Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-25
THE CENTER MARKEr-HOUSE IN
yESTIGATION.


This morning the Investigation into the affairs
Of the Market-house Company by Mr.. Davis,
of the House of Delegates, was
continued in the legislative committee rooms,
and Mr.. Moses Kelly testified that one-half of
the stock, 10000 shares at $50, had been taken,
and the stockholders had nearly all come up and
taken the remaining half. On the. 10th of
January last letter was addressed to each of
the stockholders OF record, stating that il had
been voted to issue the balance of the stock and
tha they should have the preference in sub
scriSing to a proportionate amount TO their
original subscriptions. The ten per cent on the
original subscription has already been paid in.
He regarded the balance of the stock as sub
scribed for virtually. The certificates had not
been issued therefor. The money was in bank,
with the exception of what had been disbursed.
There had been
NO WATERING OF STOCK,
and there couldn't be any watering without his
knowledge. Mr.. Kelly submitted a list of stock
holders, with the number OF shares subscribed
by each, and in reply to Mr.. Davis stated that
he subscribed originally to 500 shares, but had
disposed of all but 3 to some of our best citizens,
for the purpose Of strengthening the company.
scribed by citizens of the District of Columbia
without inspecting the list
After looking over the list he stated that there
sEvENTY-EIGHT STOCKHOLDERS,
Of which sixiy-one are residents Of the District,
to the best of his knowledge, and he thought
they owned a majority of the stock. OF the
$4,000 originally paid in, $50, 22O.22 had been
disburSed, about two-thirds OF which he thought
might be classed as expended for temporary
work. There were some bills unadjusted, ON
which advances had been paid. There had been
no money deposited TO the credit of the COM
paBy. He had no information as to the money
paid to the corporation, which was an entire
In answer to Mr.. Ordway, Mr.. Kelly stated
that MIR. Ordway had borrowed two sums of
5000 from the bank to pay to the corporation
foI the relief OF the poor, which had been re-
Mr.. Kelly submitted the following
LIST OF oFFIcEEs
of the company III. ID. Cooke, president: G..
Cusl ing, ii. s. Davis, NJ. g. Emery, A. r. SRep-
herd, n. G.. Ordway, s. 8. Smoot, III. Van Ar
nam, John Roach, +. A. Hildreth, 4. K. Tinker,
II. c. Connolly, W. T.. Chandler, directors; B.
ID. Whitney, secretary; and Moses Kelly, treas
urer.
THE BRICK QUESTION.
Mr.. Thomas Lewis testified that the condition
Of the brick market was such that bricks could
have been procured.
Mr.. Ordwsy asked II this was to contradict
Mr.. Cluss, and stated that that gentleman's
Congressional committee arrived at a conclusion
abou the last Of May.
Mr. Cluss said that his testimony was that
when the brick work was given cut the yards
generally were depleted, and that the contract
was made about the 18th Of May.
Mr.. Lewis said he could have put mp the It'll
street wing since the 18th of May. If he had
made the contract last fall, he could have nearly
completed the Two wings.
Mr.. Davis asked Mr.. Ordway if they could not
have gone on without submitting to the COM
mission
THE CHANGE OF PLAN.
MI Ordwsy said they might have done so, but
the butchers and others complained that they
did not want business houses in the building.
The change was made in the interests OF the
dealers and the citizens, and not for the purpose
OF money making for the company.
MT. Lewis continued, saying that he was bid
der " tn Mr.. Angus, and 1t was reported and he
under stood he was
- THE LOWEST BIDDER,
but he was not certain of il. He thonght that
he had been treated scaly, and therefore
had not paid much attention TO the affairs of
sS%panGY d ds s, s IN the
had any trouble in getting the bricks.
Mr.. Ordway cross-examined Mr.. Lewis, who
stated that he understood there was lower bid
than his, which was withdrawn. Witness did
bid.
BY Mr.. Davis--The lowest bidder was a Mr..
III luton, builder.
By Mir. Ordway:-Mr. Cluss subsequently,
wrote witness letter requesting him to bid
again, but he did not do so. Understood that
there had been change in the plan by reports.
Thought his bid was about SIS per thousand.
Witness bid tor the building, and after they had
given Mr.. Emery the contract for the founda-
Jon which he had bid for, he did not think that
they treated him right. He did not remember
having proposed TO Emery and Brother to 10
part of the work, that If they did not bid for the
whole building and he succeeded in obtaining
Question Have you ever put up building
in which were ,2OO, 600 brick in six weeksP
Answer NO, sir; but have in forty DAYS put
up a building in which 1 got pay for 3,7OO,OOO
brick. Such a building as the 9Th street wing
could, II necessary, be put up in twenty days.
III the building is completed in seventy days it
would be done in reasonable time.
By MI Dayis:-Toput up building in a short
time, II was necessary To have the control of
everything about the building.
BY Mr.. CluSs 1t is best to build high walls
WI laff out Of H..
plans there was greater reason Tor building
slowly.
TIE BRICKLAYER's UNION.
Mr.. ClusS read a statement that his testimony
was TO the effect that the contract was given to
eolored man; that the pressed brick kept him
back, for the rsd brick work If being done by
colored hands, who stand outside of the Brick
layers Union, in which there are no colored
and the bricklayers who are union
men will not work with colored men; that skilled
pressed bricklayers are still more scarce out
side OF the organic alton than in, and this combi-
nation OF circumstances tended TO retard the
work materially during the last three months,
faced with pressed brick low, while raising the
others walls 20 great height, for the unequal
settlement Of the walls would have endangered
the stability OF the other walls
Mr.. Lewis answered that he was correct and
his examination continued, he stating that in
May last he keew of one lot of 500 900 bricks in
one kiln, and he could have procured sufficient
quantities near by. Witness
DOES NOT WORK CoLoRED MAsoSs;
and had he obtained the contract and put col
pred masons on the building, press-brick hands
from the Union could not have been obtained
On government work they would not be so par
ticuiar.
Mr.. Davis asked if Mr.. Ordway would sacrifice
the public interests
FOR TIE SAKE OF PRINCIPLE,
and MI OrdwRy stated emPhatically that he
would not surrender TO this prejudice, and would
go Phaladelpbia or other places for hands first
MI Lewis stated that twenty years ago he
worked on the scafiold with colored men, and
many OF these bricklayers who learned their
trades beside colored men, and work with them
In Alexandra and Fredericksburg when they
come here VIII not work with them.
Mr. JOE ANGUS
testified that he could have erected the building
IN the time specified by Mr.. Lewis. With Mr.
Lewis he bid for the work, after he had been to
New York and procured estimates OF the iron
houses Witness did not bid the second time;
' as not invited, aud proposals were not invited
illness did not know of any watering OF the
STOCK; but had understood from Judge Hughes
that he had a., 900 from the company with which
10 purchase $4,000 worth OF stock.
Question do you know Of the COMPANY yio-
ating the provisions of the charter?
Answer:-I do not, with the exception Of rails
ing the rents OF the stalls.
They awarded the stone work to a party who
was higher than witness was He believed that
ne was the lowest bidder after Mr.. Hutton had
Withdrawn his bid.
BY MI. Ordway:-witness did not have an