Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-06
A ASTAMP WAS STOLEN.
The Secretary of the Navy Reports
on the Linden Steel Affair.
CLERK BALL TO BE PROSECUTED.
Falling Off in tle Percentage of Accepted
Deliveries.
,UIRY THE USE OF CUBAN ORE
rrv6A A STAFF CORRESPONDENT ]

WAs4NGToN, March 6-The long-de-
lsved gaswers of the Secretary of the Navy
70 th, nree Congressional resolutions call
in, information in regard to the steel
T. Il in naval construction were sent to the
-apitol during the last hours of Congress,
when in the great rush of business they
escaped general notice. Two of the resolu-
tions were from the Senate and called for
information in regard to the alleged at
tempts to defraud the Government at the
Linden Steel Works, Pittsburg, and the
Standard Steel Casting Company. of Thur
low, Pa. The House resolution called for
Information about the use of foreign ores by
the Bethlehem company,
The replies to the two Senate resolutions
are virtually official confrmations of the
statements printed in the newspapers at the
time of the alleged frauds. In reply to the
inquiry as to the truth of the reports of false
or counterfeit stamping of test pieces of
steel plates made by the Linden Steel
Works, of PittsburC. the Secretary SAYS the
attempt to use a counterfeit stamp was not
successful, and that in all probability no
previous attempt to use a counterfeit stamp
had been made, but that the percentage of
the Linden Steel Company's deliveries re-
sected since the discovery of the counterfeit
stamp was materially greater than the per-
feeltage rejected prior to that date.
Stole the Inspectors Stamp.
Together with some suspicious circum-
Stances regarding the opening of the desk in
which the Inspector kept his indentification
stamp led to the conclusion that the true
private Identification stamp of the Inspec-
tor had been fraudulently used to pass material
n he haC cd
the Department OF Justice TO institute criminal
proceedings agains- Clerk Ball, who is alleged
TO have stolen and used the inspection officers
stamp. In justice to the Linden Company. the
Secretary says he deems it pToper to state that
ne has the assurance Of the officers of the CON-
pany that they had no knowledge of the fraud
ulent practices or supposed fraudulent prac-
tees PRIOR TO the discovery OF the Government
inspection officer.
As TO the second Senate resolution concern
ing the alleged defects IN castings made by the
standard Steel Casting Company, of Thurlow
Pa, the Secretary submits bulky report made
BY board appointed to investigate the subject.
In this report the board states that number of
the castings furnished by the Standard Com
pany had defects which had been concealed by
caulking or ty hammering over. These were
all rejected, although the company protested
strongly against Sucn action. On account OF
this protest 4 second board appointed
which sustained the report of its predecessor.
The Secretary expresses no opinion to the
responsibility for the defective castings
The House resolution called for information
as TO WhetheT the bethlehem Iron Company, of
South Bethlehem Pa, was using in the manu-
faCture of steel Gorges for the Government ores
imported from the island of Cuba or any other
foreign country, and whether it is not practical
Bile TO find in the United States ores suitable in
quality or sufficient IN quantity for the manu-
faCture of such steel that the company
had agreed to furnish, and if it was true that
thai company was using such foreign ores to
report the reason they gave therefor.
Didn't Care to Experiment.
In his reply TO this resolution the Secretary
says the department cOnstrues the require
ment of the law of March 8 lSS7, that all ma
terial used in naval structures and armament
shall be so far as possible OF American produc- |
tlOn as well as manufacture IS applying only |
10 the aTmOred coast defense vessel Monterey,
which was authorized by that act The Beth |
lehem Company reported to the department |
that 1t used no Cuban ore in any way in the |
manufacture Of Open-hcaTth steel, but it did
use other foreign ores in connection with do
mestiC ores for making low PHOSPHORUS melt
ing bars. which enter into the open-hearth !
steel mixture. As to the inquiry whether
it would not be practicable to find
suitable ores in the United States for the man
ufacture of such steel, the company replied
that they had not given the matter sufficient
investigation to dcJermIne. The materials used
by them when their contract was made and for
which they made provision for the whole
period covered by their contract, had proved
suitable, and they would hesitate TO risk the
loss of time or of failure to secure the required
qualities which investigation or experiment
might impose.
The prosecution of Ball has not progressed
very rapidly. The Attorney General sent a
letter of instructions to the District Attorney
at PIttsburg. October 9 and preliminary re-
port secured December l6 since when
nothing has been done. LIGHTNER.