Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-04-08
TIE DIsTsICI GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Before the House Com
mittee To-day.

char yes aCdTst the Board of Public Works and
tie new District government was resumed this
morning, before the House District committee,
agd
-l'r. 4. II. SheJasrG was recalled:-The witness
first made several corrections in his testimony
Of FRIDAY last, III relation 70
The TEST OE THE SILVER FrpPS,
and submitted TO the committee the official re-
ICrts showing tie tests uIOn such sewer pipes
both che micai and hydraulic. He stated that
IN quoting figures from memory he was mis-
taken, ard therefore submitted the official re-
ICrts, in order that the committee might have
al tie facts.
By Mr. Coombs:-witness thought the whole
sewerage of the city would cost from one million
to a million and half OF dollar
THE SYSTEM OF SEWERAGE
described by witness on Friday differed but
slightly from the general plan at FIRST adopted;
the Missouri avenue sewer extended but two
squares. from 9Th 10 Cd street, and the enc run
Tlng westward would run from It'll street to the
TiVtT; Gen. Greene tayOrs connecting the eth
street enc with the Missouri avenue ever; the
board has not Yet decided that question. some
members OF the board Thought artificial flush
lnE 10y means OF water main would be suffi-
cltHtj WiiHtss has built sewers, and has praCti-
cal knowledge in regard thereto: put down sew
els st the Navy Yard. also at the War DepaI /
mtrt. both OF Iipe and brick; witness IS vice
PRESIDENT OF the Board of Public Works; though {
the hoard had right 20 select their Officers;
all the NE MIXERS of tie board were good practi-
cal men; believed Mr.. Mullett was one of the
E,st engineers in the country; Col. MagruC e..
had Ictn an engineer in the army, and Mr.
ETcvnvas nan OF great experience.
By Mr.. Chandler The plan OF the Board OF
Public Works
IN RE-ERErcE TO GRADES
was 20 make as lev radical changes as possible:
heretofore the streets Of Washington had been
q y ste III of cCmTrC-niSc grades, without auy re-
OF the board to have and establish a uniform sys-
TEN; IiaIs are rev beng arranged Tor the ap-
fICaChirg season; the entire cost OF each street
when &C TP!eted i estimated before the work
i &C mmenctd. Witness here submitted the fol-
loving
ESTIMATE OF COST
Of improving the streets mentioned, assuming
the paving OF roadway at - per yard, tile pipes
Tor sewerage and the relaying and resetting OF
all the curling and sidewalks:
18th 81. n W, from st. north to
boundary. 90 feet Widel ..........S1 SIS. 4SS 81
18th =. y. w, from F 81. y, l35 feet
vide 49,. ...:......:......... 45,4H &c
18th -. y. W, from + It. TO y, l32 feet
vide) ...... ...... .....-..:......... 42,C5I OG
1lth 81. y. w, rIom st. to n, C35 feet
vide :.......:;.....:......... 55,2O8 sc
10Th -. y. W, fTCm Il. to y, (32 feet
wide ......................... 42,C57 OC
60 fost wide ...i;.......:..:..:.:: s2,742 %
sfh -. y. w, fIOm ID st. to n (32 feet
wide 49,. ........................ 5I,O6l GO
9Th -. y. Iron VI assachusetts ave.
to boundary. go feet wide. 6G.1G9 80
9Th II. y. W, from l. st. TO y, (32 feet
wide ..... ........ ...-............. 1921 90
I'll Il. y. W, iron Indiana avenue 10
y St. l@2feetw idel ..... ........... G9,2io 90
- =. y. W, from New Jersey ave.
10 ssrttt, (j2 feet wide .,........ 3S,i0i so
se6o, fo7 4G
The above amount will he increased probably
SJ't.ttu ter The imprOyem of various other
streets between tie Capitol and Presidents
House. making total of about = COO 900; that
finishes up the heart Of the city: the idea of tie
Hoard has been to put down frst-ciass payements
30 that the IeCI le from abTcG might be attract
cd. The witness here referred 70 the maps and
Plans, ard described al some length the work
TIoH several streets and avenues. Before
&C EmenClEg Work uIOn any street a COMPLETE
inventory was taken OF the brick, curbing, &c
ara such as could be used in the imp Jvement
was credIted TO the property holders; witness at
first was bitterly
OPPOSED TO THE STREET IMPROVEMENT.
hut after eXs mimi into it came to the .onclu-
sion thatSt would I've the best thing for that Dor
ten OF the city and agreed to it, although it cost
HIM probably i've times a. much as any other
property lC.teT On the street.
