The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-05
Fair Damsels From Martinique
Imported for Benefit of
Americans.
STATEMENT BY FERGUSON
.E&travagant Prices Being Paid
for Nearly All the Material
Used.
(spcelal 10 rhc Times-Dlspntch.)


ington Star gives n statement made 20
1t by Mr.. w. i. Ferguson. who haa
just returned after n year spent In TIL,
canal work. Mr.. Ferguson is n locomo-
tive engineer, and for over a year served
in that capacity for the canal commits
sion and the railroad. In his statement
hc gives some figures to bear out his
charges that the purchasing agents or
the canal are paying unnecessarily higher
prices for materials used In Panamu
II the figures given MS the prices paid
were In any way continuous and not
emergency appropriations, then 1t Is cer-
tain that Mr.. Shonts. with his certain
energy and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. will re.
quire explanations that explain from
the purchasing agents of tho canal. This
Is Mr.. Ferguson's statement:
Mr.. Ferguson's Statement.
'"rhe following statement which I
make In regard TO the money which Is
spent unnecessarily on the isthmus can
not possibly be denied.
THE lumber. which amounts to far
more than that which Is used in Greater
New York, and the unnecessarily high
prices which are paid for It. leads one
to wonder. For instance. however who
ever heard OF redwood being grown east
Of ths Rocky Mountains? The most OF
tfe redwood used on the isthmus is pur-
chased in New York, Mt cost OF $40
thousand. In the house recently con-
structed for Chief Engineer Stevens Mt
Culebra the cheapest lumber that was
used, which was common sap pine. us
TALLY shipped from our Southern ports.
cost the canal commission at wholesale
price s2S.75 per thousand. This was the
poorest sap pine that could be bought.
The average lumber used in this build
ing WAS $40 per thousand. all shipped
constructed OF the same material. with
the exception of some OF the hardwoods.
cost the canal commission 1890. The
hotel plain structure. with no doors,
no windows. only wire screen being used,
cost the canal commission s5i, 900 to con-
struct.
The following list OF articles used by
the canal commission are such as would
be necessary to be used for the next ten
years. or during the entire time required
to construct the Panama canal. For
instance our pig lead Is used In large
quantities at cost OF $50 per hundred.
Block tin is used at is cents a pound;
angle bars. for our railways. at SO cents
per pair; steel rails. of the 10-pound
type, ST ton our linseed oil, 52 cents
n gailon; our boiled oil. 63 cents a gal
lon. The lowest grade of engine and
valve oil Is used at IS cents per gallon.
One lot of wheelbarrows were sent down
to the canal commission at coS of sl.fi
apiece. These wheelbarrows give such
perfect satisfaction that another lot was
ordered. The price paid for khe second
lot to my amazemen,, amounted to $50
apiece, which. in ordering several thou
sand wheelbarrows. amounted TO quite
a sum.
Cheese at al Cents a Pound.
Il, In
July or August. 1905. a quarantine was
put on Laboca. Our chief sanitary Off
Ger, Dr. Gorgas. claimed that 1t was
necessary to exterminate the wharf rats,
which can he found In large quantities
around the shipping docks. requisition
was sent for a large quantity Of cheese.
TO be used In rat-traps for the purpose
of catching these rats. which Dr. Gorgas
claimed aided in spreading the Infection.
OF course. the quality OF the cheese to
be used in setting these traps was TO
be of the poorest refuse stun that could
be bought on the market In New York.
"Our commissary Is run for the benefit
OF the employees OF the canal and the
goods that are sold by 1t are only to be
disposed of at ten per cent. profit. to
cover expenses for the commlssary. We
buy the best OF cream cheese Mt this
commissary for eighteen cents pound.
WTlle tne SUlpIisUt VI Slce,S oCht w WI
for the sanitary department. amounting
to several hundred pounds. cost the canal
commission forty-onc cents n pound.
II also find that our cotton waste that
ia used In the machine shops and round
houses for wiping locomotives only costs
the canal commission trihe over eight
cents a pound. while our tool steel, which
Ia shipped down In the common bar
form. costs the canal commission from
ffty-four to sixty-eight censt n pound
"The above stated prices were taken
from the chief bookkeeper's office. Now,
as to civil service In the supply division.
Mr. Tubby. through the recommendation
OF Mr.. Wailace's son, brought down sew
eral men for his own private use from
various railroad offices and drygoods
stores In the States without civil SER
vice examinations
"Of course, these dry goods men and
railway clerks were at once qualified for
general supply office work. Among them
was Mr.. j. r. Griscom, whom Mr.. Tubby
appointed as his clerk at salary Of
So, 900 per year. Mr.. ]. s. McIshley was
received with open arms Mt salary OF
81. 400 per year. Mr.. Harry Leonard. l
think, a fomrer dry goods clerk, was I'M
mediately sent to Empire with the title
of general storekeeper. at salary OF
s2.400 a year. while Mr.. Frank Wright.
chief clerk for Mr.. Burk, at Mt. Hope.
10 a, happy possessor OF an income which
amounts to trlhe more than $1,000 n
wear. And we still have Mr.. Graham as
shipping clerk at a salary OF $1,000. 1t
will be remembered that none of these
gentlemen has passed q civil service OK
| animation, while there are hundreds OF
unemployed clerks throughout the United
states who are anxiously awaiting the
arrival OF their appointment,
Martinique Women Not Wives
"1n regard to statement relative to {
| few Martinique women that were sen
down to the ithmus, wish to say tina
! / was In Colon on the morning of thei,
arrival. and failed to- see tho out
| stretched arms of an anxious husband
greeting any OF this lively bunch. There
was a. small crowd of them, only amount
ing to two hundred and eighty-one. which
was distributed along the canal zone Il
| places most needed, II the person wht
] denied this statement would only asl
| for some OF our Martinique applications