Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-20
CLAIM LONG DUE.
W. S. Grant of Gardiner Has
Claim of Nearly $4,000
Now Pending Before Congress for
Losses Incurred During War.
Matter Being Presented to War Claim Com.
mttee by Hon. H. N. Heath.

Washington, Feb. 19.-Hon. III. NJ.
Heath of Augusta, Ne. is here as counsel
for William 5. Grant of Gardiner. Me.
who seeks to recover nearly S7S, 900 from
the government for losses incurred during
the war. The case is now being argued
before the Senate committee on war
claims. Monday, Mr.. Heath was given a
long hearing before subcommittee.
This case has been in existence for over
30 years, but the matter was put off from
Congress to Congress, after he had ex
pended many thousands of dollars in
fighting it.
In 1859, Mr.. Grant one of the members
Of an oldtime shipbuIlding concern at
Gardiner, entered in the employ of the
government, contracting and supplying.
His first contracts were in Utah, but in
March, 1860, together with one r. W.
Taliafcro, who afterward assigned all In
terests, Mr.. Grant took a contract to
supply for period of two years all that
might be needed in the commissary or
quartermaster's department at all the
military posts in Arizona.
Through delay in inspecting the
goods in accordance with law passed BY
Congress, the articles did not reach their
destination until Jan. 10, 1861. That de-
lay was dangerous: for about that time
the Rebellion broke out, the wagons, sup
plies, etc, were captured by the Confed-
crates. Mr. Grant sought redress through
the court of claims in 1863, but the cause
WAS not deemed sufficient to reimburse
him.
The contract between Mr. Grant and
Horace Randall acting assistant of com
mlssary, was entered into in September
1860, Mr.. Grant giving bonds for the
faithful performance of the contracts.
He then invested all of his own capital
and arranged with a responsible Boston
firm for ample credit and moved to the
territory of Arizona and located at Tuscon
to superinteId the execution of the con-
tracts.
This affair was not the only way in
which he lost money while in the govern
ment employ In Arizona, in 1860, Mr.
5rant erected a flour mill, at "a cost Of
$50, 600. When the government troops
abandoned the territory in 1861, they
burned the mill so that 1t might not fall
into the hands of the Confederates He
lost also by the sudden abandonment of
the territory. through having supplies
already purchased but which could not he
delivered.
The report of the house committee on
war claims after rehearsing the incidents
in the case substantially as has been stated
then says:
Mr.. Grant now comes and appeals to
Congress to grant him the relief which
the equities in his case shall show. In
good faith in 1860, when there was no
war cloud in the political heavens. when
" ba- TN ho
land, Mr.. Grant entered upon the dis
charge of il contract he had made with
the United States. He possessed in 1850
in bis own right, not less than S125, 00O
Before the following year had half
BASED, he had not only lost his large pro-
perty but he had incurred debts which he
has ever since laborcd in vain to pay His
losses on April 30, 1861, financially ruined
him. He has been unable to recover from
that ruin and now, an old man and wholly
without means. he asks Congress to make
a full examination of all the conditions Of
his case and do MIN justice.
He contends, and we think justly, that
the government should suffer with him,
in part, at least, the losses which he sus-
tanned by the capture of the trains IN
Texas April 20, 1861
The bill, which received favorable re-
port from the committee, ut the last ses-
sion of Congress, originally carried with
it s139, 455.li The committee in the re-
port cut this down to ST., 9S9 3S, and it
Is the hope of recovering this amount that
Mr.. Grant is making an attempt to get
the Senate to act favorably upon the report
made ut the last session