The San Francisco call., 1908-10-15
WASHINGTON LET
REPAIR CONTRACTS
Extravagances in Local Trans
port Service Charged Direct
to Quartermaster General
John DonneIIy, experimenting
Engineer, Gives Details of
How Work Was Ordered

That the investigation into alleged
extravaganza in the repair contracts
for army transports will finally place
the responsibility in Washington is the
opinion of those familiar with the local
situation.s The official records of the
transactions under scrutiny appear to
substantiate this contention. AS ex
planned by John Donnelly, superintend-
ing engineer of the transport service,
the contracts were not awarded through
recommendations from his department,
but were arranged direct from Wash
ington.
One of the cases of extravaganza upon
which special emphasis was laid, was the
repair work on the Logan, provided for
Risdon iron works. 1t appears that
some of the work completed under the
first contract was torn out under the
second contract Responsibility for
this was in the first instance laid at
the door of Donnelly, but when the in
vestigation proceeded farther 1T de-
veloped that he had merely prepared
specifications in accordance with or
ders from Washington.
The failure to award the contract for
| repairs to the transport Sherman, ac-
cording to the local authorities, also
lies with the men in charge of affairs
at the national capital, where the bids
are pigeonholed awaiting the necessary
appropriation. In the meantime the
Sherman lies idle at the dock.
DONNELLY NOT RESPONSIBLE
Donnelly explained yesterday that his
authority was so restricted that 1t was
beyond his power to arrange for any of
the repair contracts. In discussing the
allegations of extravaganza, he said:
The first specifications for repairs and gen
eral overhauing to the army transport Logan
We're prepared October II. 1907, by me. Bids
were opened November IL and the bid of the
Union iron works In the sum of $295, 600 the
lowest. Following the department rule, the bids
were submitted to Washington by Colonel Bel
linger. The quartermaster general returned the
bids without approval 1t was, explained at the
time that there not sufficient money avail
able for such extensive repairs and Belinger
was ordered to have modified specifications pre-
pared covering only such work absolutely
necessary to keep the ship going until an appro-
priation for the work should be available. 1
prepared these specifications, and the lowest bid
der for the work the Risdon iron works,
whose bid was $195, 600.
Colonel Bellinger, with numerous items cut out
as not Immediately necessary. The pruned con-
tract called for work costing SS5, 600. and with
| this the Rlsdon iron works went ahead The
work was finished and the Logan hauled into the
stream Before the ship was ready 10 go into
commission Colonel Bellinger received orders to
have specifications prepared for complete repairs
TO the Logan.
RIsDoN LOWEST BIDDER
Again the Risdon iron works was the lowest
bidder They agreed TO do the work for $2I5,O00
| and to complete 1t by January 80 1909.
To make the complete repairs some OF the
first work done by the Risdon iron works had to
be torn out at loss of about 81, 600.
The specifications for repairs to the Sherman
were submitted to the bidders May l. 1905. The
bids opened May 20, with the Union iron
works lowest bidder. The bids were sent TO
Washington and are there resting In pigeon
hole awaiting the opening or congress and the
appropriation of sufficient money to do the
work. The Union iron works bid 01.301,
with agreement to do the work in 40 days.
The bid submitted by the navy yard was $685.,
600, and the navy wanted $50 days in which to
do the work. The navy bid was the highest sub
mitted.
AS experimenting engineer prepare ell speei-
flea tions but have authority even to make
a recommendation In the matter of awarding
contracts. The bids are opened by commits
stoned officer of the army In the presence of all
bidders and then sent to the quartermaster
general at Washington, and what he says about
their disposition goes.
That no prejudice exists against Mare island
is shown by the fact that the navy yard did
the repairs the Sheridan and my report
the work shows that it first class job.