Evening star., 1869-09-07
LOCAL N E w 8.
CORPORATION AFFAIRs

CORPORATION AFFAIRS.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN, September 9Th, 1860
The Chair laid before the Board the folIowing
communication from the Mayor:
MAYORS OFFICE, CITY HALL, WASHING.
TOE, u, september 8, 1s69-To tie Board of
city i find that Charges have been ,,ratsas ~ .ns
Aealnst me 70 the Councils, on account of al
hahSes niaoe 70 q contractor for work done in
ssains and graveling certain streets. / am
kteuneo tnat committee has been authorized
70 De appointed oy your Board to examine into
knese charges, and beg leave to express the
nope that full and free in vestigatIon may be
A., ane tnat with the least possible delay
Aho oeg leave further 70 state that, In my
opinion, instead OF suffering loss by reason Of
my action in regard to the matter. 1t will be
iound tnat the eorporation has been the gamer
70 very large amount. Let the matter be
prooed TO the bottom, however, i want NO
.'whitewas hing" but q searching in nyestiR Ration
into everything connected with his or any other
case where my official action has been in Vol we'd
very respectfully, 5. ]. BOWEN, Mayor
heierred 10 the special committee on the su b.
Jeet, when said committee shall be appoieted
ne Cnair Mr. Baker, Vice President of ths
Board subsequently announced as the sneciaI
ommlttee 10 Investigate the charges made
against Mayor Bowen by MT John ii. Crane,
& .se 1l missioner OF the Fourth Ward, Messrs.
ConnoIly, Chase and Emory
Mr Moore who made the motion for the
appointment of the committee) said he felt
snaef ooilsaiions TO the Char tor not putting
Always 70 put the mover on the committee, aud
ss chairman OF the same. He did not make
tnIs statement from any desire to serve on the
eommiiiee, but since the Mayor has said in his
Communication that ne does not want any
.wnltewasning' committee, the action of the
Char looked Al least suspicious He objected
10 the Ice President of the Board making the
appointments when the President of the Board
lMr. Croker was present The rules of tn,
Board required tnat the President should have
made the announcement
ha VIA rolu
me matter; yet, while he could not say wori
against May or Bowen, he did not approve the
seiecuon OF mem oers OF the committee entirely
from tne ranks of the dominant party II
would only be just that the minorliy should
oe represented As Republican, he shrank
from NO responsibility, and hoped the other
tigation
The Chair said there were other Republicans
equally as conscientious and Just as the gentle
men Who had spoken, and the COMMITTEES wouId
nnquestionabIy fulfil honestIy and fairly the
dutv assigned them.
Mr.. Moore considered the Appointments as
% msae % me CnaIr scheme to smother investi-
sauon- He did not desire TO have the charges
sustained, but inasmuch as thew have besn
Ihaoe ana tne Mayor in vites the closest exami-
nanon OF ms omcial conduct, he wanted the
mater shteo Ior the honor OF the Corporation
AZ was no trining thing for the chef ofYicer of
tne cltv OF Washington to be CHARGED win
eoIusion with contractors, Heretofore the
cry nao borne good name, as good as auy
municipality in the country, and be wanteS
tnat name preserved. But would the peonIs
nave any confidence In q committee composed
rage on parliamentary proceediuss. and he
AGAIN objected 10 the constitution OF the com.
mittee as announced.
NI. Emery declined TO serve, for the charge
would certainly be made that the report was
one.slded, If the committee remained as an
nounced and IT would appear better TO have a
Democrat on the committee
Mr.. .Moore.-You certainly do not refer ts
line Whis. "'-Ai"ass an old
Mr.. Emery asked that he be excused from
Mr.. Chase thought the imputafion made nv
tne Alderman from the Fourth Ward came in
PAD taste; for he certainly knew. from his ex-
IerIesee on previous committees, that be TMr.
Cnase) would not fail TO DO his duty. He had
served ON a joint COMMITTEES appointed for a
sImllar purpose, and although the evidence
did not hesitate 10 report as be did. ae.Inst hin
Lnere was no embarrassing" in that commit
Mr.. Crocker defended the action of the Chair
and stated that he was not present when m,
original motion was mad, and therefore knew
nothing Of the csnmittee TO be appointed.
M; Moore said tina. since the Alderman from
me second ward (Mr. Chase) had made the
issue, he would remind him that he held several
omces which certainly brought him in To inti
mate contact with the Mayor. or course. he
did not say this would influence him: hut
would the people b. satisfied!
Mr. Chase denied that he was under any
personal obligations to the Mayor. and said he
neld mis- position Independent OF the friend.
ship or sanction Of the Mayor.
Mr Cnamplon- of the Sixth Ward, said he
wac NOT sausned with the composition of the
com mittee- He had read the charges, and now
ne wanted 70 know the truth. For that reason
he wanted the members OF the COMMITTEES 10
represent beth sides of the Board and therefore
hoped the gentleman from the Fourth Ward
lMr. Emery would be excused from serving.
ana another member appointed, a. that seemed
10 oe the wish Of the Board.
Tne Chair said that be knew of no reason for
making change. II was important that the
fourth ward should be represented, since the
charges came from the Commissioner of that
waId Inc gentlemen were well known, and
thelr honesty OF purpose In the report they
would make.
Mr., Emery repeated his reasons for no,
wishing TO serve. and said t was for the
Board TO say whether he should be excused or
not.
The Board agreed to excuse Mr.. Emery. and
ne M CnaI appointed Mr Morsell, who declined.
Ar. Champion was then appointed, and the
COMMITTEES now stands: Messrs. Connolly
Chase and Champion.
Mr.. Moore asked the Chair If he had not
repeatedly said II was important that tine
Fourth Ward should be represented on the
committee
The Chair.-I did sayn
Mf Moore, (sneeringly.)-Say il again, that
we may be sure you said it, i ike TO expose
such trieksters.
The subject was then dropped.
n
munIcation from the Mayor stating that the
statement OF the account Of the FIRST National
Bank OF Washington with the Corporation had
not been received from the bank for the week
ending this day The Mayor adds s.The DIS
oprsements, however, have been very lig ht for
the past week, and a statement would show
Serv little change in the financial condition of
the Corporation" Ordered 70 be printed ON the
journal
Also, communication from the Mayor
transmitting the summary statement of the
receipts OF the Water Registrars once during
the month OF August showing receipts as fol-
lows; On account of water tax, 81 sos a.: water
rents, SCI 6's taps and permits, S2U2; total
fi,E3O- Ordered 10 be printed in the journal
Several com munIcatons were received from
tne surveyor IN answer 10 resolutions of this
Board. One stating that the footways on Oh
street east, between MASSACHUSETTS avenue and
b street north, are laid about eighteen inches
above the established grades; one submitting
estimate Of cost Of grading Massachusetts ave.
nue., rom New Jersey avenue 10 18th street
east, Ssa5o %, grayeling same, sI7.O7z IS; one
submitting estimate or the amount of grayeling
ttn street west 10 the western line of 10th street
wes', at is s62 q square yards; referred to Com.
mittee on Improvements.
Severai bills from the lower board were re.
ieHeo Council Joint resolution authorizing
the Mayer 70 compile and publish $50 copies
OF all the laws enacted by the Sixty.sixth
Council, In pamphlet form, was debated at
Length, and rejected on the second reading
MI. Stewart introduced the following
. oereas the late market master for the Cen
ire Market, MI. Joseph Gerhardt, has failed
to make his full returns TO the City Register,
as tne law requires, and as there seems 70 be
some discrepancy in the accouuts of the said