Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-04-12
TIE DIsIFiCT etsEFskEsT RgEsTGaTlog
Proceedings Fefore the House Com.
mittec To- day.

COUNCILMAN EATON EXAMINED.
CT p. L. EgtCn, sWCTn.-ls a m mber of the
District Council; the Board OF Public Works
has never attempted 10 exercises any influence
ever him CT CCBtIOl his juds me nj nor that OF
airy Cfler member 20 lar as witness knows;
Of The Board Of Public Works; he was not in
tavCT Of some Of the features of the first loan
bal ard 80 expressed himself; thought there
should have been mere restrictions; but no
't'It was made to control his action in the
matter; las observed the 9Th street road i'm
Prove mcpt; resided in the county and travels
over that road; that portion OF the road beyond
The city and up 10 the beginning OF the Univer-
sity Hill had been bed for several wears before
the imIFCv, ment; sufficient repairs have not
a goCd condition.
BY Mr.. Crane:-witness thought II right and
proper 10 sTtnd enough mOntO on 7th street
road 70 make II a good fhcrOughfare: frequent
" saw NJ mbers OF the Board OF Public WORKS
IN the legislative hall during the time the
S4t'"ft" loan bill was pending.
QueStCn.-Did not Governor Cooke come
there one day and iEIoTtune eye-y member
about thai bill?
Arswer-No, sir; be did not speak to me
about 10. and was one OF the members. there
fore he could rot have importuned all; did not
krow ii him importuLing any one in regard to
it. Witness never said he knew of any
corruption on the part Of members of the Dis
tTict government lin reference to the purchase OF
the SaVsg" square.
BY MIR. EIdridge:-w illness supported the loan
bin after il ECCitied upon the motion of
witness; knows The yalue of real estate in Wash
irgton; thinks the Improvements being made
hy the board have generally enhanced the value
Of II al estate from II TO 20 per cent; property
owned by witness was not assessed above its
cash value; his house cost $4,000, and the house
and ground were assessed over 5000; thought
the property worth at least Sl1 ,O00; the Freed
mems bank is assessed at O,OO0, il cost
$1,000.
BY Mr.. Crene:-Had bought claims against
the District government manager OF the
FTe6dmen's savings bank, has received the
money for them.
Mr.. 8. =. BROWN AND Mr.. THORNTON SMITH.
). r. BTCWR swOrn:--1s a member or the Board
OF Public Works; the statement OF Thornton
Snth before the committee as 20 an alleged
interview with witness was incorrect; did
not ak Thornton Smith 10 make a bid for any
pave ment; told him distinctly that ii he wanted
TO lay pavement he must make his proposition
directly TO the Board of Public Works, and not
lie impCrtUniEg him (witness) at his office; did
Lot II member OF riding in any carriage with
Thornton Smith except on one occasion, when
lie (Smith) wanted TO sell a horse to witness;
witness bought the horse, and got badly cheated;
was member of a board TO examine concrete
pave mCBtS. Witness here produced the report
Of that commission m sntiOned in TIE STAR of
yesterday
MR.. BROWN EXPLAINS HIS ACCOUNTS AS NAVY
AGENT.
Question by Mr.. ChaIder:-What is the
nature CT your accounts with the government
While you were navy agent?
ArSwer.-There is a difference between us
amounting To @5-3tI.6I, charges for discussing
extra lay and prize money, which claim to.be
due me.
The witness here read several precedents to
slow that his claim MAS just, and also produced
the report of Judge Fisher, L. ). attorney for
this District, in the case, in which Judge Fisher
says, after reviewing the case that Mr.. Brown
IS justly entitled 20 such commissions; he also
says that Mr.. Brow N acted as all honest, faithful
and efficient public officer.
Witness IesUmirg. said that the only differ
6nce between himself and the government was
IN reference to those commissions otherwise his
accounts were settled.
