Year: 1875

desire or the late Commissioners that should do So
favored the appointment 70 the place or Mr. John d.
he not likely TO succeed | urged the selection OF
General Graham. He appointed in the summer Of
1874 After some me IN ms new poslea1n ne shom % "a
disposition 70 mako alterations IN the original plan OF
the work as decided upon by General hcCieian Iheso
innovations deemed


ISJU,cIoUs AND USwIsE,
and in the friendly spirit expostulated with him
his OF proceeding He persisted. however,
until damage to considerable extent was done ana
much professional rdicule excited. HIS next
error was in redlcing the size OF the Beton, Or
blocks or artificial some from fifty and sixty tons 70 Ten
tons and thus defeating the purpose Mcclellan had Ia
view when he caused 70 be built at cost OF Sl4o 600
derrick capable OF lifting 100 tons, and said 70 be the
greatest OF It's kind in the world Another ana most
ridiculous innovation building ''wthout bond" or
breaking joints, that Is ping blocks on TOP OF cach
other in the way you see children build toy houses OF
men In their idle moments run up q stack OF domnoes
just 20 sec them tumble down again. In writing 70 the
Commissioners at the time said this method Of build
ing must have originated with the traditional Damascus
holman


THE I'm MAssE SYSTEM


REPoRTER-What the opinion of the best engineers
as to the en- mGsse system employed by General


Colonel MKEHAN-Engineers differ on the merits OF
the system Between me and General Graham II is an
honest difference OF opinion, and II the committee OF
engineers now engaged in considering the question
should decide against me shall feel very little an
noyed.


REPoRrER-You have been charged before the Senate
committee IN here with taking ten per
cent on purchases Of drawing materials What answer
do you make 10 itf


Colonel MEEnAN-The slander that / ever took cent
commission on any supplies furnished the department
was started by discharged clerk OF the firm OF Benot
Woods, from whom the supplies OF drawing mate
ras were purchased and by this means he succeeded
entirely unknown TO in having the patronage OF tho
department Withdrawn from Benot Woods and Sc
cured to himself 1t sharp shrewd and cor
rcspondingly disTaceful trick


REPoRTER-What is the system of receiving ana
paying for supplies IN the departments


Colonel MREHAE-When requsition is sent for goods
u signed oy the person sent TO purchase and the per
son who receives them When the bill reaches me with
receipt and recognize the Recipients signature sign,
Received correct" Now, IN 1870 personally super
vsed the purchase of two bills of goods from Benot
Woods, amounting in all to $685. but since that time
don't believe l purchased dollars worth. AT
least hall dozen draughtsmen and employees were ac-
customed to be sent TO select and purchase goods NO
performed both duties. Within the last two
years and half have signed correct bills for nearly
S4OO 900 worth of goods without ever being acquainted
by eyesght with the sellers of the goods My book
will give the of gentlemen living around the wa
ter front from whom purchases are made and whose
bills for thousands of dollars sign every few weeks as
correct and yet of them say ever spoke to
them.


RxpoRrER-How do you stand at present with the
Department.


have been informed after he came into the office,
wanted me removed because, as he stated he desired
TO have harmeny between tho chief engineer and tho
first assistant engineer entirely forgetting the fact
that the first assistant engineer has been In the work
from the beginning and knows the whole scheme from
beginning to end. Nothing l court more than full
and healthy discussion of every engineering question
involved in the present work II will be all the better
for the people, and too much cannot be learned In SCI
that is every year adding to its acquisitions in
knowledge.


In regard to the course OF action he should take
reference the charge made against him before the
Senate Committee Colonel Meehan said:'I have re-
quested Senator Booth chairman Of the Investigating
Committee, TO have the books of Benot h Wood
brought before him and examined in reference TO the
overcharges and commissions y