Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-18
the DISTRICT GOVERNMENT IEvesrIeATIoN.


| Inc congressional yeSngatl0n into the
| charges against the Board of Public Works and
| the new District Government was resumed this
| morning before the House Committee on the
| District of Columbia.
| MR.. CRANE Has GRIEVANCE
MT Crane said he desired to call the attention
| OF the committee to a matter which affecfed the
memorialists more than himself and desired TO
read an affidavit relating to him which appeared
| in the papers yesterday. He also wanted to
| read the testimony taken before the Washington
| city council committee in the investigation re-
ferred TO therein, 10 show that the affiant con-
tradicts himself.
Judge Poland. (acting chairman )-Oh. well.
what have we to do with that?
MIR. Crane, (very much excited.)-I want to
answer this statement.
Judge Poland-Weil, answer him in the same
way.
Mr.. Crane.-Then will bring him before the
| courts this afternoon; the whole thing was orr
| glnated by the men whose conduct We are in
Vestigating.
Judge POland.-We are not a public body
and cannot take notice OF these things. Yeu
must reply TO him in the courts or in the news
paper state merits.
Mr.. Crane.-If the state ment is true have no
| right to he here, and ought TO be driven out OF
the community. | want 10 show its falsity
| Mr. COtton.-We have no proof OF its being
true.
Mr.. Crane-wen, will bring the matter into
me courts, and see II am to be insulted in this
Judge Poland-That is the proper place.
Nathan Sargent re-called:-Witness was IA
miliar with the
| OPERATIONS OF THE OLD LEVY COURT:
drew up the law organizing the court; il was
| composed o. nine members; and they received
s. per day while in court or attending to i,s
| business held sessions once month, and some
| times extra ones; his pay amounted to fifty or
| sixty dollars a year; the committee on improve
| meLts also sat as a board OF appeals; did not
| think any member received over $3.50 per annum
| the clerk received $500 per annum and the su-
perintendent OF roads 81 ,2e0; also employed
/ aud fhn
| collector were not paid by the court: the tota
| expenses OF the court were 50 900 S3 500 per
| anRum; the statement submitted to the commit
tee by the District authorities as to expenses OF
| this court was fabulous; when witness left the
court the city inde bted to it for about SO 900
| and the indebted ness OF the court was about
$1,000 was out of the court four years; then went
lack and found the indie edness OF the court as
S2SOO0 OF $4,000; the county roads were aim ut
| impossible at first, but the court made them
| good; the Oil levy court expended $1,000 one
| year on county roads; when he first went into
| the court they expended sic 600 on the roads;
| they graveled and rounded the roads. making
| tbs m one foot higher in the center than on the
| sides; had examined Improvements on East Can
| tol street; the sewers were put down very deep:
| did not know for what purpose; did not know il
| they connected with other sewers; did not feel
competent to give judgment on the improve.
| ments of the hoard; was not an expert; would
| rather say nothing about them, as he was not
competent to explain them; thought it would
| have been better for the board to spread the ex
| penditure over more time and employ fewer
! laborers.
NafheV G. Emery, recalled:-witness had not
read the testimony OF Mr. Shepherd; $500 was
the amount appropriated for
THE WORK on STREET;
Witness did not remember OF Mr.. Shepherd
telling him the work would not cost more than
$500, in conversation; put in bid with his
brother to furnish the Board of Public Works
with 6-inch curb at Sl.09b per running foot:
received the contract about four weeks after.
wards; had no knowledge of any contracts with
Mr.. Strong; knew nothing about the curb which
fBnt E,~.. IN
the stone cheaper if he had known it was to be
5iEstead of 6-inch curb; could have furnished
5-inch curb for about 50 cents a foot.
ID. l.. Eaten, swOTn:-Was examined before the
market-house committee of the District legisla-
ture; thought the COrcOran square better site
for the market-honsc on account OF
THE RAILROAD OUT SEVENTH STREET:
first heard OF the railroad out eth street by talk
In the community; did not remember when he
first heard of railroad out 9Th street; supposed
the question of q road there arose from a gem
eral desire and need OF such road witness iives
in the county, and il was desirable by all in
that section that a railroad should run out eth
street; knew nothing about the building of such
road being the cause for improving eth street
road.
General Chapman read the act of Congress of
June, 1864, allowing the Washington and
Georgetown Railroad Company to extend il.
road in the county.
Mr.. Green offered in evidence correspond
6nce between George S. Gideon and A. =, Solo
mons in reference to
THR COST OF tn. FIRST REGISTRATION,
published some time since.) Mr.. Green also
desired to offer in evidence a newspaper report
OF the proceedings OF the legislature when the
registration bills were up.
Mr.. Chandler objected to the latter. The gen
tleman could offer the official records-b1t if
they wanted to put in newspaper reports they
must prove them to be true.
Mr.. Green said they had no more witnesses
present this morning.
MR.. CRANE WANTS TO EXPLAIN SOME MORE
MT. CIane-I desire to explain why IL is that
we nave none. have been accused of having
witnesses here unnecessarily, and 1 desire to
r., I'D paragraph from the EVENING STAR, a
newsps Her controlled by one Of the members of
the BOARD O. Public Works.
MIR. Chandler. i object.
Mr. Cotton.-We are not going to try all these
newspapers.
Mr.. Cfane-woll, won't read it; I did no.
know Mr.. Craven was coming here, and 1 d..
not know OF Mr.. Sargent being summoned to
testify upon a subject about which he knew
netting, yet am charged with having a stand
ing list of witnesses and blank subpnnas: would
like Mir. Ordway to state that told him we did
not want so many witnesses at one time.
Mr.. Harmer.-Oh! well Mr.. Crane, the com
mittee has made no al tack on YOU Senators an.
me mbers also are subject to newspaper ATTACKS
but it is not our province to notice them here.
Mr.. Eldridge-I hear you have been publish
Mr.. Crane.-Ihay not written a single article
MIR. Williams.-Did you not dictate the article
in the Sun.
Mr.. Crane.-NO, sir.
against the committee and offer it to Mr.. Phil
ips, of the Patriot, who refused to publish it?
Mr.. Crane.-No, sir.
Gen. Chipman.-Did you offer any communi
cation to anybody connected with the Patriot
Mr.. Crane.-NO, sir; have been requested t.
write communications about this investigation,
but declined to do so.
Mr.. Harmer.-Whom have you been requested
by?
Mr.. Crane.-By editors of newspapers; do
not like to give their names.
Mr.. HarmCr.-Oh, we'll, it is entirely imprOpe.
for us to notice these newspaper articles.
MIR. Ordway said he had received long list
OF witnesses to be summoned from Mr.. Crane
but as Mr.. Starkweather, chairman OF the com
mittee, was sick, he did not feel authorized to
summon so many, and it was probably his (Mr
Ordway's) fault that there were no witness
here now. He suggested to Mr.. Crane that, a
the investigation was very expensive, the wit
nesses only be summoned as they were wanted
Mr.. Green asked Mr.. Chandler for certain
plans and specifications held by the Board o.
Public Works, and said he would be ready to
CLOSE In ABOUT THREE DAYS
after receiving them.
Mr.. Chandler replied that he would furnish
them at once.
Mr.. Green said he did not want to exam Mt
any more witnesses except few questions to Mr..
Shepherd and Captain Moore, and then IL the
INIT adj oh H.