New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-14
United States OF the Dominion of Canada Of one
or moro OF the Provinces thereof.
FRAUDS IN THE ARCHITECTS OFFICE.
THE GOVERNMENT PLUNDERED sYsTEMATI.
CALLY IN CONNECTION WITH PUBLIC
BUILDINGS.

BOILDlNbS.
Washington, Dec. 10 (speclaD. -Mention has been
made in Tho Tribune Of the bare-faced frauds per-
pctrsted in connection with the site for the public
building al Binghamton, " Y, but 10 seems that the
affair In question represents but a small percentage
Of the resoalty which has been carried during this
Administration in connection with the construction OF
public buildings and the letting OF the different con-
tracts for such erection When supervislng-Arch
tect Frcret arranged his famous so-called ten
dollar specifications which were at the time made the
subject Of Congressional comment new order Of
things supervened in the architects Office at the
Treasury and in all the vast network Of transactions
conducted with those who had business with II.
Drawings and specifications were loosely made that
the Supervising Architects power and authority were
at once enormously increased, he became virtually
dictator and utterly irresponsible dictator at that,
for the reason that he and he alone could interpret
these vaguely stated formulas and could read and
constue them TO hold the contractors who worked
under them to anything or nothing as he saw ft
AS has been pointed in these dispatches.
the amounts expended during the present
Administration has been unusually and extraordinarily
increased, and at the time tho guards which
have been hitherto thrown around the expenditures Of
such vast sums during the Republican regime, have
been purposely swept away In the Architects office.
for the very purpose Of opening unrestricted pas
for nefarOus plunderers Of the public Treasury
Immediately after the departure above indicated
was begun by Supervising Architect Freret, tho bids
for the construction Of public buildings. which had
averaged about forty per quarter. sank at once to
from four to SIX. About a of prominent firms
from Pitsburg Philadelphia whom a certain con-
tractor interviewed refused bid upon a large
for iron work, worth 100000. or even 10
furnish him figures from which he could bid himself,
upon the ground that the plans and specifications re-
quested vague and uncertain in their character
that it dangerous 10 touch them Another con-
tract, amounting to 100000 called forth only
couple of bids upon IT, and those only from firms Of
small repute while another contract worth $4,000
was advertised for a whole month with no response
whatever from bidders.
1t is openly charged by those necessarily having
pert knowledge Of such matters that the drawings and
computations for the new Government building at
Detroit exceeded the appropriated for It by over
half million, and a system thereupon devised
for reducing the size Of the building and changing the
figures and the computations so that the contracts let
and the appropriations made would appear TO agree.
This agreement however is apparent only and merely
upon paper for although the contracts VIII not be let
at once. but piecemeal that tho increased
stiII the construction viii eventually several
hundred thousand dollars more than was appropriated
by Congress. Fraudulent computations made the
figures being changed In instances as often as
three times, and the cost OF buildings and plans pur-
pOsely and Systematically underc stimatcd for the
press purpose Of hoodwnking Secretaries Of the
readily deceived the official chief computer being
is charged, utterly incompetent and mere figure
head.
The chief end and object Of all these fraudulent
transactions u.s. of course, DOODLE. pure and simple.
for the faithful" of the Democracy, who happen TO
be in the good graces OF Architect treret and bis
hackers. But in the meantime. all work done IS per
formed in a worthless manner, honest dders and
contractors hOpelessly tabOoed and millions OF
money will have to be expended under the coming
Republican Admin strat1on In deficiency and addi-
tonal" appropriations 10 cover the fraudulent tran=
actions and repair the of Frerets term. The
silver vault recently completed az great OK
pendture IS instanccd one Of the costly failures
Of the regime. II Is said 70 he aicady ulufi-
going repairs and 10 be so lcaky that money bags
stored within 1t are rapidly rOtting away.