Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-01
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION
OF DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
Proceedings Before the House Com.
mittee To-day.

Board of Public " on ks, was resumed this mo n
ing AT ten O'Clock before the House Committee on
the District OF Columbia. All the members
were present, together with Mr.. Chandler, coan-
sci for the District. and Mr.. A. G. Riddle, coun-
sci Tor the memO-ialists. Messrs. Severson
Crane, Holmes, Culver, j. q. Adams, Column
bus Alexander, and others of the Remorialisjs
were also in attendance. Mr.. Crane occupied a
seat by the side OF Mr.. Riddle and acted as
pIOmIter or assistant prosecutor.
Mr.. Riddle submitted the general plan aGop-
ted by the Board Of Public Works for the i'm
IrCyementGf the city in June OF last year, and
published at that time; and referring to the
schedule accompanying that plan, he called the
sttention al the c0mrGittee TO the fact thar the
estimate therein set forth for the improvement,
of street, between 18th and 2lst, vas -, lSs
IL was al,0 proposed by that plan TO pave the
street with cobble-st0ne,
MI. Eidrdge. - What do you propose TO shGv
Mr.. Riddle. have already shown that they
did not pave the street with cObbie-stSne."
Mr.. CTebs.--'' Is this
IN sUFPOET OF TIE ELEVENTH CHARGE.
Mr- Riddle 2''.
Mr.. RiddIe--"Yes, s.r; it is 10 show that it is
not ia accordance with the plan and estimate -
Mr.. Ellridge.-'' Vel, why not proceed To
show these facts by the evidence, and not read
all this NATTER
General ChiFman.-''I suppose yOur theory
is, Mr.. Riddle, that the Only law under which
the + street improvement made was that
made by the old councils 20
MIR Riddle" II is the only law have been
able tO find"
Mr.. Riddle then read the letter from Governor
Cooke to the legislature in relation to the i'm
PIOvements in which the Governor SAYS the con
ract for gNadipg and trimming street was
made by MAYOR Esnery. He also read from the
order of the auditor. all OF which papers were
I1tt in evidence yesterday.
MIR. Roosevelt inquired under what act the F
stneet work was paid @Or?
Mr.. Riddle read fFsm the fUtr million loan
bili TO show that ii wSs under that act that the
mOssey was paid.
THE GRADE OF F sTryET.
JOHN LeHHoi, sworn and examine by Mr.. Rid
die: Witness owned property ard lived on +
street, between 18th and20th. Witness built his
house there is 1852. Got the grade then from Mr..
square at that time. MIR. RandOlpa Coyle con-
fiImed the grade given by Sir. Forsyth
Mr.. EdIidge.-" Mr.. Riddle, is Mt. Coyle
living nOe?'
Mr.. Riidle.-s' No sir he is dead.D
Mr.. Eldrsige.-' Well, are there no records OF
the grades Established by hiE?''
Mr.. Riddle" Yes sir"
Mr.. Ellrdse.-" Well. why is il tn at W. can
not have them? For one, do not PROPOSE TO 90
back 10 1852 and take the declar atons of persons
who are dead iR regard to the grade, when the
by this witness that the grades were established
by CONVERSATIONS between himself and Mr..
Coyle.
Witness resumad.-As the grade was then e.
thblshed and is at present, there il a difference
Of ~ feet. The sewer was Is fee below the
level of the street III front OF witness house.
TIE CHANCE IN THE GRADE
necessitated no change in the sewer. Did not
think the change OF grade was of any adyan-
tage 10 the drainage. Witness was upon preci-
pice nine feet above the street, and everything
must be raised nine fee. to get into hiS holst.
Work was commenced on the street sLGut May
1st. 1871.
Cross examined by Mr.. Chandler-Hitness
paid no particular attention To wha: kind OF
trees there were upon the street.
