The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-19
DEFENSE TO HAVE A TURN.
COL. BARR RESTS THE CASE OF
THE PROSECUTION.


Points Observation-Disclosures OF
Chokers Used by A. J. TwiEgs and
by the Atlantic Contracting Com
pany-Witnesses for the Defense TO
Go on the stand Monday Morning.
Col. Thomas F. Barr. Judge Advocate.
announced at the conclusion of yesterday s
proceedings in the Carter court martial
that the prosecution would rest.
This Is the stage In the proceedings
which the defense has been long awaiting.
The prosecution began its work on Jan. II.
and with yesterday had consumed nine
weeks and three days. 1t had been ex-
pected by the defense that the prosecution
would not conclude until to-day, and for
that reason the defense will not be ready
to proceed until Monday at 10 o'clock 1t
is expected that it will take about three
| weeks to present its side of the case,
though it is possible, in view of the mass
of testimony presented by the prosecution,
it may take longer.s
| There were only two important witnesses
before the court yesterday. Capt w. NJ
| Black, commissioner of the District of Co.
| at st. Augustine, and Capt II. " Abbott
engineer corps, stationed at st. Paul, but
| formerly al Charleston S. c. Both of these
| officers were members of the board of en-
| gineers which, in 1895, disapproved the
! project then presented for the improve
ment of Cumberland sound. Their testi-
mony related almost wholly to that work
| All Of
Carriers methods in doing the work. Two
other witnesses were introduced to testify
with regard to forms of chokers used on
the fascines, and the court adjourned until
10 o'clock Monday morning
| Capt. ". NJ. Black, engineer corps, now
| stationed a Washington as commissioner
| of the District of Columbia, was asked by
| Col. Barr as to his experience in construct
| ing Jetties on sandy coast. He had
| been stationed for some time at ST. Au-
| gustine, in charge of the work, and had
| been upon several engineer boards. He
mentioned particularly the board which
passed upon the Cumberland sound project
In 1885, of which he was a member. That
| board, he said, had contemplated the use
| OF only one mattress layer, instead of
mattresses of several thicknesses. The
board did not consider the question of a
stone Jetty with mattress hearting.
capt. Black gave a technical explana-
ton of the value of the different styles
of jetties in Cumberland sound, and COM
| pared them with those at the mouth Of
| the st. Johns river, where light brush
| mattresses were first used
The specifications for work at Cumber-
land sound was handed the witness. and he
was asked what in his opinion would be a
| falr price for mattresses of the second de-
nc fl.a1 A T..N
| cost or such mattresses was kept at St
| Augustine and at the mouth of the St.
| johns river, Capt. Black said, and it was
| found that the cost was about 60 cents a
square yard in place. 1t was considered
that rs cents therefore, was a fair price
for the contractor allowing him a profit
and sufficient TO cover insurance on plant.
If you had to bid on that work with
| the three types of mattresses to be bid on
at one price, how would you do it?'' Col.
Barr asked
Il should bid with a view to getting a
| profit on the most expensive type" was the
reply.
| Would it have made any difference if
the officer i'm charge had told you what
| would be desred?" was asked.
| II would have taken his word for II.
| was the prompt reply.
Capt. Black did not believe In the seven
| and eight-course mattresses. He consid-
cred them of little or no value. He thought
10 cents cubic yard would be a fair price
for dredging in Cumberland sound under
| the conditions stated.
Capt. Black did not think from the draw
| ing presented of the Cumberland sound
jetties, that there had been any subsistence
of the mattresses. He had never had
any such subsistence with brush mattresses
at St. Augustine or in the mouth of the st.
Johns river
Capt. Black, when questioned by Mr..
Blair, explained why II was log mattresses
would subside on an ocean bar. He had
never seen military fascine used in river
ana harbor work There was a marked
difference, he said. between the military
| fascine and the brush fascine. He had
heard of the subsistence of the brush mat
tress jetties at Galveston. He had had
trouble with subsistence in the ST. John s
prior to 1889, after which he had taken up
the use of the brush mattress. The seven
course mattress he did not consider of
much value, but in building a jetty any
brush and stone are of value
Barring your antipathy to the thickness
of the brush mattresses used, what would
you think of such mattress for use in con-
structing jetties?" Mr.. Blair asked.
Il cannot bar my antipathy," was the
reply. such mattresses Will not stay in
the work.
Mr.. Blair. 1.-THE man is a bold man who
says such a thing is impossible"
"Of course, nothing is impossible" Capt
Black said "Butin my opinion such mat
tresses would not stay in the work"
Mattresses built according to the spec
ifcations for the second class for use in
Cumberland sound" Capt. Black said.
would cost about 90 cents square yard.
Such mattresses in tiers of six or eight. /
have computed to be about 46.S cents. Mat
tresses of the third design would cost
about 10 per cent. less"
Capt Black said ne had not taken into
Il consideration in his estimate the matter
of interest on the original cost of plant. He
did not remember whether the financial
situation had been taken into considera-
ton by the Cumberland sound board OF
not. The board had estimated that 81 Der
square yard would be good price for
brush mattresses at Cumberland sound.
Captain, | show you blue print of the
tracing that went with the report of the
board Now there's the jetty work and
there's the position of the proposed new
work" Mr.. Blair said.
mo no. remarked Cant Rlaclx ot,fcly