Ix-N hoc
TIE past five or six years 10 get his account with
the government settled; had not asked for his
salary since he was member of the Board of
Public Works; there Vas Ho deficiency OF SIS 900
charged against him.
MIR. Crane said he never charged Mr.. Brown
with being defaulter to the government. IL
was published in paper-the Cttisen-but he
tMr. Crane luew nothing about it, and made
no such charge against him.
Witness resumed:-Is engaged in contract
work with the nited States government.
Judge POland.-WeH, what of il? There is
10 disgrace in being contractor.
q-Mr. Brown. DO YOU think two members of
tie Board OF Public Works are worth
Judge POlaEd.-StOp! stopi That will not
&c; that i no evidence.
By Mr.. EldTidge Witness is neither directly
or Indirectly interested or connected with any
paving company; has no interest in furnishing
material; does not believe any member OF the
ECaId OF Public Works il interested in any con-
tract.
on THE CARPET.
A5olJ Class, -calltd:-Nhen witness meas
uTed the carpet at the Morrison building the full
ano INT claimed 10 have been furnished by the
contractor was there.
ENHANCED VALUE OF REAL ESTATE.
r. n. Ran, Te-cal!ed:-Winess has been i'm the
Il al estate business since 1858; for the past six
years real estate has been increasing III value;
Il al estate since the beginning Of the present
District government was advancing until this in
vestiEaton Mas commenced; the tendency fthe
Improvements was to make owners hold their
property az higher figure; before the street
Improvement witness had Columbus Alexander's
property on that street for sale at 60 cents foot;
could not find purchaser at that price; under
stood that Mr.. Alexander had sold it since the
improve ment for 81 foot; had a written order
Of Mr.. Alexander TO sell the property az go cents
a foot; believe the cutting of + street and the
adjacent ones had increased the value of the
property il that locality; negotiated the sale of
tie market house site on 9TH street east for Mr..
Crandall at 20 cents foot; it was worth more:
witness received a reasonable commission for
his services.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO INQUIRE INTO PER
SONAL AFFAIRS.
Question by Mr.. CTane:-Have You any OBJ
jeeuoIs 10 stating the amount Mr.. Crandall
raid you?
Al hat is my private business; the District
goyeInmtI 1t paid 10 more for ii than a private
individual would have paid.
Question by Mr.. Crane.-Did YOU not receive
5000 for 1t gOtiating the sale?
Al am not going to answer any such ques-
ton unless the committee compels me to do it.
Judge Poland-We have already told Won
Mir. Crane, that YOU cannot ask such a cues,
ton. We have no right to inquire into a mans
private affairs.
Witness resumed:-Had never received one
cent from the District government for negotia-
ting the sale of that or any other property:
could have sold that property for much to a
private individual did not believe that property
WAS assessed at its full value in the city and
county; had on his books one piece of property
which can be sold for less than its assessed
value; il belongs to heirs, and some OF them do
not live in Washington. Witness corroborated
the testimony of MIR. A. X. Shepherd in refer
tnce 20 selling him certain property, ana testif-
cd that Mr.. Shepherd did rot come TO him to
buy the property, but that he (wtness) went to
Mr.. Shepherd and sold the property to him;
offered the property to Mr.. Shepherd, knowing
that he was an energetic business man and in
vested in real estate; there was no pressure
brought TO bear upon the skating park owners
10 compel them TO sell the park; they offered
TO sell voluntarily.
ANOTHER REAL ESTATE AGENT EXAMINED.
NJ ". ROhTeT, real estate agent, sworn:-Prices
Tor real estate in general have been advancing,
and the effect of the improvements by the new
District government have been good; did not
know OF single case where property had di-
mnished in value on account Of improvements
BY Mr.. CIane:-PrOperty has advanced in
price within the past three or four months; real
estate would have been very active had il not
been for this insane Injunction which had
stopped improvements; the feeling in ia yor of
improving the city was almost universal and he