The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-10
THE HISTORY OF HIS CAREER.
CAPT. CARTER DISCUSSES HIS OFF,
CIAL AND PRIVATE LIFE.

plains Matters in His Private Life
which We're Brought Up by the
Prosecution-AImOst Every Fea-
ture of the Case Gone OVer-Told
of Chief Clerk Sterly.
Cant. Carter entered into a minute and
detailed explanation before the court mar
tial yesterday of those letters which have
passed between himself and Capt. b. D.
Greene. which have been put In evidence
against him He was also questioned by
Mr.. Blair with regard to other features
of his life which have been brought be
fore the court. and spoke freely and fully
on every point.
The court room was crowded, all avail
able standing room being seized. Ladies
were seated in every corner of the court
room, deeply Interested in the proceedings,
listening intently to every word from the
witness, who spoke rapidly in answer to
the questions of his attorney, but was
nevertheless clear in his enunciation, ana
careful In his explanations.
Can't. Carter was first questioned about
his evidence in the case of Brown against
the Atlantic Contracting Company In the
City Court. This was a suit by Brown
on a stone contract, some of the material
having been rejected
Capt Carter said he was summoned only
to testify generally, and not as to any
details of the case itself. He stated what
the regulations were with regard to stone
going into the work, and gave his views
as to a certain lot of stone which the
plaintiff Brown, had asked him to in
spect stating the percentage of stone that
did not fulfill the requirements. His testi-
mony, he said, was wholly general, ana
he had nothing whatever to do with the
quarrel between Brown and the contrac-
tors.
Capt. Carter identified a number of pho
tographs of different portions of the work
In Savannah harbor. Cumberland sound,
and In the Savannah river near Augusta.
Among these were photographs showing
the method of construction of multiple
mattresses, the iron needle with which the
wiring is done, mattresses on barges and
in tow crests of some of the training walls
and many other features. These photo
graphs Capt Carter had in an album, but
said the negatives of all OF them were in
NnG engineer OLlCes anu from tii@Ah NOPASS
could be secured. Copies of all of these
photographs were put in evidence, and
they were handed to the court for inspec-
ton
One of the photographs showed the cav
Ing bank just above the crosstides DAM
which Capt. Carter said was undoubtedly
one of the main sources of the material
deposited in the river just at the head of
the improvements, which Capt Gillette
had testified was being brought down the
river and deposited there. The water sorts
the material deDositing the heavier por-
tons in the upper part of the stream.
THE question has been raised" Mr..
Blair said, that you did not specify that
you would use the multiple mattresses in
the work, and that the contractors did
not know that they would be used Why
did you not do sop
There were several reasons" Capt. Car
ter said I'm the first place 1 did not
want TO give any one contractor advantage
over the other, and 1 wanted to retain
the right to use the single mattress when
ever it might be found necessary. The
Atlantic Contracting Company wanted me
to specify the multiple mattress under
the 1896 contract, but that company had q
patent on a method of launching such
mattresses, and l declined to do it, be-
heving it would put others at a disad-
vantage"
specifications he usually took an old copy
of specifications for similar work and re-
modelled 1t to suit the new work and new
conditions. Often very few changes were
made
Capt Carter explained the method Of
opening bids, telling how the different con-
tractors were usually in waiting about /.
O'clock noon in his outer office, watching
each other and holding off until the las
moment and sometimes rushing out ant
back again, and putting bid into an en-
velope, and handing it in while the clocl
was striking. He always recommended
the acceptance of the lowest bid, unless
the prices were unreasonable. There wa
no possible way, Capt. Carter said, of tn
engineer officer knowing anything abou
the bids TO be opened, nor could he Ii
any way control them, as he had to opel
them all in the presence of the ccntrac
tors and bidders.
1t is impossible, he said for an offic
man to estimate the cost of a work, be
cause there are SO many details in tn
actual construction In the field which a.
Office man does not take into account.
Capt. Carter gave an explanation of tn
crosstides dam which threw the flow Q
water almost wholly into the south river
and aided in securing out the channel TIL
multiple mattress was first used there. ]
1t had not been for the multiple mattresse!
have completed the Savannah harbor cor
tract within the appropriation on accour
of the rapid subsistence of the jetties
some parts of the river. 1t was this tina
led him to use il, and by using it he coul
get the entire hight desired almost at onc
and with much less stone than would /
required If single mattresses were used.
When did you first meet Capt. Greene?
MIR. Blair asked
II met him in Charleston in 1884 II
was with Capt Baylay," was the reply
How well did you become acquante
with him?"
quite intimately. He was member ,
my corps, very able man, and a ma
familiar with much of the literature COZ
nected with these engineering matters
was at that time seeking information, IN
talked to anyone from whom / could gait
er 1t. He first laid out the system of spi
dams in Savannah harbor, before can
here. We differed on the Savannah ha
Dor work, but were in accord on The in
provements at Charleston"
Mr.. Blair took UP the letter signed "a
d. G." and beginning Dear Carter