The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-25
ELLIS lSLANDEXPENDlTURES.
SECRETARY FOSTER AND CoMP7RoL.
LEk MA77HEUs EXAMINED.

Drawn Out OF the Treasury-Sscretnr,
Poster Conidn't Personally vouch thu
the Work on Ellis ISLAND HAD Been Faith
fully and Economically Done.
WARRINGTON. March 24.-The investigation
into tho expenditures at Ellis Island was in
terfercd with to-day by the deadlock in the
House on the Silver bill. which caused post
poncment Of tho evening session Of tho joint
committee. Secretary Foster and Judge Mat
tlcws. First Comptroller OF the Treasury. were
examined In the morning. and it was Oh the
programme that Assistant Secretary Nettletor
should conclude his testimony at u special
meeting at the Treasury Department this
evening. Tho members Of the House commit.
tee. however. could not attend and so Con
Nettleton escaped temporarily from the severe
cross-eNamination which Senator Chandler
had prepared for him. The Senator will have
n chance to ask his questions at meeting to
DO held on Saturday morning.
The investigators have not yet located the
responsibility for the particular expenditures
| In dispute. but they have located several other
| responsibilities. They have Learned some In
tcrcsting things about how business is con-
| Quoted over Mt tho Treasury Department and
have stumbled on what appears to DO the
loose screw which caused tho $4,000 out
pour on the little island In Now York harbor.
The loose screw was touched by Senator Chan
| dler's pointed questions to Comptroller
Matthews. who was candid and unevasive
| witness.
Senator Chandler asked Judge Matthews to
describe the course OF n money reuuisition
| called for by q building contract for Ellis
| Island. In reply the Comptroller submitted
| an actual transfer paper Of $4,000 mndo to
| MIR. Hendricks. tho New York disbursing
| agent. in July. 1891. 1t was traced from tho
supervising architects Office through the va
rious stages to that in which tho warrant was
signed by himself. the COMPTROLLER.
Did you or did you not pass on the legality
Of that transfer" asked Senator Chandler.
No. sir. did not" was Judge Matthews's
p" Did You ever pass on tho legality OF any OF
tho transfers Of money from the head money
the Get q March $. ls''l'''
troller to see e. TINT no money makes, even a
not svsn i tho seeSstarS Of tho Treasury H has
%" No. it is not tho only function. Ultimately
thH' n is trHc but not true in the light in which
Did You ever pass your official opinion in
writing on tho construction of the act itself -
ary Tr the n e OF Morc |
%ea% ssaid not be Used T IOr Eis isi e
Am Ia I 14a
Foster had never called for an opinion from
the Comptrole:.
to ties but tnas
&! Assistant S"cretary Msttes"n hat been
which some eneseise had been acting Se. re-
starry since he took the oath Of office.
Secretary Window stpstimony and letter to
Congress guaranteeing $23o,O0o as the limit
Nrtt!et"n was. Mr.. Tast never thought i
necessary. he said, to take formal opinion as
'0s ns scnat"r Hs s inquired if the Score
tarys attitude was not that OF being convinced
OF the right 10 usn, the head money and OF the
made and the belief that the Government Ind
got its moneys worth, Secretary Foster as
asked il the work had been faithfully and
economically done. Secretary Foster could not
In answer to Senator Chandler the Secretary
SAID he had not opposed the law creating tho
.oiilce Of super,ntsndent, q lmmisration. A.
In conclusion he testified that he had con:
M Hephnrn that @
last year was loaned for Ellis Island improve
"heai money" and that my OF the head
money for subsequent outlay was at their dis
times referreS To- or by
Secretary Foster but was not specifically ex-
nm,ined by the committee.
has crept intH print that Mr.. owen. the super.
inteno snt of the Immigration Bureau inthls
ASST STINT SECRETARY Ncttieton is receivinE at
the hands OF tho special COMMITTEES. anu that
s fs hat r. Ss
moved, Republican, pnrer IN Baltimore, pro-
s;nmaHly iiena!y t" Gen Sst;!letop this morn-
linus for Gen. Nettetona Recommendation for
surt. OWENS removal. 1t says:
peated clashes OF authority between Mr. owen.
who claims ms that. that, 9s supcrintendent Of immi.
Tentns s tha a sntec a and T Neteton to
whom. ms assistant Secretary. nil these mat
srs s M az
times have gone SO lar that each Of the sentIe,
men has at times aus,S;toned tho veracity Of the
Of The Governnient buildings at Ellis fsiand. in
NsW YORK. H@rh1r has brought on the present
past been subjected to most rigid and: ut
times, very EN- barrassinG line OF Questioning
New Of Who rs IT,"
respectively Of tho House and Senate special
Committees on Immigration The general
pending on tho building ut Ellis Islnnd some
e1e1area BY sNesT "a %naem TSs
Congress appropriated 100000 for tho build;
nut nh nsary ~ out OF
the ,pertinence OF tho leading questions
der GonyiPcSl Mr. NsttIcton TIN. thHt tl.syy
only have been furnished by solno one !
CONNECTED with the department. 1t
is stated that Mr. Nettieton has traced this in
formation haek to Mr.. Owen. the snreriin,sn:
Mr. Owen furnished Mr. stump with tho aues-
tons which have 80 much embarrnssel Mr.
NettlctOn and have reflected so seriously on
the Treasury Department.
ION ascer;aining these facts Mr. Netteton
laid the matter before Secretary Foster and
urged that to preserve the harmony and dis
ciplino of tho department. 1t would be ndvis-
ablr to have another Superintendent Of lmml-
grafton. 1t Is understood that Mr.. Foster will |
net upon these suggestions. and Mr.. Owens |
will be accepted ut no distant day."
PATCHING UP ON ELLIS ISLAND.
Over In tho immigrant landing station on
Ellis Island. for which tho Government paid
more than 100000. workmen arc still tinker
Ing at tho wooden walls and fixing the roof
There arc cracks more than half an inch wide
In tho sides and ceilings Of almost every ROOM
indicating that the ,resinous pine was not
properly scasoned. Tho south cnd OF the wide
around the big building. has sagGed SO much