The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-19
4 CdSE or POSSIBLE INJUSTICE
The Government and the Money II Owes for
Some Gun Lithes.


To THE EptToR OF THE SuS-ciy: In 1887,
Tor nearly year. Secretary Whitney ndvor-
tlsed throughout tho Union inviting bids for
machine tools for tho Washington ordnance
shops. These machines were o! great size,
and nothing like them had ever been con-
structed in this country. Ny firm hal built
largo lathes successfully. and we put in bid
for the smallest tools OF the group. Four other
firms bid uron the entire lot. and the difficult
character OF the work leading them to believe
| that they would havo the field to themselves.
they entered uto mutual understanding be-
fore bidding and put their prices high enough
to yield n round profit to each no matter which
one might secure the award.
Our bid for three lathes was So, 900. the next
lowest being $4,000. n difference OF 40 per
| cent. in our favor
| The Hon. w. {. Whitney was very indignant
| Mt the rool He told me that the machine could
| be purchased abroad for lcas than half tho
pool prices. He rejected all the bids OF the
rool and awarded US the contract for the
three lG-inch hoop lathes very modest por-
| ton OF the whole lot
In the Government specifications under
which We bid one clause read rs follows:
Every reasonable consideration shall be extended to
the contractors in ease OF Rrotlab.c delay the
manufacture and delivery Of the machines described
in these specifications provided 1t shall appear that
the Obligations OF the contract have bee assumed in
good faith AMI that the contractors Prosecuting
the work under the w!th dus diligence in which
case reasonable extension Of the period prescribed
for completion under the contract shall be granted
Secretary Whitney made the clause part OF
| the contract. and. moreover. lie wrote to us
that it was the intention OF the Navy Depart
, meat in this matter of possible delay to be
governed by equitable considerations.
We delivered tho first machine long before
the Government was ready to try it. and two
years before the Navy Department had the
forGinEs for which the machine was intended.
hciEG I'm satisfactory and worthless. The sec.
ond machine was likewise rondemmed BY tho
much wasted time. due almost entirely to the
action OF the department We secured an arbi-
t tirdi,, b. three rromnent engineers passed
mrnhnd thet certain changes be made and tho
having been condemned without trial.
The chi.t Of the hurrau took long time to
after this acceptance he wrote to us tnRt the
Navy department would accept but two lathes
u"g psna o. " ta " osy ' on "g
Pn'"g Mr Nary l0,H Cr1n" supports. Thus wiping
out one-thirh Of our contract before we had
been given chance to show what our lathe
We had to grin and bear this outrage. be-
cause un to that time we had not been able 10
provo that We cou "a do tho work at all.
We must add also. that before granting rs
bureau forced US TO take bnck the first lathe
as utterly worthless and condemned.
yard. 1t was subIecied to the most rigid in
Spection. and 1t was tried for three weeks 1t
nnsSed the i5spscti"I wth9nt an 1}ec,%p
was designed. and has continued TO do SO to
this DAY. This inspection was not made by the
inspector who had condemned my tools.
Tracy had come n. and the Navy Dcnarsm"nt
Hon; iSSr,Hretary. Whitney. The Inspector.
much trouble. had been given a leave OF a ~
senrs. had been ta.on into the employment OF |
the firm which hsd secured the great contract
Why ono Of the largest and most brilliant en-
EinrrrinG firms In the world shouiG need the
whose experience and knowiedge one might
imagine had been chiefly with vessels. leave
When We learned that our machines had Mt |
last been passed. ] called upon secretary |
OF Commodore Foger in spending our money |
dnf W n out 1nstn da1s Of our contract lie
having NO appropriation. and told me |
70 ion e 81, ahead an, hSish ia,he nj =
| had enough fnith in No, /. however to he
sent i; back TO Washington. where ir Was
lIRllly iNSIecIpl anu rHTeIllIly Irleu. III has
BEEN running successfully ever since.
We had on our hands a. the material for No. !
3; and most OF the WORT: also hal been com, |
pAted | repeatedly saw Secretary Tracy and |
tiied to have the injustice rem"dieh, Dut I was
Put on with one excuse and another. Finally |
the department ella lined that thoy were lustr-
fled in their action by our delay in delivery. in |
spite OF the fact that they themselves ware Tho |
the time had been distinctly promised and |
made Eart Of tho contract. and Secretary
Whitney had promised that in this regRr d tho ,
Ianu rtmpDt would no UONprnol by r,,uiin lilo
con siderations. over and above ali this
sy"m wfh rl tn" delay u. or nHshinrs were
incs wore being received for which these tools
Alter nine months advertising hv the Navy
Department wo were the only firm that put in
entitled US to II little special consideration
N place of this our work has hocn cond"mned
by st,ictnre; Is which y anansstonHny we're I'M
WARRANTED IN their severity. While tine COM
plc,ion Of tho contract was delayed. our ~hops
were kent filed with the undclivcrcd, ethre.
drmOralizinE our workman. dam
aging our credit and commercial standing, and
dimini shing, our output.
besides this, tho delay has cost Ms several
thousand dollars in interest alone, On our
faction OF the Government. ana it is tho height
ol ininstire to deprive us Of tho right to NhIsh
Leaving. the injustice md illosality out Of
to brea. this contract is directly
oGEosed 70 tho interest OF the deIartm9nt.
letter that our lathe would be replaced by. ono
purchased elsewhere. this was ne' or dono.
Tho money diverted from our contract Was
spent upon STRENGTHENING crane SunnoTts.
the third machine. u little. old lathe was taken
from the tools OF tho old machine shop. II
was refttcd and mounted on tho costly foun:
latlon which had bc0n prepared for our third
lathe. This machine IL less than one; hal the
capacity and power of our tool and IL is about
twenty years old. II the third lathe Is not
taken from US. one will probably he bought
eventually from some other lrrn at Il much
higher price,
In view OF these facts. whicl, are either ot
record or OF easy proof, we cannot but believe
that has been so outraG eously denied us in the
HENRY BIsssE. OF George A. Oil d Co.