New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-11

be unsafe there can be no doubt that the cgotlsn,
selishness and conceit of Colonel Ainsworth con-
tributed more than anything else in inviting ana
indeed making possible such disaster. Coionei
Ainsworth is man Of extraordinary abilities, ana
there can lie adverse criticism OF his
record, either surgeon or as an officer Ills
merits have been cOEspcuOusly acknowledged by
President Harrison in one of the recent annual
messages TO Congress, and by his immediate
SUPERIOR Secretery of War Proctor. in more than
one report.
COLONEL AINswORTH's RECORD.
From "a bureau the work of which seemed
hopele ssly behind he lifted the records and pen
sion division within the comparatively SNORT
time of two years into a condition where ~ conli
boast of being able 10 answer every question ad-
dressed TO it in less than twenty-four hours
after recent of the inquiry. He did more than
this; he copied in that time, or at least maze
abstracts of. all the original records OH file in
the War Department, thereby saving those perish
able but valuable documents which through
frequent and careless handling were in danger
either of being damaged beyond the hope OF
further use TO the Government and applicants Tor
pensions or of being lost altogether. But here
the merit OF his work stops The penalty he
paid, or rather the penalty paid by the employees
under him, has been a matter OF qIlci comment
in Washington for some years. lie drove HIS
force-no other term seems adequate 10 eAprcSs
the policy pursued by him-hc drove his i'r'e
az rate which compelled many OF the Ola 'V'-
Grams employed in the work either to quit IL OF u
succumb under the strain. Without the employ
ment of an extra force the clerks were Kept al
work for months until late into the night. Ooni-
plaints, remonstranccs, protests aValleo NIUE
Possessed of indomitable energy himself am Al
the enjoyment of an iron constitution Ooiohei
Ainsworth imagined that everybody ei,e "iouh"
him shared in these same fortunate quaii'ies' nc
is said to have been hard taskmatter, beyond
pity or compassion
PROMOTION WAS HIS REWARD.
The result of all this was of course hlghiy
creditable to himself Creditable at least it APP
peared in the reports he was able TO make 10 'ic
Secretary of War OF the clerks no one venture'
70 think Veterans deserving of the utmost con-
sideration were dropped from the rolls as incom-
petent. Complaints were checked by threats anu
intimidation. No one dared 10 grumble for fear
Of losing the bread and butter which a generous
Government dispensed through Colonel Alns"orth
The reward came at last TO that officer in the shape
of promotion over the heads of a score or more
of his seniors md the investment by Congress OF
the Office he held with increased power ana I'M
portance.
The interview with Colonel Ainsworth already
referred TO is extraordinary in respects than
one The object" he says (of digging and tun-
pelling the cellar was TO secure light ana air.
Colonel Ainsworth admits frankly that he Is ho'
an architect or engineer. but 1t does not seem 10
require to be either to question the wisdom oil Sc
curing flight and air" by means of subterran'ah
digging. The work has been gong on Tor ABOUT
Elk weeks or more-and during the excavation
,is is on
traordinary statement in view of the fact that he
must have passed at least several times dai" the
space on the first floor roped of and marked Dan
cerous, to prevent clerks from passing over It,
Bids were advertised for, and ten or twelve con-
tractors submitted proposals for doing the work,
each guaranteeing to do it without disturbing the
building in any way" The investigation so far
has shown that the walls We're tempered with by
the contractor and ii was plainly the duty oil
Cclone, Answorth TO watch him and see that lie
did not do il, the he evidently thought
il wise TO rope of space on the 1Irst noor Ill
rectly over the spot where the excavation wa,
being made. The building had never been con-
demned, 10 my knowledge, and, 50 far as knew,
il was considered perfectly safe This Is stl'c-
mert more extraordinary still than any cite so far
1t implies ignorance on the part OF Colonci
Ainsworth which no one in the District-man,
Washington. would for a single minute lay claim
TO- much less plead in excuse of the criminal
negligence he was guilty of.
WHY THE MUSEUM WAS REMOVED.
Then again it must be remembered that Colo
mel Ainsworth is. and has been for years, an
army surgeon Can it be possible that as such he
wishes the public to believe that he was -
norant of the Arguments which induced Con,
2ress TO move the contents OF the Ar-y Medicai
M,isPum
the building where the disaster occurred ycst"f-
day into new and more comlnodious bulmlng
Does he desire to impose upon crPduluOus
public still further by pretending ignorance OF
the fact that the discussions in Congress clearly
set forth that the building. 10 use the words
Of Congressman StOcksiaGer, OF Indiana, was a
mere Undertook" in an absolutely dangerous con
ditiOn": that the east wall is more than twelve
inches out of plumb ?? etc Can IT De possible
that he wishes 10 father the mOnstr0us propo-
siton. he does. by implication IN this re-
markable interview. that the building. thougl,
considered unsafe by Congress .cr the storage
of books and bones, was good enough 10 carry
the WEIGHT of more than 800 living human
beings Credulous. indeed and patient beyond
conception. must Colonel Answorth believe tn"
To ss"RR s' of tins city ana the country large
Many people have been ready TO acknowledge
ths merits of Colonel Ainswnrth rs an officer of
remarkable executive ability, and lSe Tribune
has echoed their sentiments more than once, but
it is just barely possible that IN the endeavor
FOR keeping ND the record of his Office for prompt
nces in the dispatch of business he went one step
too far and crossed the danger line. The respOn-
sbility must remain his whatever the motives
which made il possible for him 10 remain lndii-
fercnt to the muttering of his clerks. Other
bureau chiefs under like conditions acted DIFF
ferently. Ii is not many weeks ago that the
floors in the Office of the Sixth Auditor required
strengthening That official, while the work was
being carried on. furoughed his clerks. Coull
not Colonel Ainsworth have done the SANE
at is all a mystery to me- he Is again re-.
ported to-day rs saving. Yes, mystery IL Will
probably always remain except in the minds OF
those who worked in that death trap Even II
a hundred courts of inquiry were called together
they could not fathom the mystery: court OF
INQUIRY never does fathom mysteries 1t some,
times condemns il more frequently acHulte, ana
in no single instance has il been known to ad-
lust the punishment TO the crime.
TALES OF HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES.