The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-02
TnEBUILDE.RS.
LOST MONEY: ]
Effort to Reimburse Trigg Yard
and Others Who Built
Torpedo Boats.
Mr. HAY y Is IMPATIENT 4 Y
Docs Not Propose to Let His
Bill to Uneartll Fraud Sleep
@5a In r Republican Committee.
Mr.. HAY IS IMPATIENT.
Does Not Propose to Let His

From Our Regular Correspondent

#5a (From Our Reg ular} Consequently Il
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 1.-THE
Committee on Claims Is now engaged In
considering the bill introduced by Repre-
sentative Powers, OF Massachusetts,, for
the relief Of certain builders of torpedo
boats for the government. and who lost
money on tho contracts. Tho bill provides
that the contractors shall be paid the
actual cost. Of the construction Of the ves-
sells instead Of the contract price. The
latter has been paid in every case, and
the builders who lost money want now
to have the difference paid them. The
bill will not be reported for some days,
but the friends of the measure are hope
full OF a favorable report. / t is likely that
there will also be minority report from
the committee, In which opposition will
DO manifested to the payment Of the
claims. f t3$y i46fi w s$
The William R. Trgg shlpbullding Com
pany, OF Richmond, Is one Of the
claimants mentioned In the bill. It Is
Understood that the total amount which
would be paid the company in case Of the
+ passa ge Of the pending bill would be
| about half a. million dollars. Mr.. Lllburna
T.. Myers, president Of tho company, Is In,
the city In the interest OF the measure.
THE BUILDERS
The vessels to be paid for in accordance
with tie terms of tho proposed act are
the twelve torpedo boats, and the six
teen destroyers authorized by the naval
bill OF 1898. Other companies besdcs the
Trgg Company. who are compliments
under the bill are the Bath Iron Works,
of Bath. Me-; the George Lawley & Son
Corporation, of Boston. Mass; The Fore
River Ship and Ship and Engine Com
pany Of Quincy, Mass; the Gas Engine.
and Power Company, and Charles L. Sea-
bury and Company Consolidated. OF New
York; Lewis Nixon, OF the Crescent Ship
yard. of Elizabeth, N. J.; the Harlan &
Holingsworth Company, OF Wilmington.
Del; the Maryland Steel Company. Of
Baltimore, Md: the Columbia Iron Works
and Dry Dock Company. Of Baltimore.
Nd; the Union Iron Works, OF San
Francisco Cal.
A board OF naval officers. presided over
by Admiral Ramsay. fixed the fair cost
Of these boats without profit in 1902 at
1924 800 for each torpedo boat, and SIT.
200 for each destroyer. The contract prices
were under these
MR.. HAY WILL. STIR HEM.
Representative James Hay, ofsVtrginia.
said to-day that he had almost lost all
hope oc having his resolution for an. In
vestgaton OF the corruption in the Post
office Observation-Disclosures from the Com
mittee on Postoffices aud Post Roads. to
which it was referred. He said that he
was going to walt r. few days longer,
and II at the expiration OF that time the
resolution had not been reported no
would endeavOr to have the committee
discharged from its further consideration
and have tho House act upon It. The
resolution provides only for an inyosti-1
cation OF tho charges made by Fourth
Assistant Postmaster-G eneral Bristow to
the effect that members OF Congress were
implicated in certain OF tie frauds In the
department. Tho resolution was privi-i
legged, and MS such obtained immediate
consideration. a motion to discharge the
committee from further considerable OF
tho resolution would also be privileged.
Mr., Hay thought at one time 4 hat tho
committee would report the resolution,
and le was tho recipient of warm con-.
xratulations frvlm Democratic members on
his having succeeded In securing the pas
sage OF Il resolution which would bring
about an investigation Of postal frauds.
But the committee has allowed the resolu-
ton to sleep. and 1t WILL not be reused
from its slumbcrs until awakened by Mr..
Hay. it11 s4'. +.
FRAUD A-PLENTY.
"The committee has In its possession
evidence OF the completely OF, members
OF Congress- IN postal frauds he said
to-day, "but it Is impossible for even
members OF the committee to gain pos