The times., 1897-04-20
CRAMPS SWEEPING DENIAL
No OYereharge for Repairs to
the Cruiser Brooklyn.
BILL NOT YET PRESENTED
Vice President OF the Company Tells
How the Work Was Awarded and
Done-NO Estimate of the Cost by
Department Officials Actual Cost
of Repairs Charged For.

Philadelphia. April 19.-Despite all re-
ports to the contrary, Secretary of the
Navy Long has received no bill of 81 IS, 200
from the Cramp Shipbmiding Company for
repairing the cruiser Brooklyn. Further
more, the Navy Department has not re-
cciyed any bill 1t all from the Cramps, ami
is not likely To for some little time. When
that document goes to Washington it
will not foot up 81 38 900, nor anythinGlike
that figure, so all talk observation-disclosures
Is entirely without foundation.
Henry w. CTamp, vice president OF
the Cramp Company, made the foregoing
statement yesterday, when his dtten-
ton was called 10 a report of the sub
mission OF an enormous bill. which was
said To have 50 completely astOnShed Sec
retary Long that he had notrecovered sur
ficicntly to give the mctter careful con-
sideratiou.
1t was set forth in the report that tbs.
estimated cost of the repairs, by the Navy
Department, was $4,000 or $4,000, and
that upon his basis the vessel was turned
over to the Cramps. Furthermore. il was
alleged that George W. Melville, Chief OF
the Bureau OF Steam Engineering. and other
department chiefs urged that the work be
given out by contract insteadof being given
10 the Cramps upon the terms they sag
gested. 1t was intimated that the bill will
not be paid without vigorous protest, tut
that Secretary Long has really no alternd-
tive except TO pay it, since the work was
given out by his predecessor, Secretary
Herbert.
In all this screed," said Henry W
Cramp, there are just two truths, the
work was awarded to US on our own prop6-
sitlUn. and the Government will pay TIE
bill Everything else S false entirely, anG
| cannot conceive why such q story should
be circulated unless in spirit OF malice,
though from Just what source we are en-
tIrely ignorant
"Of course, we built the Brooklyn.
She was a success, ami when she un
fortunately ran against Schooner Ledge,
and was badly damaged, we made an
offer To repair her, expressing our will
inguess to do the work absolutely al
cost The Navy Department was in
j bad nx, the ship was torn badly, and
not in q fit condition to remove TO an
other port or shipyard. The League
Island force could not do the work, since
they had lot the appliances, and Secre
tary Herbert, without hesitation, tele-
era rlied US To take charge of the ship a,
our own
We did so, and I do not believe that
any official suggested that the work be
let by contract. If they did, it was 10
protect us, for in case OF contract being
desired, we must have gotten the work,
and could have charged what we pleased
We went az the Job with all the force that
could be put to work, ard are now COM
pleting il. but rs yet no thought of a bill
has occupied our minds.
s.Government officers Inspected the
woTF constantly. and each week we sub
nitted carefully prepared statement
to the department, giving the exact cost
of all materials used, and the amount and
price Of the labor. These statements
the Navy Department now have. and
while l cannot give the total off hand
will say that it is nowhere near S13S, ,0o0,
nor Will it he at the finish
''An talk Of an estimated cost OF the
work at 50 .OoO or S10,0OO il prepOster-
Gus No estimate was ever made and none
could be made until the broken bottom
was pretty well ripped ont Of the vessei
and the damage done beneath thorough
" examined 1t was an ugly job all
the way through and a costly one, bus
the Government viii not pay us one cent
over the actual cost of the work, and
as the officials have all figures we could
not submit an exorhitant bill II we
wanted to-