Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-04
FORTY SECOND CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
WEDNESDAY, December I.

absence OF the wee President Mr., Anthony
was selected president pro tenn.
On motion OF Mr.. Cameron TIE Senate then
ad burned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
mediately after the reading OF the journal, Mr..
Roosevelt N. W offered a resolution reclting
mat whereas by the act Of May 5, 1872, il was
THE DEBT bF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
should at no time exceed the sum OF ten millions
OF dollars, that the committee on the District OF
Columbia be directed TO ascertain and report
what the present liabilities, including the liza
bilities of the board Of public works are, and
what sum will be required to complete the
work undertaken by the board of public works.
Mr.. Dawes Mass suggested that the latter
part of the resolution be omitted, il would
involve lengthy investigation, aud it was of
na ture that could only be based upon estimates.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the work contemplated
| would constitute a part of the District The
streets had been torn up and left in a condition
that made the work necessary TO be done.
| Mr.. Dawes said it was easy to ascertain the
| Liabilities of the District, but to learn hew far
| the work had progressed and how economical
done was not as readily ascertsined. 1t would
| involve
AN INQUIRY INTO ALL rHK WORK DONE.
MIR. Roosevelt said the board had given out q
portion of the work by contract, and was doing
| others by days work, and the Information me-
cessary could readily be obtained.
| Mr.. Starkweather Conn.,, chairman of the
| committee on the District, said that the first
| part OF the resolution objectional, but the
| latter part would involve much labor. Ii was
| easy TO ascertain by reference to the published
| report what the present debt was, but as TO
| what was required to make the impro vements
| in the course of the next year nobody could tell
| now. The gentleman could get the exact in
| formation by reading the reports before Con.
| gress. 1T there was any doubt upon the indebt-
edness 1t would be proper subject Tor inquiry.
| The inquiry proposed would involve a larger
| amount of work than could he done by the com
| mittee this session. The committee could not
| tell what Congress would do. The committee
| on appropriations had had before them this
morning the Governor OF the District, the mem
| relation to
| THE AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE DISTRICT.
| and they were invited To DE there again to- NOR
row morning in relation to appropriations to
| Tighten the burden OF the District. In the late
| investigation the petitioners had been repre-
| scented by counsel, and had taken up weeks OF
| time before the committee. The report OF the
| committee had been laid before the House aud
the committee and the board OF public works
| were willing TO stand by that report, and were
| ready to go before the committee on approUri-
| atoms. He did not wish TO shut ont any light
| upon the subject, but there had been a thor
| ough investigation, and the result was before
the House. The committee on appropriations
| was now engaged in an inquiry as TO
| WHAT SHOULD BR DONE FOR The DISTRICT,
| II this inquiry was ordered there was no.
time this session to complete il. The board of
public works knew what had been done and
what the expenses were, and were now before
| the committee on aspirations, which had looked
| the subject over The resolution would pre-
| cipitate upon the committee on District OF Co
lumbia an amount OF work that would do no
| good. He hoped the gentleman would with
| draw the latter part OF the resolution.
| MI Roosevelt said that was precisely what he
desired to accomplish. Ii was necessary that
the committee on appropriations should know
what WAS only known by the board OF public
| works. he wanted the House TO know that he
felt satisfied that the work undertaken by the
| board of public works could not be paid for
with less sum than twenty millions of dollars
de made this statement as a member OF the
| committee on District Columbia having attended
regularly at the investig CATION, and with all the
information from outside that he conld obtain
When the board OF public works came here
| asking Tor million and half it was but flea
bite compared with what would hereafter be
called Tor. With authority to expend four
| millions OF dollars, they had undertaken the
expenditure Of twenty millions. They had
| disregsrded law and their own plan OF
improvements, in some cases expend.
ing twenty times their own estimates.
The District legislature had made appropria-
tons :or work. and the board had gone far i'm
excess OF 1t. In one case $50 ,OD0 had been an
| propriated, and the board had increased the
expenditure to $4,000. For the eth street road
$500 had been appropriated, and The board
had expended -, 600; bat he would tell gentle
men that the Improvement would cost sl6J,OOO
for five miles OF country road.
