. ▁William ▁Clark ▁had ▁recommended ▁the ▁high ▁bl uff ▁over looking ▁the ▁Missouri ▁River ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁as ▁a ▁suitable ▁location ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁fort . ▁ ▁Pre par ations ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 8 , ▁Cal h oun ▁awarded ▁the ▁expedition ' s ▁transport ation ▁and ▁supply ▁contract ▁to ▁James ▁Johnson , ▁partner ▁and ▁younger ▁brother ▁of ▁Kentucky ▁Congress man ▁Richard ▁M ent or ▁Johnson , ▁who ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Richard ▁Johnson ▁enjoyed ▁considerable ▁le verage ▁over ▁the ▁expedition ' s ▁fund ing ▁as ▁chairman ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Committee ▁on ▁Exp end it ures ▁in ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁War , ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁warm ▁public ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁enter prise . ▁An ▁editor ial ▁of ▁the ▁Missouri ▁Gazette ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis ▁said ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁that ▁" there ▁is ▁no ▁measure ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁adopted ▁by ▁the ▁present ▁administration ▁that ▁has ▁received ▁such ▁universal ▁comm end ation ." ▁The ▁public ' s ▁later ▁" deep ▁disappoint ment ▁at ▁their ▁non - ful fil ment " ▁was ▁to ▁co inci de ▁with ▁an ▁event ual ▁" sc andal ▁growing ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁transport ation ▁contract ", ▁with ▁revel ations ▁that ▁James ▁Johnson ▁had ▁been ▁pract ically ▁guaranteed ▁against ▁loss ▁and ▁had ▁thus ▁taken ▁little ▁care ▁to ▁see ▁that ▁his ▁equipment ▁was ▁of ▁sufficient ▁character ▁to ▁ensure ▁a ▁prompt ▁ful fill