Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-06-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.

PROM our Regular Correspondent
wAsHINoroS,J June 20, ls93.-Unole
Sam 10 having n wrestle with local
combine, which though comparatively
small 10 worked upon tae same princi'
pies that govern the big trusts through
out the country, and the result may
be Interesting 10 the entire country.
The government departments use four
or i've million pounds Of ice every
season, and the furnishing OF II IL
given out by contract 10 the lowest
bidder. This year tho ave or Fix local
ice companies formed n combine and
raised the price OF Toe to private con-
sumsra, and when the bids for furnish.
ing the government were opened II
was discovered that they proposed
making Uncle Sam pay about double
last years price for his ice. The bids
were all thrown out and a new adj
vertisement for bids published. A
Philadelphia company made bid
at a reasonable figure, but before
II was accepted withdrew It,
because II hsd been notified
that the local combine had taken steps
whiuh would prevent its being able TO
get vessel loaded with Ice t0wed up
the Potomac river to Washington. SO
the matter now stands. The present
contract expires the FIRST OF July. II
has been suggested that tho govern.
ment use one Of its own tugs TO tow
vessels loaded with Ice for this depart
ments nj Washington, but nothing has
yet been determined upon. The local
combine IL confident that the govern.
ment viii have 10 get its Ice from them
and TO pay their price. II such Il the
outcome II will demonstrate the weak.
ness Of the government In dealing with
n combine IA a manner that will not
be lost upon other combines.
No verdict ever given by Wash
ington coroner's Jury gave more gene.
raj satisfaction than that which found
Colonel Fred q. Ainswotth, u. \. A.,
Contractor DAnL Supt. Covert and
Engineer SARso guilty Of criminal
neglect and consequently OF man.
slaughter In causing the death OF
twenty-three men In Ford's old Thea.
$4,000 each, and their cases have gone
10 the grand jury, which IL now In
session. II true bills are found against
them they cannot be tried until the fall
term OF the criminal court. The army
court Of inquiry appointed by Secretary
Lamont will not begin Its work until
the grand jury shall have disposed OF
Colonel Aineworth'e case. Whatever
may be the rceult OF the action OF the
grand Jury Colonel Ainsworth will
retain his rank in the army and con-
tinue TO draw his salary until tried by
n courtmartial and dropped from the
army. The President can suspend
him from his position m chief OF the
records and pension division, and will
probably do 80 n the grand Jury brings
in true bill Of manslaug nter-mRny
think that he should have done no A.
soon Rs the verdict Of the coronsris
Jury was rendered-but he cannot de-
prive him OF his rank In the army; only
couTtmaftial eau do that.
The death OF Senator stanford was n
great shock TO his warm personal
friends la Washington, although they
knew that his health was bad. Mr..
stanford was hardly n statesman, but
no was something raTer anu better-A
rich man whose heart and pOcketbook
were always open &c his fellow man
who had heen less successful.
Tue presence Of delegation of
Louisiana sugar planters, headed by
two democratic Congressman, in