Questlcr-lt has been testified here, Dir.
SheI herr. that the Improvement OF f street was
fcI III" Ituttt Of Your property
Ans-It = a lie out OF whole cloth, sir. was
kept out CT the rent OF those houses for or :
n HlES. On account Of the Improvement TO the
street When ! commenced those houses, if |
Lad lad any idea that the street was to be cut
down, | would have set the houses lower
Thought Mr.. AleXarder's property opposite
would he low at Il foot. The Improvement
was 10 Eeht 10 that properly. Witness was a
ms mlcr Ct the old board OF aldermen. and had
al appropriation of SCI o made totrim the street
Al that time II was not contemplated to cut it
down. When the cutting down OF the street
was cimmtnCcd his houses were nearly finished
and Il lie lad known that the street was 10 be cut
dov n he might have saved eight or ten thousand
dollars.
InaIswcr 0 questions about him owning the
skating Ia1k. Mr.. SherL, ri testified that Sir
L. NJ. Hail came "a him and sail he had cheap
lCCf OF ground Tor sale. referring To the skating
iii Z; there was Some defect in the title after
witness concluded 10 buy II. and lie told Mr.
taH that Mr.. Station, who ate nded 70 his law
business would fix il Ur; witne. was bot Vious
oEuFChase tie property, and did not order that
those streets should he flied up 10 compel the
owners TO sell il. ne prices FOR work estab-
Hshed 10y tie Board Of Public Works are from
II 10 :" per cent. less than those paid in anv
other city; the contractors demurred az the
prices as being too low; did not think any con-
tTEttCr mace anything last year; in giving out
contracts tie toa-d 6ndeavOIed 10 get RESPONSE
lie m(n 10 DO the work; witness referred to the
de bt of over 5000 eco under the old CORPORA
ton, il additIcr 20 which Urder the old govern
mont IrCrerty-hcldeTs Lad TO pay fOr all i'm
Prov nt MS il front Of their rCmises. The wit
ness here explained at some length the manner
in which work under the old corporation was
done, and testified that a year ago you could
buy The londs Of tie corporation at 80 cents
and less,-tO day they are u =.
GOV. COOKIES FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
Of the Frances OF this District is remarkable; he
as brought up the credit of the city which was
tICm 20 TO % cents below par to par in less than
year; when the Emery crusade was made
&C mmittee lie owed about 300 900, but when
the debts were audited they were over $500 600;
did not think the Beard OF Public Works had
expended d ore than - 800, Geo OF the four mil
lion loan; cne-third OF this amount would be
Iald hack ty tie property holders so that in
reality they had expended only about 81 POO 900;
the beard had paid for every thing, and would
collect the one-thTd due fro IN property holders;
te!ievts this city, under 1.-THE I'ans of the
hoard. would he made ore OF the most
beautiful cities in the country, and that ten
years from now il would be one of the
mot beautiful capitals on the face OF the earth:
believed the 100000 loan, with the one-third
additional TO he assessed on the property, would
lie sun CIent to Iay Tor all improvements: wit
ness Is not interested either directly or indi-
rcctly in any contract; did not think any MEM
er of the board was Interested; witness had
been knocking al the doors OF Congress for
Yeas. and had Invariably met with the response
:. Why don't YOU 60 something for yourselves ~
Now The people are doing for themselves. and
CCIgTCSs should 90 its part; the citizens here
CWI about >9O,CCnt00 worth OF property, and
the government OF the United States about
70 Geo, 500; there
NENEE WAS SUCH TNANINITY
III any community in favor OF improvements as
there Is in this city; had made al analysis OF the
De mCTIalistS, 70 ste what amount OF taxes they
paid; out Of COZ names 10 the memorial but LOO