Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-27
CORPORATION AFFAIRS.

Corporation AFFAIRS.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN, April %, 1s6e.-Ths
Chair laid before the Board q communication
from tbe Mayer announcing his approval OF
severa lacts WATCH originated in tins Board
Also, communication from the Mayor trans
mIttlng a statement of the account OF the Cor
poration with the First National Bank OF
washington OF this date, april 10y as follows
City OF Washington, ID. G., in account with
First National Bank of Washington, u. G.:
Dr.-General Fund. s55,iI76 Special Fund,
50, "a i3; Seventh Ward, al $50 22 School Fund,
S63.751.lS; Surplus, S233 65; Balance S3I,736 20:
Total, s169, ,3uS.l2. CA. q. Hail. Collector,
si6,s73 20; Redemption Fund, iSI6769s Water
Tax. S21,92U.9I; Second Ward, Sl1, 40 46 Third
Ward, S2I.i45.99; Fourth Ward, S2l.5O3 81:
Fifth Ward, S7,30.l3; Metropolitan Police,
S.,6sI -; school Sch House Fund, s29,391.2I; Gas
Fund 80 20; Total, Sl67, sig Balan CO due
Corporation S3l, 2O. Referred 10 Finance
Committee and ordered 10 be printed.
The Mayor also enclosed the statement OF
same account Tor last week. Same reference.
A communicate lion from the Mayor was re
celNed. transmitting copy OF the following.
'ComDitttee q FtndHce, L. $, SenGts, Washington,
April ~, ls69.-AIy Dear Sir: / have received
yours OF the 10th, enclosing a resolution OF
thanks for my support OF the Railroad bill IL
the Senate. Please say 10 the Boards of Alder
men and Common Council that i appreciate
their KIND opinion, and, FOR the sake of this
city and the general develODmens OF the eoUn-
try, viii rot cease nv efforts for increased rail
road facilities until the right TO build railroads
mere rs as tree as II now is TO Cincinnati. Chi
cago, or any OF the great cities OF the United
states. very truly yours, JOHN SHERMAN.
To Hon. ; = Bowen, Mayor, &c, A." Or
dered TO be printed on the Journal.
Also, communication from the Mayor in an
swer to resolution passed by his Board, in
which he states that he knows o. no difficulty
In procuring collins for the burial of the de-
ceased poor of the city; that he mas heard
vague complaints of abuses in regard TO the
burial OF such poor, but has been unable to
trace the complaints to any reliable source;
drraQEpmoutS lar
ward; A. z ueen, I'd; H. A. Jackson, Sd; Essex
ROBERTS, ith; q. Z. Zurhorst. 5th ana 9Th; and
Heoige S Berry, TN, for furn; shng collins for
rate OF Ss.15 each. A postscript to this COM
munlcatIon says: "Since the foregoing wa-
written L have received the inclosed communi-
catlon from Mr. ii. a. jackson. undertaken for
the Third Ward, which NAV explain the cir.
ferred to-
The enclosed communication from H. A.
jackson stated. in reference TO a child he was
called on TO bury, that the interment was en-
trusted TO his son, and TO his Mr.. J.'s) sur
why the coffin had not arrived according to
agreement, and on inquiry he found his son
at home very sick with fever, SO much SO that
he was completely deranged from the effects
OF II, and while laboring under the above,
carried the empty comm to the poorhouse,
thinking all the time il contained the body
However, he (Mr. J. Immediately purchased
a. conn at double expense, and buried the
MIR. Fenwick said that this was a very sim
guar excuse for neglect of duty. and objected
to the Mayor saying he could trace the com.
plants to no reliable source" as he (Mr Fen.
wickl had mentioned two cases of neglect to
the Mayor. The communications were or
dered printed.
