New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-26
THE Vhs1IYGTON BOARD OF WORKS.


we printed a few days ago letter from
Mr.. Sbephcrd, in which he promptly and posi-
tive,y denied the reports IN circulation in re-
card to the administration of the Board OF
Ppblio Works in Washington. Unfortunately,
the matters in question arc TOO comphcateu
TO be disposed of by so sweeping ana concise
denial. Our correspondent In Washington
takes up the subject again, regardless Oh its
difficulties and its intricacies, and appears 10
establish several important facts OF the deep
est interest to tho people of the District OF
Columbia, which are not touched by MIR.
Shepherds statement.
In the first place it must be remembered
that the persons who are DOW IN charge OF
the District Government, and especially OF the
Board of Public Works, are the same who
prepared and procured the legislation under
which the Government and Board were Or
ganized. They were appointed by the Presl-
dent at their own or each others suggestion,
and it is upon them that the entire response
bility should fall, of proper management OF
the interests of which they have assumed con-
troll BY the very organization of their Board
they have provided against any adequate su-
pervisiOn and control; no vouchers, no bonds
are required of them their Auditor and their
Treasurer are of their own creation and re-
sponsiblo only to them. This condition of things
affords great temptation to looseness
of statement, and the consequence IS seen In
the singular variation to be observed In Mr.
Shepherds own exhibits. The statement Of1i-
cally made in November is widely different
from that published by Mr.. Shepherd in The
TRIBUNE. And our correspondent states that
the Wee President of the Board has himself
admitted, within week, that 1.-THE liabilities
"of the Board for contracts were at least
"$1 ,277, $3.50, or 20 per cent greater than what
"they were then set down at or, In other
swords, that when he reported to Congress
balance in favor of the Board of S162,252 20,
"there was really o balance against the BoaId
"of $1,115,334 at least"
No m ere general denial can break the effect
of the points made by our correspondent IN
regard to the grave irregularities apparently
committed by the Board in the execution OF the
very laws which were made at their instance
and for their government Nothing can be
palmer than the provision of the territorial
law prohibiting contracts for work, the cost
of which should be more than the estimates
in June, 1871. Nothing could be palmer, unless
it be the fact that this prohibition has been
steadily disobeyed. 1t will be remembered
that the Board claimed that the estimates
could be reduced 20 per cent by adopting the
policy of paying cash, and the act passed by
the Legislature therefore provided that the
contracts must be made for 20 per cent less
than the estimates. BY a reference to the
table we print, it may be seen how the Board
has been governed by this statute. In one
case where the estimate was S7,3lS, the sum
spent was $94,897 where the estimate was
s34, 500, the sum expended was S241 $50; and
these are but characteristic specimens Of the
entire field of improvements.
Our letter shows in detail the sources from
which the Board derive the money which Is
thus avishly disbursed. A portion of it, more
than can conveniently be paid, comes from the
oyertaxed property holders of the District, and
a far larger proportion than can apparently
be justified by law from the Treasury of the
United States. Acting upon an assumed right
TO assess the Government property, which
is by no means clear, the Board have
exercised this prerogative in manner
which is shown to be entirely unequal.
The consequence is seen in the fact
mentioned by our correspondent that " although
"the Board reported on the first of Novem-
"ber last only about S25OO,OO0 worth of work
completed, they figured up $124O,020 90 az
educ from the United States, and Congress
''voted the money to pay it.n Facts like
these require some more definite explanation
than has yet been given. There are members
of the Board of Public Works Of whom no
one will desire TO, speak uncharitably. But
they owe it to themselves to give full and
explicit account of their stewardship.
NEW PUBLIC SCANDAL
Of hn Initial Nio,,r,a.