The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-07
GIN. CRAIGHILL'S TESTIMONY.
I'm SAVANNAH HARBeR is A Sue
cr,ssFUL ENGINEERING WORK.


.,;red to Answer Hypothetical
o,estions-Preside schermer-
horn of the American Dredging
10 Gives some Important TestimO-
MARC About Mattresses and
CbOlScrs.
c.n william P. ~Craighill, an officer of
.,,o engineer corps, occupied the stand be-
s-r. fine Garter court martial yesterday,
I'D for an hour or more gave some inter-
sting testimony. An interesting char
.otsristic of his testimony was his refusal
ali cases to answer Hypothetical ques
.fors He began his refusal on the direct
termination and continued it throughout.
cant Goethals of the engineer corps
ms the first witness. He simply gave
nttI. testimony with reference to the Hirt
,oonev. now famous feature in the case.
7, was with Capt. Goethals that Capt.
carrier had some correspondence with re-
,,rd 10 the S1S210. Capt. GOethals stated
to cant. Carter that the money could not
no turned into the treasury and then used
- Connection with work in this district.
cen Craighill was then sworn, He was
formerly chief of engineers, but has since
retired He has been in the corps of en-
cheers for forty-five years AS to adver-
tisina for bids. he said he usually adver-
Used thirty days, but sometimes less, de-
rending on the circumstances. He gave
the dates between 1893 and 1887 when as
chief of engineers he came to this district
10 INSPECT the work going on. He gave it
as his opinion that the specifications au-
tborized the engineer officer in charge to
make multiple mattresses A hypotheti-
cal question was put to him and he refused
10 answer 1t,
Gen. CraighiI was asked what was his
oniniou as to the results of Capt. Carter's
work, especially in the case of Savannah
harbor.
Il think it is one of the most successful
engineering operations of which / have
any knowledge either in this country, or
in any other" was his reply.
Cen Craighill said he considered the
cost of the work entirely reasonable, and
all the credit for its success was due, he
stated, to Capt. Carter. He said he had
been acquainted with the Savannah river
for many years. His first duty was in con-
nection with it when he left West Point,
in 1858, so that his recollection of it, he
said extended further back than that of
anyone present The depth at low water
many years ago, he said was perhaps nine
[,
increased to twenty-five feet and after
wards to twenty-six feet at mean high wa
ter Gen. Craighll was then asked his
impressions Of Capt. Garter and his meth
DDS.
MY impressions of Capt Carter" he
said. were that he was a man of unusual
ability, of great devotion TO his work,
very ambitious man who took great deal
of interest in his work, very enthusiastic
If a nj
other works for the purpose of carrying
on efficiently his own. He had my entire
confidence in every particular"
Cen Craighiu was questioned on many
details of the case by the Judge Advo-
cate. When asked whether he would
have advertised only twenty-four days
on a $3,90O,O0O contract, he said it would
have depended entirely upon the circum-
stances. There were a number of big
contracts on hand at that time, he said.
If he had known that mattresses were
built a short time before that for 81 cents
he might have made the bids afterward a
subject for consideration. The mattress
he inspected at Fernandina was a good
one. He walked over it and found it all
right. Necessarily a great deal of conf
dence had to be placed in an engineering
Office, he said. Many considerations enter
INTO the performance of a contract and
great deal of discretion must be given
to the officer in charge. When asked If
he thought that the same kind of work
would have answered in Cumberland
sound as in Winyaw Bay, the conditions
being the same, he said, THAT is a
hypothetical case, and l must decline to
answer"
Materials had to be changed frequently,
he said. He had made changes in them
himself. The conditions were SO numer-
Gus that this was necessary. Capt. Gill
Iette was suggesting many of the ques-
tons asked by Col. Barr.
why not let Capt. Gillette ask the ques-
tons himself?'' said Gen. Craighill. 81
would greatly prefer it."
lt appears that Gen. Craighill did not
Know it was necessary that the questions
should be asked by the Judge Advocate
ne declined to enter extensively into a
discussion of the mattress hearting ques-
uon at Cumberland sound on the
ground that it was a hypothetical case
lie did not consider dredging one of the
important factors in getting depth in the
savannah river. When asked what he
understood by the phrase well trimmed
he said
Wen trimmed means well trimmed in
accordance with the purpose for which
the material is to be used. Permit me to
ask you what you understand by it colo
--1''N DCSli Oh tiliS case tuTSe IIlOHlilS,
Coi' Barr replied, land 1 have not found
out yet"
Gen Craighill was given by Mr.. Blail
capt Carriers explanation as to the fam
Gus phrase mattress hearting'' relating t
the Cumberland sound work, in his re
ports.
must decline again to answer hypo
Weueal questions. If the explanation were
satisfactory I would be satisfied" wa!
Neu' Craighills reply.
Mr Louis Y. Schermerhorn of Philadel
Ihia' president of the American Dredging
company, the largest dredging company
n me country, testified he was also a civi
engineer and had served under several en-
sHeer officers. He testified as to Office
methods, saying advertisements for thirty
udys were not of any advantage to thu
government. Contra tors always watched
we acts of Congress, he said, and gener
any knew in advance what work was {
MI Schermerhorn was in Savannah
"uen the bids on the big contract of 1879
we're opened. lie put in a bid for tn
dredging. His bid was entirely an inde
pendent ono and ba lxnevv nothing what