Mir. Starkweather (interrupting) said no
would not object to reference Of the resclu-
ton.
MIR. Roosevelt said he did not desire to have it
coyeredu up. Every word in the minority report
OF the investigation and every prediction made
there had proven true. The board of public
works had not complied with the Law or with
their own contracts. He would state that more
fagrant violation OF the laws Of the District OF
Columbia and OF the organic act could not be
perIetrated. The law provides that the money
snail be drawn from the treasury Of the Distric,
by warrant upon the District treasurer an Off
Ger who was responsible for all OF his acts
Inc board had, without any authority OF law,
save the law OF necessity, and without apy
precedent, appointed one Of its own member.
as treasurer OF the board, and had drawn ont
the whole tour millions, placing it in the hands
warrants upon this officer, unrecognized by
law, instead of the treasurer of the District on
Columbia; so that there was no record anv-
where of what had been paid out
Mr.. Roosevelt continued, claiming that the
BOARD mad exceeded in expenditures the limit
fixed to the debt of the District of Columhia
and SAID that he wanted the committee on ap,
ptoprlatlons TO know exactly what they were
doing. S
Mr.. Starkweather moved the reference of the
on q division.
The yeas and NAYS were then demanded.
MI Roosevelt said he wanted the House TO
understand that by reference OF this resolu-
aiOn 10 inc committee 1t would be etfectuslly
Mr.. Starkweather said nobody wanted 70 do
that. There was nothing TO investigate.
nays91.
THE VOTE IN DETAIL
III.
chsrd. Burdett, Butler of Tennessee, Clarke OoSh-
Ian, Conger, Cotton, CrOcker, Dawes. Dtckey Don
nan, Duell, Fans, Esty, FarwelI, Foster OF Ohio
Eos er Of Michigan, Frye. Garfield, Hale HarmeT
Ravens, Hawley OF Illinois, Hszelton of New Jer,
sey, HOar, oughton, Kelley, kellogg, Kstchsm
Lsmport, Lansing, Lowe, Maynard, Mcirew,
Mcyupkin, Monroe, l.. Myers, Negley Orr
Pack ard, Packer, Palmer, Parker OF no Peck
Pendleton, Perce, Peters, Plat, Poland, Porter
y. H. Roberts, Sargent, Sessions, Sheliabsrser
shoemaker. Smith Of New York, Smith of Ohio
enspp, Starkweather, Steughton, Sicwell Tbomas
Townsend OF Pa, TwitcheI, Tyner, u psop, WAKE,
m ~ T:S Msl.ce Wheeler Whitley, and Williams
NAys-Messrs. Acker, Amber, Ames, Archer.
Arthur, Barber, Barnum, Beatty, Beck Of Ky,
Bell, Blair Of Mich, Boles, Braxtop, BRIGHT
Srook Cobb, Coburn, Comingo, Cox, Crebs, Grit
cher Crossland Davis, Dox, DuBose, Duke, Dun
nell, Ely, Finkelnburg, 0etZ, 0iddinss Haidemsn,
Hancoet, Hsndley. Hanks. Harper, Harris Of
LIS Harris OF Va, HEREFORD, Hstndon, Hibbard,
Holman, Kerr, killinger. Lannson, Manson, Ec,
Heiland, Mccormick: noHenry, Mckee, Merriam,
s sssf psrks 81 shi3er'i ,ateasl, horS.R
hssd l ntSs Sf ky2 HtShie, Reoseyet, Husk Saw
Stsysns' Steysnson, Stekm, ewann, Tafs, Tsrry'
W WE'LL; w T,InR Xaughsn, T;adeA. w.idsn,
winchester, Wood and YounR-9l N'
The resolution Was then adopted.
ANTHorY Rue, the conductor who was held
responsible by the coroners Jury for the late
railroad accident on the Philadelphia and Balti-
more railroad, near Ellerslie, gave bail on