Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-04-09
TIE DiSTkicT GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Before the House Com
mittee To-day.

lie examination OF NJ. A. h. Shspherd was
continued. Witness testified that some time last
ApTii. in the deficiency bill, clause was added
TIE WASHINGTON CANAL
to the Beard OF Public Works. Soon after this
the board took tne matter under serious consd-
Grafton. Mr.. Muilett was in favor of filling il
VI, but most OF the other members of the board
were at first opposed to sIch action. They
finally CONCLUDED i, however to fill up the canal
from 9Th street to the Tiber Creek arch, and
build a sewer along the line. This was recon-
mendCd by many gentlemen of experience and
ability. among whom was Gen. Babcock, Super-
iDteDdent of Public Buildings and Grounds:
MIR. Dawes, of Massachusetts, was also in favor
of filling the canal and asserted that he wouId
not vote in favor of a dollars approximation nm
ill such course was adopted; the board then b,
gan TO I'LL up the canal, and N October they
ca me 10 the conclusion, on the recommend alton
Of Gen. Greene and others, TO q Il the whole line
up; the board then notified Evars and Teenyer
TO stop all work; the construction of the walls by
them was faulty and it was lot possible to dredge
II successfully; the board told the contractors
they had better begin at IL tn street, which they
DID; the present plan OF the board is TO Ill up the
canal from Maryland avenue to 18th street; even
II uredged and kept open the canal would he of
no commercial Importance; in the opinion of the
witness the dredging of the canal is Impractical
be, vitres saw in paper the ether day
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT BY Mr.. SEVER
who according to the menorialists is a remark
able engiEeeT-in regard TO an attempt TO flush
the canal. Witness then read the following:
NAshINGToN, June 6, iss7
Hon Richard WGlnch, MayGr-Sir. Mr. Pc.ar
ysiIug on the canal, which is dated November Is.
ls66 hereby certify that his work under ths con
engaged in excsyating, large quantities of earth
sane ard .ebrs, has at different times been washed
tractor, in such manner to make it impCs 'ibIe
To- make an exact measurement of these addiIIons
consequently 1 have been under the necessity of
using my judgme ut in such matters, and have also
q the taEs de- Go Fopss 81 members
and Hephurn-the result of which is a conclusion
thcusaId and nine dollars which added to the fore
gong nskes total Of S4792 80; on which has been
caves balance OF Is5 500 40 for which sum peasa
cause a warrant TO be issued in favor of The CON
Engineer in charge Canal Improvement.
Witness said this certificate shows that about
as much earth washed back into the canal as
was taken out, and is an evidence of the i'm
practicabi.ity of the dredging process n is a
continuous expense without any compromising
advantages.
JAMES CREEK CANAL
is, in opirion OF the witness, a very commenla
Bile enterprise. ard in a few years will doubtless
90 large business in coal and lumber: the
health of the city requires the reclamation of
the grounds west Of the monument lot. This
must be done, or the city will become unhealthy
more more so IN the future than in the past, be-
cause flats are constantly rising and exposing
rotten vegetation and other deleterious matter
he sewage should be carried into deep water:
the hlllng OF the canal will undoubtedly
IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT
and will enhance the value of properly in the
vicinity three-fOld. (''And, by the wav.S added
,ne wines, ~ DON'T own any property in that
nelgLborhood.") The witness said he desired to
submit a letter from Prof. Henry to the Board
Of Health, dated May Is, 1871 in regard to The
canal. in which the Professor earnestly favors
ITS hliing up. Mr.. Chandler read the letter TO
the committee. The witness then explained the
settlement had with Evans * TCemye~ by the
Board OF Public Works, and read letter from
them urging the payment of their claims and
EXPLAINING the work done by them on the canal
The board finally struck out all extras and set
tied the matter.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
by Mr.. CoOmbs:-The board commenced the
street Improvement in May last, and con-
tinued until stopped by tie Injunction: 10th
street, north OF street, was not cut down prior
Mr.. Coombs insisted that the street mentioned
had been cut down prior to that time but wifi.
ness thought he could prove by record evil
dtnce that Mr.. CoOmbs was wrong, and hal
18th street in his mind instead OF 10Th street.
In response to Mr.. Chandler, witness said the
original estimate for improving 9TH street was
5000; subsequently it was found that the
street could Bot be properly improved for that
amount; 9Th street is one of the main arteries of
the city, and after the war it was in a horrible
condition; Congress authorized the purchase of
the 'th street and Bladensburg roads and they
were bought for about S1i 600; it was considered
on all hands necessity that the 9Th street road
was not improved TO aid in the construc-
ton. of horse railroad; such a thing
was not dreamed of at the time:
the opinion of witness a street railway nni
that road would not pay, As there are not more
than fifty residents on that line; the fact thai
witness owned a farm on the 9Th street road did
not influence witness in favor OF the improves
ment OF that road; he lives there ONLY in the
sumner, and very seldom uses the 18th street
road, almost invariably coming TO the CITY by
way OF 1ith street; ii he had not resided on th.a
9Th street road he most assuredIv wouId have
re CO mmende,. its Improvement: witness don't
know of any importation OF yo.ers AT the last
election, or the eastirg OF any illegal votes: if
have been discovered, as voters were cIoseiy
watched at the polls; in the opinion O.. witpesI
District advertising generally has been copied
from bad example set by the general govern.
ment In this respect; it was fOi merly the Gus
tom tor unauthorized papers to print adyertise
ments, and then appeal to the city councils
for relief, which was usually granted: On the
whole, considering the exigency of the occasion,
the advertising of the n sasures to be voted upop
AT the last election with; believes to have been
benehclal 10 the District; q wide publicity was
given to these measures and consequently every
body understood them. and acted int ,Iipently.
the board OF Public Works is respon 1ible for
held responsible for the advertising of the
measures above referred TO.
In response to query by General Chapman.
menfs with special reference to the location OF
his property.
In response to Mr.. COMBS. witness said the
Board OF Public Works buys nothing without
competition. He also gave some uninterestinp
particulars in reference to the + street improve,
ment, in answer to queries by Mr.. COombs.
MI. Crane then took a turn at the witness.
asking him number of questions which were
answered yesterday. He was frequently told bv
the witness that the evidence he desired to elicit
was already before the committee.
In answer to aHuestiOn by Crane as to whether
witness had not said that no decent work wa /,
ever done under the old corporation the witness
said he didn't know whether he had SO stated.
but he believed such statement would be cor,
rect. wa
MI. Crane.-"T Then Won didn't do your work
well under the old corporation ?''
You did yours"
In the course of his testimony witness told Mr..
Crane that the mem0rialists have done
Al IMMENSE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE To THE
DISTRICT,
lot winch the people will hold them RESPONSIBLE
anu that the work now in progress would have
been completed had il not been for their factions
conduct. The witness further sSgmatized them
as mere Tump of the body polite
Messrs. Poland and Eldridge cautioned Mr.
crane TO confne himself to proper limits in his
of the witness.
MT; CRANE Mr.. Shepherd, how much prop
erty do You own?"
Messrs. Poland, Eldridge and Harmer oh
Jected 10 the question, but Mr.. Shepherd an
swered, 81 am worth enought not to leave NV
bedroom window Open!v
Mr.. Crane. iumpipu nm in a raxa q.