Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-04-13
Repairs on Worthless Hulks - Provisions Of the
Law as TO Purchases Of SlPplies-Whit-
n.y's Prices Compared with PrsviOu,
0nes-Hsrs is the Rsexd.

attempt 10 explain the SQuandering OF
s432, $50, 1921 in g years and offer
nothing TO show for it, or scarcely any
thing.
As stated in these dispatches be-
fore, over $500, 0OO, 900 Of that sum
was Squandered by the Republican
bosses as a corruption fund to keep the
Republican party in power. 1t was
squandered in the alleged repairing OF
worthless old hulkS, so as TO provide re-
cruiting stations for Republican heelerS.
workers and handy men. Last night
instances were given Of the amount OF
money squandered In the "repaIrs" OF
worthless old hukS. Here are some
more Instances. The Portsmouth cost
originally Sli7, ,0j1, and there has been
spent for repairs on her $780,
062.4s The jamestown orig
inally cost Sl7j,jf4, and there
has been spent on her in repairs S747,-
s5s.54. The Saratoga cost originally
Sl39, lsj, and there has been expended
| in her repair SjGj.jg3 so. The Inde-
pendence cost originally S@S7, 500, and
there has been spent in her repair Sj43.-
1866. The st. Louis cost originally
S125,Gls, and there has been spent in
her repair $500, O,5l6.9O. The ST. Mary
cost originally Sl69, ,997, and there has
been spent in her repair S452. .4O4.G4.
The Dale cost originally S97, 3Gl. and
there has oeen spent ii. her repair S2S1,-
1lG.ss. The Constellation cost origin
ally S277, ,lO6, and there has been spent
in her repair S329, 427.59.
4, 10,
nearly all Of these are almost, If not en-
tirely, worthless. The st. Louis and st.
Mary are used as receiving or school
ships for training boys, and the Con-
stellation IS used as Il practice ship at
the Naval Academy, where it Is safely
anchored.
The Republican bosses knew that
these ships were worthless when they
expended this enormous amount Of
money on them. or course, they did
not expend the amount on the ships:
they simply stole it, but charged it in
the manner indicated. Nor was this
the only way by which the si39. 500, 7G9,-
II taken from the people during the
last twenty-three,years was Squandered.
Chandler, when Secretary of the Navy,
had way OF his own FOR spending
money by giving it to his friends,
whether he received percentage or
not. OF course, cannot be aScertained,
but not being fool and being thrifty ii
is easy to presume that he did.
Section 2,7ls OF the Revised Statutes
provides:
SEC. 3,7ls. All provisions, clothing,
hemp and other materials OF every name
and nature for the use OF the navy the
transportation thereof, when time will
permit, shall be furnished by contract
to the lowest bidder aS follows: In
the case Of provisions. clothing, hemp
and other materials, the Secretary Of
the Navy shall advertise once a week
for at least four weeks in one or more
of the principal newspapers published
in the place where such article are to be
| furnished, for sealed proposals for fur
nishng the same or the whole OF
any particular class thereof, speci-
! fying the classes OF materials and
referring bidders to the several chiefs
Of bureaus who will furnish with print
ed schedules giving a full description Of
each aud every article, with dates OF
delivery, and so forth. In the case Of
transportation Of such articles. he shall
advertise for a period Of not less than
five days. All such proposals shall be
kept sealed until the specified day in
such advertisement for opening the
same when they shall be opened by or
under direction OF the officer making
such advertisement. In the presence OF
at least two persons The person offer
ing to furnish any class Of such articles
and giving satisfactory security for the
performance thereof, under forfeiture
not exceeding twice the contract price.
in case of failure, shall receive a con
tract for furnishing the same.
Section 3,72l exemptS from advertise
ment, etc, ordnance, gunpowder, or
medicines, or the supplies which it may
| be necessary to purchase out Of the
| United States for vessels OF foreign sta
tionS. or bunting delivered for the use
OF the navy. or tobacco or butter, or
cheese designed for the Use OF the navy,
or things contraband Of war. etc.
Section 3.722 provides that no person
shall be received a. Il contractor who Is
not manufacturer OF or regular dealer
in the articles which he offers to snp-
ply.
1t will be seen from this that ii is i'm
perative that the Secretary OF the Navy
shall advertise for bidders to furnish
supplies, and that contracts shall be let
to the lowest responsible bidders, and
also that no person shall be received a
a contractor who i not a manufacturer
OF or regular dealer in the articles
which he offers to supply. This pro-
vision was inserted for the purpose Of
shutting out professional contractors.
The manifest intention OF these statutes
was to protect the Government against
the expenditure Of money appropriated
for the navy in jobs given out as per
sonal favor to the personal or political
friends OF the Secretary Of the Navy or
other officers charged by him with the
disbursement OF the money. William
f. Chandler. when Secretary, almost
completely ignored these statutes and
gave the contracts 10 his personal
friends without advertising for bidders.
In the summer OF 1ss3 Chandler. al
though there was large supply Of can
vas on hand, determined, out OF the APP
propriation made by Congress, to pur-
chase sci 900 worth OF canvas for the
use OF the navy. An honest official
would have followed the letter Of the
law by advertising for bidders, and
would have let the contract TO the low
est bidder who was a regular dealer In
the article. Chandler, however made
private contract with a Republican
politician named Charles ii. Raymond,
residing in New York City, to supply
canvas, although Raymond was not a
dealer in canvas, but coal dealer.
Under an order OF Secretary
Thompson, issued in 1875, the
limit Of any single purchase under
what is called certificate Of neces-
sity" was $500. For purchases involv-
ing a larger amount resort must be had
to the ordinary contract system. There
was no necessity for the purchase OF the
Sol 900 worth of canvas, made by
Chandler, but he did not advertise and
did not open the deal to competition.
Several months were consumed in the
delivery OF this sol 900 worth Of canvas,
and the bills were made out in sums OF
, less than $500 each Chandler issued a
} certificate Of necessity" TO accompany
o each OF these $500 bills, and in that way
the law was pvpdpd and the hills passed