The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-28
THE CARNEGIE WORKS


naval committee asked for the naval
officers eonversant with the affairs OF
THE CARNEGIE WORKS
and the Bethlehem works, two officers
had appeared who were supposed to
represent the government But, be-
hold, said Mr.. Chandler, it turned out
| that the two officers were on the re-
tired list and were in the service of
! the Carnegie works and the Bethlehem
works.
Mr.. Bacon Dem) of Georgia said the
| two officers who appeared before the
naval committee declined to give in
formation las to the cost of armor
plate, as it would be antagonistic to
their service to the Carnegie and Beth
| lehem works. He insisted that 1T was
an evil SO to circumstance naval
officer that his services could not be
| given to the government.
Not while he is receiving pay from
the government interjected Mr.. Till
man Dem.) of South Carolina, who
was an interested listener to the de-
bate.
81 agree with you in that" said Mr..
Gray
Then we are going to bring you
around all right said Mr.. Tillman,
lightly. He said it was neither decent
NOR IN GOOD TASTE
for these officers to serve those in
terested in robbing the government.
1t was now proposed by the naval bill
that all material used on battleships
be of American manufacture. While
in full sympathy for every encourage
ment of American interests, yet the
senator said he did not believe in hav-
ing this sentiment used to further en-
rich a lot of millionaires The armor
manufacturers were charging 5000 per
ton for armor used by the United
States, and at the same time furnish
ing armor to Russia at $500 per ton.
II ann unwilling to see these million
aires grow richer by thruSting their
hands in the pockets of Uncle Sam,
declared Mr.. Tillman.
Mr.. Hale pointed out that the bureau
officer who took part in making con-
tracts for ar1nor was able to look
ahead to the time the officer would be
ON the retired list and might enter inl.o
the service of the contractors.
IN answer to a question, Mr.. Hale
said the experts before the naval COM
mlttee had shown that the cost of pro-
duction for armor was $3.50 per ton.
Mr. German called attention to the
grave suggestions of irregularity some
time ago, resulting in an investigation
by the naval committee involving
THE COST OF ARMOR.
The committee report ought to be at
hand to permit intelligent consideration
of these proposed appropriat atoms for
ar4nor.
Mr. German asked If the committee
had not succeeded in developing more
than the minor improperly as to the
retired officers serving contractors.
Mr. Chandler responded that this
was by no means all that the commit
tee had examined into. He would say.
however, that no imputation against
any high official of the government was
involved. There had been some disclcs-
ure as to the interest of naval officers
in patents used by the government and
the propriety of this interest was now
under consideration.
The largest question, however, to
which the committee had given its at
tention was the price of armor Dates.
Mr. German went on to show the man
ner which
THE ARMoR, CONTRACTS
had been placed in the United States,
Secretary Tracey had sought the
American manufacturers and had in
QuceQ them 10 put Ill plciitS CdPdD1S
of turning out armor and as a, result
these American works were developed,
capable of furnishing armor equal to
any made. AS a means of entering
foreign markets armor had been Of
fered to Russia ait less than it's cost I'M
It'll large foreign contracts were secured.
1t gave prospect that we would
be able to compete with England in
sending steel blooms abroad.
Mr. TIlman interjected the remark
that when armor concerns claimed
they were furnishing armor to Russia
at a, loss he would not believe them. 1t
had been developed in the committee
investigation that the original design
was to pay sufficient for armor to pay
for putting in the armor plants. This
had been done and in this way the gov
eminent had practically established the
Bethlehem works although the con-
tractors owned it and were interested
in getting the highest possible rates
for armor
After further debate the bill was
laid aside, and at 5:15 p. m. the senate
adjourned.