A communication from the Mayor, addressed
to Major II. A. Hall, Secretary of the Board of
Alderman. was read acknowledging the re-
ceipt OF note from him enclosing COPY of
resolution passed by the Board Of Aldermen
on the 18th instant, directing the Engineer of
tha Canal to furnish the Board with informa-
ton as 10 how much OF the $3.50 appropri-
ated by the act Of April 17th, 1869, for iInprov-
ing the canal. has been expended on the work
so authorized by that act how much has been
expended on the canal for other purposes, and
what amount of revenue has been derived
from the canal since the lst Of july 1865:
also, what repairs may be required al
this time TO put the canal IN a good
sanitary condition. The Mayor says:-:You
request me TO forward said resolution TO the
officer II is designed to reach, If there be such
an officer under the Corporation. BY reference
70 tne enclosed communication it will be seen
tnat NO such officer is recognized by the Cor
poraiion, and that consequently the resolutions
cannot be delivered. 1t is therefore returned
i neteWhn. Inc enclosures were two notes OF
the Mayor addressed TO Il. Severscn, Esq The
nrst is dated Dec. 81, 1S6S. The Mayor SAYS to
Mr. 5. therein: sit being the opinion of the
corporation Attorney, as well as my own that
does not legally exist, feel il my duty TO no.
thy Won that no payment can be made for yJur
services, either IN the future OF in the mast
unless II be ordered by the City Councils"
The second &c closure is dated April 9TH IS;g
IN which the Mayor says TO MIR. Seyerson:
"Haylng been informed that you still claim To
noid position under the Corporation which
You sometimes designate as Engineer of the
Washington Canal and again as Engineer in
Charge of the Canal Improvement this IS 10
inform you that your services in any capacity
whatever are not req ured or recognized by the
city authorities, and that If you hold any posi-
uon such as you now claim, you are hereby
removed therefrom."
A long and sharp debate ensued; MIR. Moore,
MT. Fenwick and MIR. McCathran censuring
the Secretary Of the Board fof sending the res
oluhon to the Mayor instead OF to MIR. Sever
son; and Mr.. Croclzer defending the Mayor
and the Secretary OF he Board.
During the debate Mr. Moore said that reso-
lutions OF inquiry should be sent direct to the
oh1cer OF the Corporation from whom the
information rs equired, and not communicated
through another officer who il might be was
affected or compromised by the very informa-
uon sought TO be obtained. He did not chargs
that il was so in this case.
Mr.. MCCathran censurad both the Mayor
and the Secretary OF the Board. and stated that
according 10 MIR. Severson's book there was
more than S26,67i.91 yet unex pended of the APP
preparation OF S75,OO0 referred to in the resolu-
ton OF inquiry, 10 which should be added a
claim of Peter Mcnamara, which the Auuit-
ing Committee rejected, of 500. Had this S27,-
ga VI been expended; and if SO, where and for
what purpose 1t certainly had not been ex-
pended on the canal. Ii there had been an eff
foTt 10 oVerrule the action OF majority OF this
board by the minority outside OF The board. il
did not reflect much credit on those concerned
Mr.. Crocker warmly defended the Mayor for
MS course in the matter, contending that Mr.
Severson was not a legal officer OF the Corpo-
ratlon, and If he thought he was entitled TO
pay for his services, let him go TO the courts
One cour, bad already thrown his claim out,
and virtually decided against IT. The courts
were the proper tribunals to decide this ques-
tlon. Hr. T.. also defended the Secretary OF the
Beard Tor sending the resolution 10 Mr.. Sever
son through the Mayor.
Mr.. Richards said he would like TO be inform
Ell how Mr. Severson would know what
amount OF the appropriation was unexpended
TWAS matter he had no control OF, but the
Canal Board. If that Board has not been in
Office since lst6, then Mr.. Seyerson has not
been IN office since 1856. Why call on Mr. Sew
erscn, who only drew his salary from the
Mayor. The Mayor was the proper officer to
call on fer information as there was ne Ion ger
Canal Board. One thing he could say and
that was that il there was any OF the appropri.
ation LETT when Mayor Bowen came into the
ONCE all OF II unexpended would be found in
the Treasury. Mr.. Richards then said that the
Secretary had done just right, not knowing that
there was such an ofiicer OF the Corporation as
"Englneer OF the Canal to send the resolu.
uon 10 the Mayor for transmission. He could,
properly, only do that or return the resolution
70 tnis Board Tor information as to the officer
designated.
Mr.. McCathran replied to Mr.. Richards, and
used the term "numskull'' in speaking of
him. when he was promptly called to ORDER
by Mr.. Richards, who said he would not be
in bo hnQY