The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-08-13
Secretary whitney to John Roach.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.-Secretary
Whitney yesterday sont the following
letter to Mr.. Roach and his assignees
and sureties, On the contract for the
cruiser Chicago:
BY the seventh clause of your con-
tract with the United States, dated
July %, 1888, for the construction OF
one steel cruiser, of about 1880 tons
displacement, it was agreed that the
hull, the machinery aud the fittings
should be completed and ready for in
spectiou for the purpose OF delivering
on or before the expiration Of Is
months from the date OF contract. 1t
was further provided in she llth clause
that in the ase of failure or omission
OF any stage of the work prior to final
com pletion from any cause other than
IL o order of the secretary of the navy,
to 20 forward with the work
and mako satisfactory progress
towards it's completion, it should
bs optional with the secretary to de-
clare tho contract forfeited. More than
six months have now elapsed since
the contract expired and work upon
the vessel has been stopped, while
much remains to be done before she
cen be finally completed. At the
same time it is evident thet the pub
lie interest requires the vessel in ques-
tiOr, known as the "Chicago," to be
completed with all practicable speed,
and it is therefore nee
essary tor the department to take I'M
mediate and definite action looking
to that end. Under the circumstan-
ces, and in consequence OF the failure
of the contractors to proceed with the
work, L have to inform you that the
contract above referred to is hereby
declared to be forfeited on the part of
the contractors, and that the rights OF
thu United States under the contract,
and especially under the 1lth, 18th and
18th clauses thereof, are now opera
tive. Yo1 are further informed that
1t is the intention OF the department
after the inventory aud appraisement
shall have been had to take steps for
the prosecution of the work and the
completion of said vessel IN accord
ance with the conditions expressed In
the contract, and that in the mesntin Q
the chiefs of bureaus OF chief engineer
ing and construction and repairs of
this department will take charge of
the vessel, machinery, material aid
fittings.
Similar letters were also sent in re-
gard to the Atlanta and the Boston,
and an order was sent to chiefs of GER
tain bureaus to take charge OF tho
work.
In issuing the order Secretary Whit
ney says:
1.-THE order issued today with retar-
ence to the Boston, the Atlanta and
tho Chicago, is made in pursuance Of
my duties under the eleventh clause of
the contract. Under that section there
is to follow an inventory showing to
what point of completion the vessels
have come and what material Is on
hand in the contractors yard, which
has been provided for the ships, and
how far Il the work has progressed,
to be followed by valua-
ton of those things. There has
been q provision that the department
shall decide whether to keep the ships.
AS the matter now stands there is no
question OF my duty to go on and do
This, aud it works an incidental benefit
to the contractor and his employees.
The government steps into the yard,
takes possession of tho ships, plant,
ETC., and pays for the completion, aud
then has an accounting with the Goa
tractor at the end And
contractor has 1T, and If
there is any loss he pays it. Under
those circumstances it IS entirely fit
tor the heads of bureaus aving the
supervision of tho work to use the
contractors force and his plant for tho
purpose"