Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-03
MIR. Eldridge:-weu,
wBAr DO YOU WANT TO SHOW?

L WI. do not wish To make can
| nous objections; bu. what has this 70 with the
| investigation? Here is a gentleman who does
| not i've on the road and certainly his opinions
/ are not evidence.
Mr. ROOseveIt-Is he an engineer or an ex-
i pert?
| Witness.-I am
| CLERk 1N THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT,
/ am not az engineer.
l Mr.. Stsrkwe .ther.-we can take his teSti-
| mony IN brief, and determine upon its admisSa-
l bilify afterwards.
| Witness resume 1.-The cutters on the road
| were laid before the ground was settled; OF the
second bill. beyond the toilgate saw an angle in
the road; Gid not think the line was correct; the
road was not beng travelled when witness saw
| II. witness proceeded TO explain BE- a diagram
l his ideas of how the work was wronc, and crea-
| ted some laughter among the members of the
/ CON mittee.
l ME-. CRANE CAME TO THE RESCUE
l OF ms witntss, and said they only desired 10
show that the cost OF the Improvement was
enormous, and some portions of II useless.
l Mr.. Chandler:-well why don't You show Il by
/ somebody who knows something about il. This
witness Is not an engineer, and has not seen the
portion OF the Work he speaks OF since it was
| completed.
Mr.. Carpenter was recalled and explained the
testimony OF the preceding wi ness. Atthe point
of the road referred TO by that witness they
worked from both sides of a hill, and the two
sections had not yet met; one angie would be
FADE but OF no injury to the road, and when
completed the road would be perfectly level
Benz. Sunny resides on the 2demnence from
Boundary street north: did rot know ID M he was
proper Judge in Isgard TO the expense of the
work; thought il was high: for the present prob
ably less expense would do; ii we look To the
future il is
NOT KxoRBIrANr
Witness had objections to- some of the stone
in the road; knew some of the men on the road
were allowed to go down to the store and pet
something in bottle. over which they got ioily
John NJ BaHer, resides at 100 Vermont ave-
nue.; Is clerk for A. p. Brown; I, 4eo perches of
stone had been delivered for the tb-street road;
other stone had been delivered, but not vet
nod.
y riches; the quarry from which the stone came
did not belong TO either Mr.. Brown or his son: il
was nted. Witness
KNEW NOTHING OF THE COST OF THE ROAD;
never stated the road bad cost $40 coo already
ard it would cost as much more to complete H.
witness had never handled the bills, except for
stcne; said he had heard
severa! members:-Oh, that wont do. Laugh
teri
Mr.. Chandler:-we don't object.
knew that :. u. Brown had no interest i'm fnr
rishing stone for the 7th-street road; the books
were kept in the name of Austin p Brown:
there were some old contracts under the navy,
not yet closed, in which both father and SON
might be interested; knew that s. p. Brown had
road.
Mr.. Crane said all they expected 10 prove was
the enormous cost OF this work, and that the
law had been violated, and they here closed
their testimony on that subject. They now pro-
posed to take up
TIBER CREEK.
josef WiliiGms sworn Mr.. Crane.-Mr Will
hams, will you state your full name and occu-
patton.
Williams TO Crane BY what authority do Won
PROFOUND the question to me?
MIR. Starkweatber-Weh have decided TO allow
the petitioners to have counsel.
MIR. Williams.-I have been summoned by the
committee, and am ready to Answer any ques-
tons, but i do not recognize these gentlemen
They are not recognized as legal gentlemen in
this District.
Mr.. Starkweather.-Thec committee recognizes
them as representing the memorialists, and you
can answer their questions.
Witness then, in answer TO Mr.. Crane, testified
as follOws:-Am a general contractor; am con-
structing the fourth school district building and
arching Tiber creek from the south side OF the
Botanical Garden to the south side of MARYLAND
avenue, and from the north side of Pennsylya-
mia avenue to the south side of New Jersey ave-
nue.: have contract for the work at slo2. 80 per
lineal foot; contract was first made by them
AT SI5 per foot; the engineer, after the work was
commenced, decided that the walls were too
light. and must be heavier; he gave witness an
order to make the walls heavier and witness
was then awarded the contract at Sl02.5o per
foot; witness protested against the price as in
sgfheienti the government paid sig. per foot Tor
ness contract was written within the past six
days; commenced work in the latter part of
August; or early in September; had been trying
to get the contract written and the price De.
cided ever since he commenced work
By Mr.. Eldridge There were % or 80 bid
Der: tie hid was accepfeS T in 'nS r rHwest S,d
that was considered equal to a contract; the
stone walls were increased from IS to 81 feet
and the brick wall from ~ to feet; the cost OF
the work completed has been sl57 per foot 10
witness; no member of the Board of Public
Works is interested in the work which he was
doing Witness added, Il regret to have such
Mr.. Eldrdge.-It is charged i'm the specifca-
tions. i do not impute any dishonesty to You,
put merely ask you the question rs it is charged
Mr. Williams.-No member of the Board of
Public Works nor any member of the city gov
eminent is interested with me. and none OF the
memorialists dare to insinuate such thing to
me outside of this committee room. Did not
know of any member OF the Board of Public
works owning property on the line Of the Tiber
Greek improvement, except q small blacksmith
shop, which he understood had been purchased
by Mr.. Shepherd.
sum of $4,000; did not know if the Board OF
Public Works reserved any percentage.
MT. Crane.-Haye you ever read the organic
act, Mr.. Williams?
Ayes, sir.
Q-Dont you know it has been violated?
Mr.. POland.-Oh! well, that is
to be decided by the committee, and this witness
cannot answer.
Mr.. Crsne.-we desire to show that the or.
ganic act has been violated.
Mr. Poland and Mr.. Eldridge.-The COM
mittee will decide that, and not the witness
Question by MI. Culver:-Is Mr.. Boswell con-
Answer.-No, sir, and he cannot be; neither
can YOU.
l.. A. Bartlett, sworn :-Resides at 9l6 street;
is partner OF Mr.. Williams in the Titer creek
contract; one at all lie connected with any
contracts held by Williams s. Bartlett, and no
member Of the city government or any one else
had asked them to purchase any particular
material or employ any one or anything OF the
kind; witness then explained at some length the
estimates for the arch and the difference in fg-
uring between the firm and Board of Public
Works, but stated that they had accepted the
contract at sl0250 per foot; had received $50 600
on the work; the whole work upon the Tiber
now completed amounts to about 500 900; was
formerly employed in the Post ONCE; resigned
to take Q contract.
John b. Word, sworn:-Owns property in the
vicinity of Tiber creek; sold il to Mr.. Shepherd
about the 3oth of November at IS cents per foot;
who aieo bought . house from my brother-in-law;
Mr.. Shepherd bought the property on the north.
east corner Of Pennsylvania avenue and ID
street, from the brother-in-law Of Witness think
he paid 111,50o for IL. --' : > 4
Mr.. Crane.-&10,50O.
Gen. ChipmAn-Ishoald like to know whether
Mr.. Crane or Mr. ward il testifying.
By Mr.. Rooseveit-Mr. Shepherd bought the
property after the work On Tiber creek arch
was commenced.
Adjourned until Monday, 10 O'Clock.
VIOLENCE AND RoBBxRY In I.ouTexANA-T
Congressional Committee in New Orleans vee~