Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-04-09
SECRETARY ROOT
FURNISHES FACTS
About Transport Service Between
San Francisco and Philippines
GEN. CORBIN'S INSTRUCTIONS
:. Transmitting Lieut. Col Cham
,.l.,n,. Report, Gen. Young SUBJ
ul,s an Analysis Of the same

washington, ApriI s.--secy. Root to-
a., cent an answer to the house reso-
,,,,on Of March Is. calling upon him
,,r all facts that have come to his
,rovledge as TO the conduct OF the
,,orsnort service between San Fran
,,.co and the Philippine islands The
ooswer includes the reports OF Inspect
o,.Gen Chamberlain and Lieut'-Col'
Mans The reports of the various Of
ecsrs cover several hundred pages.
The Withholding of these reports from
,,o senate military committee subject
"a the secretary 10 criticism by the
nlnorlty members at yesterdays meet
,.g II appears that the secretary
Mia that, according to the exact IAN
,nooe NJ the senate resolution, these
s.,orts were not called for. The SEN
.,e committee asked for reports of Of
doors named relative TO the transport
q, nrlyate goods between San Fran
cseo and the Philippines There was
4 rotblna in either Of these reports re-
4 ,stine 10 the subject, and the secre-
,rv consequently, did not submit
4 ,bsm with other correspondence. The
H house resolution was in general terms,
calling for "ai facts that have come
j IN mis- knowledge as to the conduct OF
4 tho transport service" so the secre-
,sry mas included these two reports in
a me mass Of papers submitted 10 the
81 house today.
seoy Root includes In his letter
n COPY Of an instruction sent out by Gen
"a corbin. at his direction, to the com
n handing general, department OF can
"a ,mnIa ordering d thorough lnvestl-
81 cation into all that relates to the trans
II port service on the Pacific coast be-
n ginning with Its organization, up to
I'M present time" The investigation
81 Vas TO be absolutely thorough, enter
n me into the mlnutest details OF me
" conduct Of affairs In the operation OF
n the transport service. Ii Is stated that
n nothing In the order Is TO be construed
Al 10 indicate that any complaints nave
n been made, or that the department has
n any misgiyngs concerning the admin
"A iNatlon of the transport service, but
N thal ali the facts are wanted by the
" secretary.
n Nai.Gen. S. b. NJ. Young, in trans
IA hitting the report of Lieut.. Col Cham
M terIsin. submits an analysis Of the re-
"a port showing no adequate supervision
"a 10 any feature Of the fitting out OF
"A TRANSPORTS for long time after the
service was inaugurGted, and later the
~ Efforts 10 reform the system. Gen,
IN Young specifies lack Of securing COM
~ petiye bids. lie says:
~ In the case Of the Hancock before
n the board was organized, Involving an
expenditure approXimauns II not
+. amounting 10 half a million dollars,
M The matter of indicating needed repairs
s.. was put into the hands OF officials UNI
III hoEn 10 transport regulations, under
ri verbal orders and plenary power CIV
Fl tr BY the honorable secretary OF war
~ 10 insure more sanitary arrangements
" on that transport
"a Gen. Young also specifies the case
n Of an inexperienced man who knew
n nothing about paints. being employed 70
"A superyse painting, In business whefe
he painting bill OF a single firm IN two
a years and two months amounted to
a tg0Ii'
n In other respects. II is stated, the
q report shows that work was given out
n end supplies for general use (such as
4 the fitting up Of cabins) were pur'
. chased without due regard 20 the pro-
f lection Of the governments interests.
On that branch of the investigation
covering cost OF articles, etc, Gen.
Young. summing up the Chamberlain
4 report says that In one case where the
n BIN was Sl05. 3tS. the work Is pronounc-
H "a generally unsatisfactory, charges
y excessive and material Inferior
n Prices paid for material were often
= strikingly in excess of the then current
n prices for the same articles Of Ike
4 quality, and supplies were purchased
4 IN the open market without advertis-
q Ing II is further stated In Gen.
Il YOungs summary that preference
i seems 10 have been shown special firms
& TO the point Of ordering from them ar
n tices out OF their line OF Business, these
q FIRMS at the same time charging exor-
i bIisnt prices. 90 the extent In few
n Instances Of 100 per cent In excess OF
a ruling market prices"
4 Upon the facts developed by the In
q vesilgaticn, Gen Young remarks that
n under the pressure of necessity OF NOV
ING large bodies OF troops at short mo-
u uce, lack Of methods and forms to
safeguard the government accepted
u the transports.
n Leut-Col, Chamberlain specifies In
II eelal the features summarized by
zen, Young lie refers to the report
g Of The Bates board" that much OF the
q WORK done on the Logan was defective.
iso that the amounts spent on the
Il hancock, Si7,0l6. were excessive and
we're for luxurious fittings Lengthy
assumptions are given OF furnishings,
4 tlel Of Inferior quality, placed on vari-
Gus transportE.
IN his conclusions, Col Chamberlain
4 rays most Of the abuses were snayoid-
zoe and that there had been gradual
Improvement He says there are but
,utee hrms in San Francisco equipped
,% extensive repair work, and that
II .ty had an understanding among
nehseyes by which there has been
W real competition. In interior Mt
ING Tor transports, he says. there has
zen al times extravaganza and. In
.ene cases. great negligence. In pur-
81 haslng supplies preference has been
,.o"n IN the distribution OF patron
49, and extensive purcha SEES have
zen made without competition.
VoL Chamberlain says that one OF
ne most notable abuses has been the
az o. great quantities OF high-prlced
.Nuleclants. The transport Thomas,
Xp says. on five trips used 1895 worth
~, says there also has been an excess
49, use Of high.prlced patent cleaning
3snul polishing material. the Thomas
4sshg lS2iS worth in five trips He
n ~ w That this abuse has been rem
~ loss Of government property
a iyh as furniture, linen. bedding. ta-
ware etc. BY imperfect accounting
u quo set forth. lie states that the
airport Meade was purchased when
+ years old Tor 100000 and she has
u ~ l received $4,000 in repairs.
.ue numerous other reports lnclosed
l COL Maus and Col. Sanger, and
n great number Of subordinate
give the most minute details
d ui,aih'sport service, I'm some cases r.
su@fliles being shown and criticism
f.vssea. All Of the reports seem 90
"A AItf that fin .t.v.e. -. a. -.,.,ft