau
investigates the matter, and those of fictitious
nature are not considered. The contract for
1000 mattresses was awarded to III. ID. Oster-
moor Son, under the advertisement of Octo-
ber z, 1882, at So. .121a each. He was not the
lowest bidder, A. p. Brown bidding lower.
Brown did not get the contract because Oster-
moor having the patent for manufacturing the
article bids below his were considered "nom-
inal." Witness did not think Brown asked to
be relieved from his bid for mattresses. Brown
had never furnished mattresses to the witness
knowledge. The contract for 100000 pounds
of sugar was awarded to Jas. R. Michaels, 8 5-16
cents per pound. Brown made a lower bid at
9ls cents. Didn't remember anything about
why Brown didn't get the contract. Presumed
there was some correspondence about 1t, which
he would look up. 1t was likely he withdrew
his bid.
Witness, after recess, having refreshed his
memory in respect to the sugar contract with
MichaelS, said that Browns bid was not really
the lowest though it was apparently SO. The
contract called tor sugar in halfbarrels, and
Brown demanded so cents extra for each pack
age. A close calculation showed that for the
whole contract Michaels' bid was little the
lowest. Recurring to the contract with Oster-
moor Sons for mattresses, witness submitted
correspondence with Austin p Brown.
The court shortly after 2 o'clock adjourned
till tomorrow.