Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-11-09

the way PTsposi If ie wcr, = let ths contract for
n"ua haNe To Pay r each street separately. which
The srriI ii tie Mayor. dealings with respect to
h;se 9 nsraets, gr % shs eon;rset,is revealed in
dicted by s.y oiher part Of his testimony nor nv the
fesJn.n' =. any other witness. but il corrnbora.ef
tain b 18th parties 10 the INV estisation; aud in no
sng, instance throughout the entire investigation
had been Influenced by metiS es Of eapdity or sesS
ness IN the ard II this or any other contract The
The before the signing thereof Of the
age psied and recited in the above quoted testi-
his rusi Wholly n conflict with the Charge q fraud
against the city preferred against him by the same
n the Z. q ss 90 .s
pect to its fulhllment accorde with this assumption
with him john crsne n relation I" be
X street north and First, aud Streets, eeneraiiy
and to Sy Mr. Crane as the 0Brns
conversations with Mr. Crane in regard to his diff
crt,es and the Mayor he stated to me before these
| know-as an .evidence Of what he regarded as the
into hs head he ESns en- to M III
he had just been called in to give his opinion TO be
gard to Contract between SBeirne and GleasoS
me sad thar contract was very hard one for the
by which the Mayor might let those men up; but he
found he had got good contract for the city, and he
could that the result Of Il that these
tractors are going to ruin That is the substance Of
What haSe " foand the fe', Mayor $
To DE in reat9n to transactng business CONNECTED
my observation in regard to that has been limited
do not know as | am capable of giving anything but
q. From your observation? 4. The result of my
otse alton has been that the Mayor is disposed to
in regard to hard contracts or not do not know
@ What disposition has he manifested, as far as
con oh afinni latte,
,.eeting the interests of the cityr A. think the
MaySSr IL rss I yigilsnt in that Es,pset
dirnsfsng officer Of the CorporatiGnoirom the in
An EFFORT has been made to show that Mr. Donoy ar
h. That thu asoST knew or III
know that subsequently, several persons; uniting in
could affect the character OF the transaction as
IT, warrant the ssssnR9R q the or Of
veyor. or by, either Of them. A business arrange
mtn OF this character not necessarily either frand
at the time office holders under and in the re-
iation 81 contractors with the corporation. Partner
ship relations, whether silent active, in the bust
ness of digging, cartng and Qraveing are as legiti
mate as IN any business Of tradn trafickin and
Others bonds cannot be considered as necessarily
pteJadiclai to the public welfare, each person what
responsibility he formally assumes INV
Much testimony was produced before the com
pnder consideration awarded to the lowest
n,gder Is not necessary for ,hs yindieaton Of the
was the duty Of the Mayor, the exercise Of the dis
creton that usage has sanctioned. and that is fully
May "a i53 to enter into contract upon such terms
as wond best promote the interests of the city, and
beavers this hich However, this eom mi tt
does not believe other evidence than that furnished
would he requisite to prove n fraudulent purpose,
and especially when the terms Of the contract, by
him prescribed, are manifestly and confessediy 90
severe and exactilg in their effect upon the con
tractor as to excite the indignation of those by
whom he has been denounced.
wholly inexcusable.' based upon payment. by the
1sS, .or portions OF work in pr2gress under con
especially Of MIR. klopfer. peculiarly intelligent
ana rte"ee'ab'e wtness-to the effect that partial
Completed, hale haSitnay been m~: =: by success.
sion Of the Mayors Of Washington In Srds, ma.
osr PeIroIi than large espsts night h r. gssSe
relation to the subject of improv for which
that Relating e paved footwass does not require the
signature of the ward commissioner, but requires
with the consent oi the Mayor tSee the act above
cited, sections 2, and A.
tract r a mot ae sap e ~ vi, 5
mon Goucil, communicated to and adopted by that
"YourSomnttee further report that the work has
not been .unpleted according to contract, in this:
to te proper idth, or graded to the proper depth.
and IN many places the streets are below Gas well as
account OF the present unfinished condition of the
answered. until the WORK i CO eo%pleted properly
Your committee further report that advances have
cash and csrtifoate for S3S This certificate il
r nsa s ~ loan ma TT s 9s s secu
An estimate OF the amount OF work performed,
m"nts being made shows thai the city Would be- Ins
tined in adv ancing sI2OUJ the contract. The
labor peri@re amounts to much more than the adj
vance. made. and the city is in danger vi suffering
m a. fhsErn rn nf nrn mr.
Ne ther re report that no money has been
paid upon contract without warrant or authority Of
In conclusion, your committee recommend the
following resolutions to tile consideration VI the
R.soirca, That the Hon. sayles J. Bowen, Mayor
Siiences nor q any Of the oinces charged againss
him by John ii Crane. late Commissioner Of In
Resoirsd, That Charles II. Bliss, Esq, late Sur
yeyor Of the city Of ashington, and Superin-
tendent Of Streets and Sewers. has not been proven
charged against him 10y John II. Crane, late Com
Kesoired, That the extraorinary license given by
the Investigating Committee to the enemies Of the
testimony against him. public officer as pr-
waite citizen and honest and moral man, LA. re-
Of this Board in sli these relations and in reL%Iing
the envy and malisnty Of his revilcrs.
THoMAs C. CONNOLLY,
WN. II CHASE, Committee.
Mr.. Moore stated that he had no objection to
i
the journal, and its consideration postponed, as
he might wish to make some remarks Oh il at a
future meeting, after he had read the evidence.
Mr.. Champion said Ii would he noticed that
his name did not appear on the report, and he
would now state wherein he differed from the
committee. The committee from this Board
was peculiarly situated. He briefly stated their
position during the investigation, and the length
Of time 1t had taken, and said that he was pres
ent every night but two and had listened atten-
lively to the evidence, which, in his opinion,
concfusiyely proved that the contract was not
let to the lowest bidder, and that all the money
paid out was paid contrary to the provisions of
the contract There were other Irregularities
proved, in his opinion, which he did not care to
notice. He could not agree with the report, but
had not had time since he was informed OF the
| conclusions of the majority, to write out mi
nOrity report.
| Mr.. Moore moved to print the report and post
| pOne its consideration, as he had not Yet read
l the evidence. This report eXcupated the Mayor,
| and therefore inculpated the dismissed Commits
| sOner (Cranel, who made the charges He hoped
l time would be given for members to read the
report and evidence before action was taken.
Mr.. Connolly gave Mr. Champion credit for
| honesty and ure-heartedness In arriving at the
conclusions he had stated, but he Mr.. ConnOllv)
was fully satisfied that the majority report was
just. The investigation had been in progress for
\ several weeks, and portions OF the testimony adj
| verse to the Mayor had been published, and yet
1 to-day those who wish to do that officer Justice
and who believe In his integrity, are in greater
| strength than at any time since he was first as