The Detroit times., 1913-12-08
DetrOiter Says Attempts Were
Made To Sell Ships To Gov.
ment at Fancy Prices
INTERESTING INCIDENTS
RELATED IN VOLUME
Official Baked At Paying F. E.
Kirby $1,000 a Month, But
Finally "Came Across"

vately printed volume called "Recol-
lections OF my service and expert
ences In the Spanish-American war;"
for distribution among his friends
The dedication page bears the words:
For my grandchildren"
The volume. which ia a beautiful
example Of book-making, gives a con-
| else account, In 50 pages. OF Col
Heckers work for the war depart
ment from the time that Russell A.
Alger. secretary Of war. telegrap hed
him to come TO Washington. June IS,
1898, until his resignation took ef.
feet, several months after the end of
the war, April /. 1899.
Col. Hecker describes his hesita.
ton In accepting appointment as head
or the division OF transportation. with
the rank OF colonel. and his flnal &C.
ceptance. at the insistence Of Secre-
tary Alger and President Mckinley.
His nrst duties regarded the pur.
chase OF ships for transports. Col
Hecker stipulated that he must have
the aid Of Frank e. Kirby. designer
Of many great lakes passenger steam-
ers. Together. they bought several
vessels which are still In use al army
transports-the Grant. Sherman. Sher.
idan, Logan. Thomas and others.
IN this connection" writes Col
Hecker, II desire to make mention
OF Mr.. Kirby's singular modesty. He
did not desire . commission. although
he could have had an appointment as
major. Nor would he say what salary
he desired or expected. whenever I
referred to the subject, he said:
Whatever the government chooses TO
pay me will be satisfactory" From
juno Fl to the latter part Of August.
oil he received was reimbursement
for actual expenses. About the first
Of September. said to the quarter.
master-general that something ought
to be done about Mr.. Kirby's com
pensation. He took the matter up
with the secretary. who authorized
him to instruct me TO fx II. and I did
80. In writing. naming $1,000 per
month. When handed the commun-
ication to the Quartermaster.gener
he exclaimed In great establishment.
'Preposterous! That 10 more than
the Enlargement commanding the
army receives. The secretary will
never authorize It. and I cannot ap-
prove It.
mr.. Kirby's professional income.
I replied, had probable exceeded 81
600 per month
IL am pleased to say that the sec
rotary did authorize the amount fixed
by me. and the duartermasterge general
did approve and pay vouchers for It. !"
Col. Hecker cites two cases. which
We says were typical. Of the greed Of
broker lobbyists who wanted to sell
ships to the government.
Specifications Of two ships, the
Tartar and Athena. owned by the
Canadian Pacific railway. were sub
mitted to US by q lobbyist from the
state Of Washington, the price asked
being $1,150,000 for the two. The
total cost Of the two ships was $780,
600. We considered the price exces-
sive and declined to entertain II. In
day or two they reduced the price
TO $1.100,000. This price also We de-
clined. Then q stockbroker from To
ronto, whom l knew. came to Wash
ington and offered the two ships for
81. Zoo. 900, and on being told that the
price was still too high. asked me tn
make an offer. offered him $500, 900
He wired to Montreal. receiving reply
that 100000 was the least they would
accept. again declined.
I'm the meantime purchased the
Arizona. The latter part Of July. the
Canadian Pacific sent their New York
agent. Mr.. Skinner. to Washington
with an offer Of 100000. I informed
him Of the purchase of the Arizona,
and stated that in view Of the term
nation of the war, the department
believed Il had all the Pacific trans
ports required.
Nine years afterward met IN
Montreal Sir Thomas Shaughnessy.
president OF the Canadian Pacific rail-
way, and the matter came up. ask.
ed him why. knowing each other well,
as we did, he had not made direct
offer OF the ships. He. said the lob
byist told him there was easy mon.
thought they might as we'll have some
Of II.
I'm the other case. I had a narrow
escape from being placed in what
might have been an embarrassing SIT.
uation. A young man of attractive
personality came to me with Vice
President Hobart's card and note Of
introduction from Senator Burrows.
He offered to sell the ship Belgian
King. which had been inspected In
New York. for $350.000. turned the
papers over to Mr.. Kirby for report.
He examined the ship while was IN
New York. and on consultation we
decided to offer $4,000 for her.: and
this I expected to do the next day.
On reaching Washington next morn
ing found I'm my maiI-basket a letter
from Coils p. Huntington to the Sec
rotary. urging the release Of the
steamship China. at the earliest day
possible. In q brief postscript Mr..
Huntington said his friends. Swan &
Hunter. OF New Castle. had the ship
Pelgian King In New York and would
sell her for $4,000. The young man
had an exceedingly uncomfortable
minute that day and did not sell tho
ship"
Col. Hecker describes his connec-
ton with the return OF the Spanish
prisoners from Cuba, and OF his ser.
vices In Cuba relating to the estab-
lishment OF better railroad facilities.
JACKSON, Mich. Dec. 6,--(Spe-
ciait--The, Athenlnm theatsr was