Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-28
STRUCK A MARES NEST.
THE WIND TAKEN OUT OF A REALLY
SENSATIONAL STORY.

| Steel From Piitsburg Firm Claimed TO be
Below stuudard-A Tale That Might
Have Been of Great Interest, but Isn't
Established.
A New York paper of Saturday and yes
terday contained an account from its Wash
ington correspondent of alleged frauds in
the quality of steel furnished by the Linden
Steel Company, Of this city. to the Naval
Ordnance Foundry at Washington, which,
il true, would be of vital interest here.
President W. j. Lewis, of the company
named, declared last night that there was
nothing whatever in the story; that the
Government had concluded its investigation
long ago, and that it had found there was
nothing in it at all.
The charges made in the dispatch alluded
to are, in short, as follows:
The Linden Steel Company has been fur
nishinG quantity of steel to the Government,
all of which has to be thoroughly inspected and
stamped by Government inspector before be-
ing shipped. A report was made to the Navy
Department about n month ago that some of
the steel sent on was below standard, and the
stamp used was a counterfeit of the true one.
An investigation by the Government was at
once made with the result of finding that a
counterfeit stamp had been used by an en-
ploye of the steel company No effort was
made to arrest the man. The mills we're
stopped and the inspector commenced 3 thor
ough investigation.
The inspectors report is with the Steel
Board at Washington, but the substance has
been kept secret. 1t is understood, however,
that the board found the original reports sus-
tanned and thanked the inspector for his work.
The report received at Washington was to the
nffn hot I'm fa;t
and that many tons of inferior metal were de-
hvered to the Government. 1t is said there
was concern Felt in the department on the
head that if it were possible to ship counter
felt steel from one mill, it was practicable in
the case of other mills in the State to do the
same thing.
Secretary Tracy said regarding these rumors,
that they were greatly exaggerated. He said
that man employed in Pittsburg mill had
been discovered using stamp in imitation of
that used by the inspector. He was satisfied
that the nrm was not concerned in the matter
at all, and that 1t was an affair in which the
employe alone was affected. The Secretary
denied that large quantities of inferior steel
had been unloaded upon the Government and
he was satisfied no imposition had been prac-
ticed.
Captain secard President of the Naval Board
OF Steel inspectors, said when asked for infor-
nation, that it was impossible for any exten-
sive frauds to be perpetrated. He explained
how all the steel made was under constant in
spectlon and how every defective piece was
rejected Any inferior plates that might be
sent on would only happen through an accident
and they would be at once returned.
This, in substance, is the story as printed
in New York paper: Mr.. W. j. Lewis,
President of the Linden Steel Company, was
spoken to last night regarding the story.
He said that the Government had investi-
gated the report and that nothing had come
of it. 1t was an old story now, and not worth
repeating, especially as it had been found to
have nothing at all in it.