Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-10
MATERIAL PURCHASED
FOR THE CANAL
Statement of Chairman ShontS
on the Subject.
Mr.. FERGUSON'S CHARGES
Analysed and Refuted in Each Par
ticular.
HE IS SIMPLY SEEKING REVENGE
For His Discharge From the Isthmian
Canal Service, According to Report
of Chief Engineer Stevens.
HE is SIMPLY SEEKING REVENGE

statement of Chairman Shonts of the
canal commission to President Roosevelt,
relative to the interview in The Star last
Sunday with l.. w. Ferguson as to cond-
tions on the canal. made public today.
Mr.. Shonts gives a report of Chief Engineer
Stevens. stating that Mr.. Ferguson was
discharged as a locomotive engineer for
grave inefficiency: that his record was bad
and he is simply seeking revenge In his al
legations Mr. Shonts then continues:
Mr.. Ferguson makes the statement that
most Of the redwood used on the isthmus
is purchased in New York at a cost of
$40 per thousand feet. The commission has
never purchased In New York. or forwarded
from New York, single foot of redwood.
The only redwood purchased since June l.,
1905. was ordered from the Albien Lumber
Company. San Francisco, Cal. August 16
1906. the prices ranging from s24.50 per
thousand feet for l inch 8 inch under
flooring TO 81 per thousand feet for 6
inch X inch, inch inch and inch
inch material for a total of 131 656
feet and $41 10 s43 per thousand feet for
redwood finishing lumber, surfaced four
sides. for total of ~ pol feet. All of this
redwood was shipped from San Francisco
and the prices above named covered de-
livery on the isthmus-
No Yellow Pine From New York.
"Of the yellow pine referred to not sin
gle foot has been shipped from New York
as stated by Mr.. Ferguson, all having been
shipped from New Orleans. Gulfport. Mobile
or Pensacola. Practically all of the yellow
pine purchased since June last has been
OF the grade known as No. 1 common, long
leaf yellow pine. most of it surfaced ma
terial. costing delivered the isthmus
from s2s to $3.50 per thousand. The freight
this yellow pine from the mills in the
south to the isthmus approximate nearly
one-half the price OF the lumber delivered
the isthmus: in other words IL 1t were
purchased at the mill the cost would be
about one-hah the prices above named. The
tot-l amount of yellow pine purchased since
June last has been about S,000.000 feet.
Since June l. the commission has also pur-
chased about 25.0c0.OOO feet of Douglas fir
lumber at prices ranging from SIT. 30 to
$21 per thousand feet, delivered on the
isthmus. all OF which was shipped from
Puget sound
You Will note that while the heading of
the newspaper article refers to the cost of
pig iron at 500 per 100 pounds. Mr.. Fer
Buson's statement refers 10 the cost of pig
lead being 500 per 100 pounds. AS the
commission has a large quantity of gray
iron scrap on the isthmus. which is being
used In It's foundries, 1t has not had 10 pur-
chase much pig iron. The only purchases
OF pig irol made since June l last have
been 100 tons on June Is, at price of $40. so
per ton OF 2,2i0 pounds delivered on the
isthmus, and one OF 200 tons, June %. at
price of 1915 per ton OF 2,2i0 pounds, de-
iivered on the isthmus. The pig iron In
question Is what IS known as NO. foun-
dry and was shipped from Birmingham,
Ala. The price OF No. . foundry pig iron
at Birmingham Ala. in May, 1905. at the
time bids on the two lots of pig iron in
question We're made, as quoted in the Iron
Age, ranged from S13 10 $3.50 per ton.
and the freight from Birmingham Ala,
to Colon was not less than 81 to $50 per
ton, the prices paid for delivery at Colon
were undoubtedly reasonable.
Pig Lead and Other Material
In reference to the pig lead. which Mr..
Ferguson states is used in large quantities
at a cost OF $50 per 100 on July 6 last we
purchased 22LC00 pounds at price of s3.3s
per 100 pounds: on August we purchased
100000 pounds at price Of $500 per 100
pounds: on November 3, 1900 pounds at
price of 1898 per 100 pounds, and on De-
cember ~ 5000 pounds a price OF S4.97 per
100 pounds; all OF these prices covering
delivery on the isthmus. All of the lead in
question was shipped from Europe II It
had been shipped from the United States
the prices would have been higher. as the
prices for pig lead in this country. as shown
In the Iron Age, have been increasing from
S44j per 100 pounds at ST. Louis and S4.5O
per 100 pounds al New York in July last to
$3.50 per 100 pounds at ST. Louis and s5.9o
per 100 pounds at New York IN December
last
AS to the block tin which Mr. Ferguson
says is used at Is cents per pound, / am
sorry that We have not been able to pur-
chase much at such a low price. On July 4
We purchased 100 pounds at ~ l-6 cents
per pound. delivered on the isthmus, and on
November we purchased 20 pounds at S3S.
cents per pound delivered on the isthmuS.
in July the market price on block tin in
New York was from 3Oi2 TO 81 cents per
pound. I'm November the market price In New
York was 33 cents per pound. and the present
market price of block tin IN New YORK is
about 3Ci4 cents per pound. The price OF
tin has advanced quite stebly during the
past year. As a matter os@ct we did pur-
chase 2,C00 pounds OF BLOCK tin In May last
at the price Of 1s cents per pound, delivered
on the isthmus. and obliged the contractor
TO furnish IL at that price, although after
putting In his bid he tried to withdraw it.
and said that through some unaccountable
mistake their price had been quoted at one
half the price they intended.
AS 10 the steel rail which Mr.. Ferguson
says cost ST per ton. The actual cost of
steel rail purchased during the past year
by the commission was S26.45 per ton de-
livered alongside vessel at Sparrows Point
or Baltimore. while during the same period
the standard price TO railroads in this coun-
try for steel rail has been t2s per ton at the
mill In the case of the rail purchased by
Us at $26.45 per ton. delivered alongside YES
sci at Sparrows Point or Baltimore, the
rail- mills had 10 pay the freight from the
mill 10 the seaport.
Mr.. Ferguson states that we are paying
$40 cents per pair for angle bars. As the
angle bars which we are using weigh about
siXty-sN pounds per pair. the price he men
lions ts very reasonable one as II is at
the rate OF about lbs per hundred pounds
while the present market price OF angle bars
az the mill In this country is 80 per hun
ored pounds. The angle bars purchased by
the commission during the past year cost
from Sl.85 TO u.4e per hundred pounds, de-
hyered alongside vessel at Sparrows Point
or Baltimore.
Only Twenty-Four Wheelbarrows.
In connection with the wheelbarrows men
tsnsd By Mr.. Ferguson, ON June 7. 1905