BY Mr.. EldTidge.-Witness was one OF the
first 10 object to The improvement. Owned Is
feet front on the street: q. What is your
opinion as TO the effect of this grade upon the
value OF the property on the street. Is it worth
more or less? A. think it is worth less, sir
Witness would not give any more for the prop
erty. Witness did not deal in real estate. Wit
ness knew OF no interest which Mr.. Shepherd
had to cut the street down. Did not know if he
made any thing by it.
KNEW OF NO DISHONEST ACT
on the part of any member OF the District poy-
eminent. Did net know of any of them making
am thing out of the change in the grade. The
cut at 18th street was four feet. Never heard
any reason given f0 making the change in the
grade.
BY Mr.. Chandler:xXsd heard that the final
grade was fixed on account OF the new State
Department..
By General Chipman:-Had seen no evidence
to show thai Mr.. Shepherds houses were built
TO conform With this new q ade.
Henry n. Randall, sworn.-Resides at the
oosner OF 18th and Z streets. Had resided there
u years. Built the property there. Got the
grade when he built from Decsine, who was
then surveyor. Made his buildings conform 10
that grade. The difference between that grade
and the one established last sumH,er is or Q
feet. Thought the neg grade made his proper
ty of less value. Could not use has stable now
because he had no access to it. The present
level of the street Is below the cellar Of witness
house. There liz TO public alley in the square
where witness resides.
BY Mr.. RCosevelt-Mr. Domaine was en-
Ployed by the city as surveyor. Witness wa>
never troubled with wafer in tie cellar OF his
house.
BY Mr.. Riddle.-Thousht the cut at 17u st.
was about three feet.
BY Mr. Harmer-Witness had never Offered
his property Tor sale. Did not consider
THE STREET IMPROVED Ely tn. GRADE.
Thought il was INJURED. Thought the property
was worth less now than before the grade.
Shepherds houses were probably improved BIZ
the grade. Thought Shepherds houses were
built yTeaicated upon the Change in the grade.
They connArcCd to Dig the cellars for Mr..
Shepherds houses = year and a half or two
years before he commeIced to build. Witness
signed the petition read yesterday. Had a con-
yersaton with the Governor on the subject OF
Improvement. He said he thought the Change
would make the property more valuable.
Albert A. WILSON sworn:-Resided at 2)lG III
street; owned property there; had owned ii
about three years; owned property on + street,
.itL his brother. IL was very much injured by
he Change in the grade: His brothers prop
md another one las going TO move. Would
ell his property for much less than he would I
before the Improvements.
By DIR. Culver another prosecutor on the right
,f Mr.. lel:-Saw the plan for the change at
Mr.. rUr~,tSs. 1t was approved by the Board OF
Public Works.
BY General Chapman: Would take = 900 for
his property now. Would not take $1,000 for 1t
before the change. The house was never offered
for sale. The ground was assessed at % or %
cents foot. Under the old law property was
assessed at tw0-thirds lis value. The house was
worth four or six thousand dollars. There are
NO MODERN IMPROVEMENTS
or il. The house was built in 1910.
BY MI. Eldridge:-ThOught Mr.. Shepherd
houses were the only ones improved.
Question ly Mr.. Eldridge;-'' Mr.. Wi son, i
not all the property on the street improved by
the grade ?''
Al think not, sir. Heard Mr. Shepherd paid
50 cents per foot for his property. Property on
+ street grew less valuable as yOu 90 west. Wit
ness thought his property, which was fuythor
west than Mr.. Shepherds, was worth - cents
per foot, uniDProycd.
Mr.. Eldridge.-" What will you take for your
property
Wines. will take - cents per foot"
Question Yes, but YOU say it is injured
Won't you take less?'
Answer. No, sir"
3 lsyour property worth as much as Mr..
A.-"No, sir. His is worth 50 cents OF = dol
lar"
q. What makes Alexander's worth more
than Shepherds"
Houses have beep briI, tbara a0s ,bo