The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-25

urement that Mr.. Curtis would report
would be taken by Mr. Carter. As the
rock would be hidden under twenty feet OF
water, no one would know how much there
would be of it.
Mr.. Curtis explained that he quit the
engineers service Jan. l because be didn't
think that Lieut.. Carter mad properly sus-
tanned him.
The inspector general asked Mr.. Curtis
about the third specification as to the
'mIsapplication Of government money or
incompetent engineering" in tie cross-tIdes
dam.
Mr.. Curtis replied that he didn't know
who originated the cross-tides dam It was
first started with piling and had washed
away. Then the mattress system was tried
and that washed away. The overflow was
not properly cared for and secured out
hole below and freshet and quick sand car
ried it of.
LIEUT.. CAREERS ENGINEERING.
Mr.. Curtis was asked what be considered
competent engineering in the dam, and he
replied that a new dam should have been
built above the old dam, using the latter as
an apron Ii would not be pretty and
would be irregular, but it would prevent
washing away. The cross-tides dam. ne
said, has been dismal failure After the
plans were found defective it was poor en-
cheering TO continue the work under the
specifications.
In answer to further inquiries, Mr.. Curtis
said that he didn't mean that money has
been dishonesty applied, but In his opinion
value received has not been had for what Is
in the cross-tides dam. Nor did he mean
that any stone has been paid for that has
not gone into the work, nor that the stone
has not been properly contracted for.
Mr.. Curtis was asked what amount of
stone should go into the work, and he said
that his estimate was that from $4,000 to
$4,000 would build a new dam above the
old one. and would allow the use OF the
latter as an apron for back water.
LIEUT. CARTER IMPOSED UPON.
Mr.. Curtis next went into a lengthy ex-
PLANTATION about Lieut.. Carter withdrawing
his recommendations given to BrunsSick
parties. he attributed this Reputation TO
a letter he had written Mai Post, the sub
stance Of which was that Lie1t. Carter was
being imposed upon by Capt. Greene ''My
idea Mr.. Curtis said, was to get Carter
out Of the clutches Of Greene and Gaynor,
and as Carter seemed to believe them 10
preference to me l resigned"
Mr.. Curtis was asked about that portion
of Lieut.. Carriers letter to the chief of
engineers in which he charged Mr.. Curtis
with saying that he hated Greer g, but pro-
fessed friendship for him and had accepted
his hospitality, hoping that Capt. Greene
would say something that he could use
against him.
Mr.. Curtis denied making the statement
to Lieut.. Carter. When he had consented
to meet Capt Greene face. TO face before
Lieut.. Carter aud .-- reeitelate the
oas1 81 him 500 ~ month nth
to go to Fernandina, Capt. Greene said,
"You came to my quarters, drank my
whisky to try to catch me, ~ and Mr. Curtis
said, "Yes, did" After the in terview
Lieut.. Carter dismissed him, and was in
close conversation with Capt Greene for an
hour. Mr.. Curtis told Lieut.. Carter, after
Capt. Greene left, that he had nothing to
gain in telling him about Capt Grsene's
part, and it left .lothins Tor him 70 do but
resign.
NO CONFIDENCE IN GREENE.
The inspector general asked Mr.. Curtis
why he did not accept Capt. Greene's offer.
He replied that he had no confidence in
Capt. Greene, and doubted if he would pay
more than the first months salary. "Once
he got me in his power" Mr.. Curtis said,
that would be the end of it,"
Mr.. Curtis repeated that his only motive
in ''laying" for Capt Greene was from the
belief that he was at the bottom of Mr..
Gaynor's talk about the inspectors pl ace
and he wanted to show Capt. Greene up.
couldn't think Capt. Greene would do such
a thing.
On the Burnett and Smith matter Mr..
Curtis knew nothing. except from heresay
and what Burnett had told him. That, he
explained, can be got from Smith.
THE CHARGE OF STRAW BIDS.
Col. Hughes showed Mr.. Curtis a list of
all proposals received by the engineer de
partment in this city since 1882, and asked
HIM to pick out any straw or bogus bids
among them.
Mr.. Curtis looked them over carefully,
examined them one by one. and stated that
he was unable to do so, and further stated
that he knew nothing of this matter as far
as it related to this district. only by hearsay,
and he knew of no actual facts.
Col. Hughes-Then you go on to say that
the advertisements for contracts is done in
such a way that few contractors know
about them. Now, will you explain that,
pieasel
do not know just what the law is in regard
to advertising. / do not know what the
regulations are. These advertisements are
some times put into obscure papers
Here Col. Hughes interrupted Mr.. Curtis.
and read the following list of papers in
which advertisements have been published:
Philadelphia North American, New York
Daily Tribune, Baltimore (Md.) American,
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS and Charleston
NetVs and Courier.
THE CONTRACT ADVERTISEMENTS
Mr.. Curtis resumed: Here in this sec
ton they are put into the MORNING NEWS
and the Charleston paper. They are relia-
bic papers. have known of several in
stances in other districts where they were
put into little county papers where no one
but those interested knew anything about
them.n
Col Hughes-Then, as understand you.
you did not in that remark refer to the
letting of contracts in this Office and in this
district.
Mr. Curtis-No. sir; don't think did.
| did not suppose this conversation was TO
be published, which was simply a rambling
talk. did not make any claim that the
work here has not been properly advertised,
Col. Hughes asked Mr. Curtis what he
meant by saying that the government
should appoint an impartial board of en-
gineers, not from the army, to investigate
and report on the coast work. "What work
do you want investigator he asked.
Mr.. Curtis answered with somo warmth
that he didn't care whether they investi-
gated any work at ALL but he thought if
such committee should come down and
investigate the cross-tide dam the result
would be such conclusion as was reached
in the Washington aQueduct investigation,
that it is a failure.
Mr.. Curtis will go on the stand again this
morning.