New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-01
WASTING PUBLIC MONEY.
BLUNDERs IN STAFF BUREAUS OF ARMY
PROVE COSTLY.

4
METHODS OF OFFICERS IN CHARGE
OF IMPROVEMENTS THE AN.
TIETAM COMMISSION.
/ fBr TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUyE.l
Washington. April 30.-Occaslonally somethino
happens to shake public confidence In the in
fallihility Of the man In a staff bureau Of the
| Army as an administrator OF miscellaneous Ma
| tional concerns When discharging functions
foreign to the military rofesson, his blunders
are numerous and sometimes very costly. But
they are generally kept from public observation
by the enforced official reticence" peculiar to
the War Department. or. IL incidentally uncov-
cred. pass unnoted in the vast sea Of Govern
mental affairs. The administrative shortcom-
ings of these men probably fall under the cate
+ CORY Of secrets" OF which General Eagan ssid
+; that 1t was criminal to "purloin" them from
the Government. One Of these secrets. now
twelve years DID, was indiscreetly revealed BY
q local item in a New-York newspaper the other
day under the heading. White Elephant That
Has Cost the Government $1,000 Year In Rent
Since 1887. from which 1t appeared that when
the Harlem River improvements were under
way In 1887. some 235.0O0 cubic feet Of limo
| stone. locally known as Westchester marble, was
excavated. The officer in charge of the work
stored this rock leased ground at Dyckman's
! Meadows, near Spuyten Duyv. presumptivey
! on the expectation that the Government would
itself have for the material In some Of it,
! future operations, or, at all events, be able to
sell 1t. For the twelve years at $1,000 year
this rock has cost the Government In the item OF
} ground rental alone $24 900.
The War Department had no use for this
Westchester marble at the time II was stored"
nor has 1t since been able TO utilize II. II was
mere business guess the part OF the ofncer
that 1t might have commercial valLe or be
made available That guess OF Army
officer inexperienced In commercial affairs. cost
to the United States $4,000. In 1899 the stone
was advertised for sale. but there were bid
ders for the marble" In 1890 firm offered 10
haul away part of 1t as a gift. but eventually
defaulted upon its contract.
PLANS FOR STONE REMOVAL.
Now, after the lapse Of twelve years the Wa&
Department is making desperate effort to re-
lieve itself of this costly burden The recent
Congress made an appropriation TO pay for its
removal Major II. NJ. Adams. the engineer of
ficer at present In charge Of the Harlem River
improvements made this statement about the
matter: -
I'VE are going to get rid Of the stone at ONCE:
sell 1t II possible; IL not, give 1t away. or, as
a last resort pay to have II removed" Under
this cautious announcement OF the Governments
ultimatum. it is hardly likely TO have many
offers from cash purchasers. or. indeed. from
those who would accept 1t as a gift. Customers
will, Of course. prefer to have the Government
not only give it to them. but they will insist
on having the marble delivered T. o. b. But
the Government will be saving money to do even
this to be rid of this vast pile OF westchester
limestone.
Now. $4,000 is not a large sum to a country
whose annual expenditures are from $J00.0O0.000
to S7JO.0O0000 year, but this small incident
Is significant because II is characteristic OF
system Of War Department operations by which
in some measure the financial outgo Is swelled
10 such unexampled proportions. 1t Is permitted
TO thrive and expand unchecked because what's
every body's business is nobody's business" This
is not an isolated case. Similar instances OF
official ignorance and heedlessness In War De-
partment expenditures, to call II nothing worse.
are seen on every hand by any one who cares
TO investigate
FIND FAULT WITH PREDECESSORS
Almost the invariable first step OF the newly
appointed Army officer in the charge" OF any
Government undertaking Is TO criticise ana
bring under the ban OF Departmental dispieasure
the work Of his predecessor. This enhances MS
own Importance and paves the way Tor the tria'
Of any new hobby he may have. In nine cases
ont OF ten especially in comparatively new prof.
ects no matter what the amount or nnanciai
loss and waste Of time involved. he will ruth
,esslv proceed to dismantle or throw aside every
thing previously done. and begin anew 1t Is .
curious fact. too, that such an attack is always
counted upon by every officer relieved from any
NJ these purely civilian administrative duties
Therefore no officer. matter how severely
his work may be smrched by his immediate
military successor, ever feels 1t incumbent upon
himself 10 protest. He seems to know that sucn
criticism works him no harm with his superiors.
who fully understand its purpose 1t cannot re'
tard his rise in the Army. In the evolution con-
s,ortIv going on he recoups himself by similar
nract,ces on some victim he In turn relieves OK
duty which imperativey needs expediting or
.reorganizing" The administrative officer who
docs not find fault with whatever is Is always
held 10 be OF small capacity. Meanwhile. under
such system, the Government Is made 70 cieed
at every financial pore, because by this process
Of circumlocution and reconstruction the WORK
of these officers is never finished
.woRK" OF ANTIETAM COMMISSION
The onerations OF the last eight years at An.
,,s,oro are illustrative OF this common phase OK
,yor Department administration. In 1871 secrs-
,arv Proctor appointed two civilians-Henry
tIotb NJ Virginia on ex Confederate officer. and
Major John C. Stearns. OF Vermont. Union
soldier.-as a commission to survey ana marx
the lines on this battlefield. They went 10 WORK
with interest and energy. but after a time were
artagonized by bureaucratic influences ana un-
dermlned by sneers that they were negleeung
their duties, etc. This resulted. as intended. Ia
the reorganization OF the work After DIX
proc,or's friend Stearrs was dropped. or re-
s,sned on account OF his health. Major George
p. Davis. a Judge Advocate In the Stan Depart
ment. was appointed in his stead, ana y. ~
Carman. OF Washington City. was added 70 tns