Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-04
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.
Proceeding before the Hsase Com.
mittee To-day.


morning before the House Committee on the
District of Columbia. Mr.. Chandler, counsel
for the District government, having gone to his
home in New Hampshire TO take part in the
campaign in that state, Samuel l.. Phillips,
Esq., OF this city, appeared before the commit
tee to-day and conducted the examination on
the part Of the District government. Mr.. Rid
die appeared again for the mem0rislists and
conducted the case on their part.
PERSONAL ExPLASATIoS By Mr.. GREEN
Mr.. Green ask ed the indulgence OF the com
mittee to make q statement persona, to himself,
and said that on Friday last member of the
ture re- The order for the board of experts was
obtained frauduiently. SO far as that assertion
touched him (Green) personally, he reserved
his reply until another time and place but so far
10 affected the interests of his ellie ats, he felt
IL his duty to reply to il now. The memorialists
wanted the board OF experts appointed by the
committee 10 report upon the manner in which
proceedings of the Board of Public Works were
secret, and it was absolutely necessary that the
memorialists should have the information, in
rialsts therefore asked for the order of February
Sd, and he Dir. Green) drew it upin perfect
good faith, and precisely as he understood 1t
should be drawn. 1t never occurred to him that
Mr.. Williams would sign the order without it.
The proper course was for Mr.. w. to correct the
order or 70 return it to him Mr.. g. for cOrrec
ton, ii he objected to IL. The plans, specifica-
tions and contracts of the Board Of Public
Works were not private papers, anG he only pro-
posed by the order that the experts should have
a fair opportunity TO examine them. On behalf
of his clients he repealed Mr.. Williams charges
OF fraud, and asked leave to enter this protest on
the record.
Mr.. Cotton.-The question is, Fir. Green, did
the committee authorize this order?
MIR. Green.-I certainly understood so.
Mr.. Williams The peint 1 made was that the
order contained authority not given by the
committee. i understood that the committee
would authorize board of experts TO measure
certain work, and supposed that Gr. Green
drew up the order in accordance herewith.
There were no matters before the committee
about examining books and papers.
MIR. Green.-It Is impossible for experts to ex-
ANIME work intelligently without having the
took it for granted that they would be allowed
to examine them.
Mr.. Eldridge.-Did you senu experts yourself?
MIR. Green.-I did not. They were sent by the
Mr.. Eldridge.-Ihe latter part of the order
certainly was not authorized by the committee.
Dir. Green asked for the contracts in reference
TO the canal.
Nr. Phillips said he did not know that they
were wanted this morning, but he would GER
tainly have them here tomorrow.
MIR. Green said the most important documents
in reference to the canal had been kept from
them.
Mr. Phillips said he had just come into the
case, and therefore was not familiar with it,
but he certainly would furnish any informa-
ton desired so soon as he could after being
asked for it.
MT. EI0rlOge.-NOw, MT. Green, suppose We
60 on with the testimony; We spent all the meet
ing before the last in hearing statements of
counsel, therefore i am oppos j to more time
being taken up in this way.
ember of the hoard of experts he called upon
the chief clerk in the engineers Office for the
grades of certain streets, and the chief clerk
replied that he had been instructed not to give
those grades.
MIR. Starkweather.-we will have him sent
for. Every day it is said here somebody fails to
who fail to furnish matters brought here
Mr.. Phillips, on behalf OF the Board Of Public
Works, said he was ready to furnish every par
tieie of Information in their possession, if the
memOrialists would only specify what they
wanted
DR.. W. II. Collins, sworn.-Is editor and pro-
prietor OF the Grand Army Journal; had done
advertising for the District government, [wit
ness produced schedule OF bills for advertising,
amounting to s2,15s.l4;l published the adyer-
.isemen.s by authority OF Gov. Cooke. |.
By Mr.. FL iridge:-Witness' paper advocated
the present form of government and improve
ments before getting the advertisements, charg-
ed for the advertise ments at the regular rates; |
no deductions were made from his bill; receiv-
ed his money from the controller in pursuance
of an appropriation by the District legislature;
the appropriation mentioned something over
count of some of the bills being duplicated:
when the bills were audited the duplicates were
found, which reduced the amount; the dupl- .
Gates got in the account by error.
By Mr.. Harmer:-The agent for the paper,
John l.: Glenn, called upon Gov. Cooke and So
Hcited the adver tisement.
James T.. Harley, sworn:-Was edter OF the
Patriot last fall; left the paper in September
last,
Q.-Sre you willing to state to the committee
whether you lett il on account OF disagreement
with other kholders in reference to the course
70 be pursued in regard to the Board Of Public
Works?
A.-Had no disagreement on that subject; was
uncontrolled by any body in what he did; was
president of the association; there was no divi-
siOn OF opinion among the stockholders up to
the time witness lett; witness wrote an article
just before he left in opposition to the general
system OF improvements; day or two before he
left the paper the first advertisement from the
District government was brought in; wit
ness interest in the paper was sold to Gen.
Jeffries, who succeeded as editor OF the paper;
the stockholders held meeting in November
and superseded the trustees who were in with
witness.
By Mr.. Riddle.-Witness remained in the
Office on the night before his ithdrawal to see
that the article he wrote against improvements
should be published; did not wish to cast any
iEsinuatioDs upon his successor though; VIM. NJ.
Tweed never attic mpted to exercise any innu-
ence as to the course of the pcper.
BY Mr.. Phillips:-Witness retired from the
paper in September; was present at the annual
meeting of the stockholders in November; held
two shares in the paper now, In trust for another
was not at liberty to say for whose benefit those
shares were held; did not know
THE POLICY OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
in making improvements; thought in this CITY,
with limited population and limited wealth,
the expenditures should be qua, ded; the OF sn-
ing of the roads upon the extreme circumfer-
ence of the town was uncalled for until after the
great central thorou2hfares should be repaired.
Q.-DOes not produce from the surrounding
country come in over those roads?
Alt does partially, but 500 would have
put 1th-street road in a passable condition;
thought the Board OF Public Works incompe-
tent to the great task of improving this city;
condemned the partisan appointments of the
Council and Board of Public Works, because il
had been stated that the new District govern
ment would be nOn-partisan.
By Mr.. Eldridge:-Witness understood that
the new government would do away with the
negro government, which lad ruled the city;
the legislature OF the new government was most
CisgTaceful; judged so from their proceedings;
had heard one or two members of the Board of
Public Works called democrats, but supposed
they were called democrats as Tammany repub-
licans were called republicans; had seen great
payements in Europe, there. ore thought
TIE PAYMENTS HERE WERE BAD,
especially that on 18th street; thought the pave
ment IN front of the Arlington better than those
IN PAris; witness had been employed as counsel
by Mr.. Scharf, the asphalt pavement man; in
Paris the attritioD ofthe wheels on the pavemepts
produced rapid disintregation; no memi er of the
Board OF Public Works or the District govern
ment had ever applied to witness to change the
course OF the Patriot one OF his great Objections
was that the Board of Public Works had under-
taken this great system without conference W tn
the tax-payers; supposed they would usa hoth