The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-14
SHODDY IN THE BLANKETS
Alleged Fraud Brought to Light
by the War Department.
Supplies at the Sckuyikill Arsenal
Not Up to the Standard Required
by COntr0cts-GOvern insPec-
tors Failed to Discover the Decep-
tion-An Investigation to BE Made.

What is said to be an attempt on the
part of certain contractors to defraud the
| Government out of many thousands OF
dollars by the sale of WOODEN goods below
| the required standard has been unearthed
J in the Quartermaster Generals Office.
| The discovery was made at the Schuyikiil
Arsenal IN Philadelphia. which is depot
| Tor supplying different posts throughout
the country and in Cuba and Porto Rico.
An investigation has been begun and civil
ian inspectors have been engaged by Gem
eral Ludington to prosecute the work. 1t
| is stated that firm having contract to
| supply Is, goo army blankets has been mix
| ing sheddy with the wool. This it is said
was carefully done at the mill which the
! concern operates. Explanation for the
| failure of the Government inspectors to
| sooner discover this fact is made on the
| ground that there have not been sufficient
| inspectors to station one at each mill,
( and that after the shoddy is mixed with
! the wool it is extremely difficult to detect
the inferior texture in the finished pro-
| duet.
| The firm in question has heretofore sup
| piled the Government with woolens OF dill
| ferent kinds, and at the outbreak of the
! Spanish American war; the Quartermas-
| ter's Department purchased from the
company a large amount OF kersey to
/ make into clothes for the soldiers. II is
| regarded as extremely probable that the
same process of mixing shcddy with wool
in the manufacture of this fabric was fol-
lowed and in such case 1t is impossible
to say how much the Government was de-
frauded out of in the transaction. The de-
partment has now contracts with the
same firm for supplies, and it is possible
that the discovery may lead to the can
collation. of the contracts.
The head of the concern which it is
claimed has supplied the inferior goods
was at the War Department yesterday and
had a conference with Quartermaster Gen
eral Ludington in regard to the matter.
He professed to be entirely ignorant OF
the fact that shoddy had been mixed with
the wool at his mill. He declared that he
was much surprised at the discovery and
sought to cast the blame upon the super
intendent of the mill, whom he declared
had used the shoddy without his knowl-
edge. He dsavowed any intention of at
tempting to defraud the Government, and
asserted that he was willing to discharge
the offending employe.
The officials of the War Department will
not say bow they made the discovery that
shoddy was being mixed with the wool for
the blankets, but reliable reports are that
the department has been pursuing quiet
enquiry for some time to learn if any OF
Its purchases we're below the standard.
1t is asserted that it is impossible to de-
tect every flaw in the manufacture of
wooden goods. and it appears certain that
some of these goods have passed inspec
ton and been accepted by the Govern
ment. The firm had manufactured several
hnt and of yay 1rntc h..fn h.aI
ccvery was made. but the Government Of
ficials declare that none had been ac-
cepted. When the suspicious of the de-
partment we're first aroused Quartermas
ter General Ludington authorized the
had been employed in a large Wo5feh tIHi'ri
and was an expert on wooden goods
He came to Washington and for several
weeks was engaged in the examination of
samples. and il is said that the discovery
of shoddy in the blankets was through his
work. Meanwhile Colonel Furay in charge
OF the SchuyIkill Arsenal at Philadelphia
where the clothing is stored, consulted
with Quartermaster General Ludington
and 1t was decided to employ two addi- |
tional expert inspectors. 1t had been the |
custom of the department to have one in |
spector go to each of the mills but he |
could not properly look after all OF them |
and it has now been decided to station an |
inspector at each Of the two mills MAX
ing goods for the army. Meanwhile an |
enquiry is being made to determine If |
other goods purchased by the department
was below the standard In this connec-
ton an examination has been made OF |
large quantities of clothing brought back /,
to this country from Cuba and Porto
Rico. In order to anticipate the needs Of |
the increased army during the war with |
Spain supplies were purchased by the de-
partment without the rigid inspection be-
cause of the urgent need of such goods
The officials say they were compelled to
buy what was offered them.
Supplies in excess of the actual needs
Of the expeditions to the tropics were
sent to Cuba and Porto Rico and lay in
storehouses for over year and in some
instances for nearly two years before they |
were shipped back to the United States. |
When these goods were examined at
schuylkill Arsenal 1t was found that
thousands of garments had become dam
aged, some were milldewed and others
we're moth eaten. After an inspection
much OF this property was improperly
condemned and Quartermaster General
Ludington in reviewing the examination
saw that the Government would save
money by having a number OF the gar
nents made over. thereby losing only a
part of the goods. This was done instead
If selling them at condemnation sale.
Whether some OF these goods were fus>
shed by any one of the firms now doing
business with the Government is not yet |
determined. A.,
1t is said that there ere between 81 0O0,-
100 and So. O00 GOO worth Of supplies in the
'chuylkill Arsenal and large quantities OF ,
hese reputed TO be below the stan | !
lard. and much OF the clothing little bet ,
er than worthless. The officials are how =
yer, not prepared TO say to what extent ,
he Government is loser as the investi- .
cation has only begun. 1t Is considered =
probable that large quantity of these I
worthless supplies are part of the dam y
ged goods returned from Cuba and Porto 9
rico. although 1t is admitted that In the 4
TASTY preparations for war made at that V
ime much might have been accepted which n
vas below the Government standard 1t a
s also assorted that Boston firm and a
Newark concern. which have supplied over
oats and blouses have been palming off I
heap goods upon the Government. $