New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-26
THE WASHINGTON RING.


NOUS ILLEGAL EXFENDTTURES-Thh h'ufiAo os
PROPERTY HOLDERS SACRIFICED.
frRom rue REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TIE TRrDUNE.I
WASHINGTON April 21.-The Washington
Roard Of Public Works Is o coordinate branch OF the
Territorial Government OF the District established by
tho organic OF Feb o. 1871 and exercising powers
greater than those conferred on the District Government
itself The act referred to prepared and engineered
through Congress by those who were subsequently up
pointed 10 exccuto its provisions and they So
ected by the President and responsible only to him
for their official action. he and they entitled
to the credit, II any there be- for planning and
carrying INTO execution the extensive system OF public
improvements In the District, and must bear the blame
IL the laws have disregarded and tramped under
foot n money has been wastefuly dishonesty spent
and the powers conferred on or assumed by the Board
have been exercised In such manner Cypress the
people
The Board Of Public Works consists Of FIVE members
The Governor OF the District Mr. Henry ID. Cooke IL CT
oeio its President; Mr. Alex. r. Shepherd is VicePres
ident and executive on er; Jas. A. Magruder' Treas
urer; aud the other two members s. p Brown and
Adolph Cluss These hold office for q term OF four
years, unless sooner removed by the President.
The authorized the organization OF this
Board gave them entire control OF" and directed them
regulations which they shall deem neoes
sary fer keeping repair the streets avenues, alleys
and Sewers OF the CITY, and all other works which may
he ntrusted to their charge by Legislative Assembly
or Congress-" Armed with this plenary power and
limited their operations only by the amount OK money
which q willing Congress-a Territorial Legislature
which they had difficulty to control-would vote, or
which could be assessed upon the property OF the Dis
tro this Board has within tho less than two years Of
their official fe projected and already executed or
tracted for work upon the sreets and
of tho District amounting. according TO their fig
ures TO nearly $lOOoO0O Whether this work has been
well and economically done, and whether IN Involving
the District in heavy liabilities this body has ex-
ceeded its legal authority shall Inquire before
closing this letter.
Ravng delivered over TO the Board OF Public Works
the streets OF Washington Georgetown and the county
and given them power to change the grades select the
pavements that should be laid down, determine their
cost onethrd OF the whole expense upon the
adjoining property, including las the Board clams) that
owned by the United States Government, without
sulting those who the property, Congress went still
further directed to disburse their warrant
all moneys appropriated by the United States, or the
District OF Columbia, collected from property
ers." No bond is required from the Board OF Public
Works for the honest expenditure OF the Immense sums
Of money that pass through their hands vouchers
such required from the disbursug officer Of
bureau OF the General Government for every dollar
paid out up the Treasury Department from this
irresponsible Board to be examined by Auditor or Con
troller; no officer OF the District Government,
looks their accounts 20 see that they correct
An "auditOF" appointed by Board but whose Office
is known any law Of Congress or the District
Legislature, examines the vouchers and treasurer"
not OF the District but Of the Board. whose office Is also
created and filed by it's members pays ont the money,
which Is drawn In the lump" from the United States
Treasury the Treasury OF the District These
officers give bonds to the Board OF Public
Works, not 10 the United States or District
Government bat the Board in turn under bonds to
nobody II the Auditor Treasurer Of the Board should
become defauer the Board might possibly recover on
his bond. but If the Board Itself its Vice President
and executive officer, Mr. Shepherd, should order
tractor to pay a $500 for services rendered
required to charge it to the contract million
dollars should be distributed among favOres used to
influence political conventions neither the United States
the District, the people whose money thus
stolen. have any bond other security which they
could recover the amount. Once year the Board is
required TO send to the President and 10 Congress
report one such statement was made last November
millions Of dollars from Mr.. Shepherds
statement In TIE TRIBUNE or from any other OF the
several official statements he has made within
aud obliged to admit to within week, that
the liabilities Of the Board for contracts at least
$l26sG, or 20 per cent greater than what they
then set down at, or In other words, that when he
reported 10 Congress balance In favor OF the Board Of
sl62252 % there really balance against the Board
of$l,llS34 at least. have the best of for
believing that your correspondent H." within the
mark when he said that the liabilities OF the Board
ceeded their assets including reckoned at
par though they cannot possibly yield more than 50
cents on the dollar, by more than 100000.
ALLEGED ILLEGAL ASSUMPTION OF POWER.
Many good LAWYERS doubt that the construction put
upon the clause OF the organic act giving the Board Of
Public Works power TO disburse money on their own
warrant Is correct one. They hold that 1t was the in
tenton Congress that the Treasurer of the District
should hold money and pay 1t out the warrants OF
the Board accompanied by vouchers which should be
examined by Auditor of the District This, indeed
seems been the idea that prevailed In the House
OF REPRESENTATIVES when the Conference Committees
report was made Mr. COburn objected 20 this clauee OF
the BILL and Mr.. Burton c. Cook then Chairman OF the
District Committee. defended the report and called
attention TO an amendment that had been made. The
original bin read "The Board Of Public Works shall
receive disburse !" the words "receve and" were
stricken out Csee Congressional Globe 81 sess XLIst
Congress. page 1S6i) But the Board not only :" dis
burses :" It also "receves" the money
The Legislature OF the District met for the first time
and organized June l. 1871. On the goth OF the
month the Board of Public Works sent to the Council
communication. signed by all Of its members covering
detailed estimate OF the improvements which recon-
meDded. In that communication the Board said
The statement 1t will be seen, contemplates perma-
nent improvements in every portion Of the District OF
10 the cities OF Washington and Georgetown as well az
all the roads in the county. IL Is estimated that
borne Gy the Treasury Of the District in making these
improvements aud as In the opinion Of the Board that
Of annual appropriations far the prosecution of
these works concerned will be obviated by the passage
az the bill herein respectfully recommended.
IL is perhaps proper to explain IN this connection, that
these estimates are based the rates paid
for similar improvements by the City OF Washington,
less 20 per deducted 10 view OF the plan proposed by
the gGsTS to SS cash ' e BOAR SsS Gt Is b.
careful consideration, that rule the Of prop
erty in the District will not warrant the general intro
ducon OF wood other expensive payements and that,
N az all used they should be confined to few Of the
principal avenues OF communication.
The table OF estimates that accompanies this letter
and which was presented by A. b. Mullett then me III