The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-23
DELAYED BY OUTSIDE WORK
Serious Charges Against the
Driggs-Seabury Company.
Accused of Milking Shells for Coiom-
bin in Government Arsenni-Fn-
yoritism shown in the Extension
of Time on Ordnance Contracts

xoritism shown in the Extension
of Time on Ordnance Contracts
CHARGES involving the Driggs-Seapury
Guns and Ammunition Company Of Der
nv, Conn. and Cen A. r. Burlington,
Chief Of the Bureau Of Ordnance, have
been made by the American Ordnance
Company, of New York, in a brief filed
Yesterday with the Comptroller of the
Treasury. The object of the brief filed
by the attorneys for Charles r. Flint,
President of the American Ordnance
Company. is to secure from the Treasury
Benartment a decision preventing the
Secretary of War from authorizing any
further payment Of moneys to the
priggs-Seabury Company on account of
contracts with the Government.
The controversy between the American
Ordnance Company and its rival, the
briggs Company covers a period OF about
three years. The latter company was the
successful bidder for furnishing the Gov
eminent under two contracts, with rap
ia fire guns and ammunition for the ar
nv. one contract was given at the out
break of the war with Spain and the other
July S. 1899. The first contract was for
the delivery of twenty G-pounder guns
complete. with 800 rounds of ammunition
$50. also seventy-eight l5-pounder guns
complete. with eco rounds Of ammunition
pey gun. for which it was to receive $5l6-
55l. The second contract was for forty
6-pounder guns at $S45 each. forty o.
FOUNDER rampant carriages with shields
at $3.50 each, forty S-inch guns at Sl.6l5
each forty masking narapet carriages at
7$1,S55 each.
Deliveries under these contracts We're
to be made within a specified time, and, as
is customary with the Ordnance Depart
ment, it was provided that penalties
would he imposed If the deliveries We're
not on time II has always been the poll
~ Of the War Department to extend the
time of delivery on contracts where it
WAS evident that the Government would
not suffer by such an extension THIS
was done several times for the briggs
Company, notwithstanding protests from
the American Ordnance Company.
To further facilitate the delivery Of the
ammunition under these contracts per
mission was given the briggs Company
TO use the machinery at the Frankford
Arsenal, which had been shut down for
some time. The brief filed with the
Comptroller OF the Treasury charges that
the briggs Company. while making shell
at the Frankford Arsenal, did dispose of
20o1 Of such shell to the Colombian Gov
ernment. and also sold TO that Govern
ment's representative in New York sew
,.ral guns, thereby still further delaying
deliveries to the American Government
They also petitioned the Comptroller of
the Treasury to Immediately stop all pay
ments to the briggs Company, and to i'm
pose the penalties, amounting to SSeO0JJ,
which have accrued because of the com
pany's failure to make deliveries on time
This the War Department has refused
10 do on the ground that it would not
benefit the Government to impose the
penalties and give a new contract. be-
cause a new contract would result in
greater delay than an extension of the
old contract The question in regard to
the. briggs Company furnishing the Co
Icmbian Government with 1000 shell was
called to the attention of General Buff
fington early last faI and ne called upon
the briggs Company for an explanation.
The company claimed that the shell sold
10 the Colombian Government had not
been manufactured at the FrankfoTd Ar
senal and otherwise explained the matter
TO the satisfaction Of the Secretary OF
War Several petitions have been re-
ceived at the War Department from the
American Ordnance Company with regard
TO the alleged delinquencics of the briggs
Company. but the department has not
yielded to their demands for the imposi-
tion OF penalties, and this resulted in
taking the matter before the Comptroller
of the Treasury. Comptroller Tracewell
will take IN the case today. but as the
papers did not originate with the depart
meut he will probably refer them to Sec-
rotary Root for his Information.
II is charged in the brief that Gen a r.
Burlington. Chief OF Ordnance OF the War
Department. in August, 1Sy9, permitted
the DriggS-Seabury Company. private
corporation. TO use the Trankford Arse
nal with lJs power, machinery. and work
men. all the property and employees OF the
uited States Government and that the
DriCEs-Seabury Company neld and used
The I'rankford Arsenal Tor the purpose of
manufacturing ihirty-two siN-pounder
guns, a number Of heavier guns ana
4.opO shells for the use Of the Colombian
Government.
guns ard ammunition were sold TO the
Colombian Government for cash and were
shipped on the Atalanta. an American
yacht converted INTO = cfuissr u! tnu ,S,, ~
Iomhian Government and that further
order placed later on was hlled by the
briggs -Seabury Company at the FRANK
ford Arsenal
farv Root knew of this matter aud quotes
the following letter. alleged to have been
written by him TO the DrlSgs-Seapury
Company:
War Department,
Washington. Sept. !, 1893.
"Drigss-Seabury Co.
Gentlemen: | am Informed that you
have delivered zoos shells 10 the Co.
Iombian Government and are manu-
featuring another order Of 1000 FOR
that Government You are now in de-
fault for 2Ge0 shells tG be delivered 10
the War Department by August II,
1895. and these have not vet been pro-
duced-
Il am informed that to facilitate
matters and TO help you out. you were
given the use OF the FrankfOrd Arse
nal which IS exclusively Government
propertv / am further Informed that
you used the arsenal, knowing IL to be
Government property. fer the purpose
of making these shells for foreign
Government. You had no right to do
this You obtained further contract
in July. 1883. ] want You to deliver a
statement 10 the War Depa rtment be