Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-10
THE DAM STONE CONTRACT.

What Discoveries ana Revelations
Architect Sc hureman Made I'm WASH
Iugt0n.
Readers of the ARGUS are familiar with
the part Mr.. d. s. Schureman, the archi-
tect. has taken in having the stone con-
tract for the dam near Rock Island 80
amended as to provide for the stone be,
ing cut on the island. The following
is dispatch from Washington to today's
Chicago TriJnne pertaining to the same
subject:
Early last December the ordnance de-
partment advertised for proposals to fur
nish about 1000 cubic yards of stone to
be delivered at the Rock Island arsenal
and to be used to construct a dam across
branch of the Mississippi river in order
to furnish power for number of large
equipment buildings controlled by the
government at that point. 1t IS now
claimed by Representative Gest and ID.
3. Schureman, western architect. and
others that the Berea Stone company. of
Ohio, which was the lowest bidder, re-
ceived inside information.in regard to the
stone required through some of the agents
directly or indirectly employed by them.
Representative Gest says that Con-
gressmen Butterworth, Thompson, him
self, and ID. s. Schureman in look
ing into the matter found that the
records in the treasury department
show the Berea company had its
stone tested at Rock Island in October
1888, about thirty days before advertise
ments were made for bids, and when tho
advertisement appeared 1t was made to
at Berea stone. Judge Gest said to-day:
THE peculiar feature of the case was
that the specifications demanded the I'M
precedeuted amount of 1000 cubic feet
per week, and that bids would be re-
ceived only on sandstone. All the
9uarIies able to deliver that amount we're
owned by the Cleveland Stone Company
Owners of the Berea), with the excep-
ton of two, and options were held on
them. Bids were received accordingly
Jan. /, and all bids on stone that would
qualify according TO specifications were
large in amount. The one recommended
was about $129 $40, while the bid on
Borea was Si44.540 About this time
Mr.. Schureman. of Cincinnati, was
detailed to perform some work for the
Water Power company, of Moline. which
gets its power from almost the same
source as Rock Island. Mr.. Schureman
was familiar with Ohio sandstone, and
his opinion was asked rs to the material
offered by the Berea comnsny to the gov
eminent and the prices. He Immediately
pronounced it steal, and said the mater.
ial was inferior. The matter has been
laid over and new bids ordered AL
though the specifications have been
changed several times during the interim
by parties interested. Gen. Benet insisted
that they be left open for ali kinds of
stone. May l the bids were opened again.
All of the former sandstone bidders had
disappeared, with the exception of the
Berea company. and that company had
lowered its bid by $50 900 since January,
though there had been no modification
of the plans and specifications. The en-
gineer in charge, knowing of the former
pool, recommended Gen. Benet to sign
the contract with this company. This
was q surprise, and induced myself and
Others interested to demand an investiga>
ton, into which Gen. Benet has entered
In earnest"
MIR. Schureman submitted quite long
argument before Gen. BeDet. He claimed
that the records the engineer in charge
submitted were peculiar, to say the least.
He said Berea stone was tested before
specifications calling for bids were pub
lisbed; also that the specifications com.
pare nearly with the Berea test made at
that time. He also said that there was
conclusive evidence to show that the
Berea company had only dummy" bids
ders TO compete with.