Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-02
TIE eoaep or PUBLIC WORKS DErEscED.
vice President shepherds Response
TO Attacks ON the Board.
CaIumnies Exposed by OAieial DOeu-
mPnfS.


The following letter or Vice President Alex.
r. Shepherd, of the Board of Public Works, is
published:
Editor Of Ie Ne,o York Tribune
Sir: Since my brief and somewhat hasty state
ment OF the financial condition OF this District,
80 far az the Board of Public Works is concern
ed, your columns have been open and freely
used by our opponents in criticism and abuse.
i do not complain 81 this. 1t Is natural that
people who, for halt 6 century, have seen their
property slowly increasing in value without the
burdens OF taxation necessary to it's public im-
provement, TO complain on finding that proper
ty assessed. And then one cannot blame poor
fellows who, comfortably sheltered all tner
useless lives in useless Offices, growl at finding
themselves forced TO work for a living. gain,
il is the right and duty of every male American
citizen OF the age CT twenty-one TO accuse Oh
fetal agents OF incapacstv and dishonest y. ac-
ees, and TO IA. ilitate this the press is at the
Ssrvice OF any one, regardless of character or
responsibility, and men find indoi sement in
print who cannot be shaIlcd with a hOrsewhip
or reached by libel sGit. This, however, is
Necessary TO republican institutions. / suppose.
and however disagreeable TO the agent has to be
bore with.
Its, however, somew hat irritating TO find our
municipality called to account BY a man who
owes his position TO a combination 30 corrupt
that it has ceased 70 have defenders, and who,
vhle representing the worst elements of New
lCtk. claims to be the pGIest of the pure in
Washington. But again, q is NATURAL that
people should doubt that Washington possesses
better government than that of any other city
in the United States. and tbs a little presume
tuous in US to claim that we are an exception to
very unhappy rule.
1t is not, however, to say all this that write
you now. The comments, CT ticsmS aad at
tacks have not been responded to before this
from the fact that to condense into a newspaper
article complicated operations Involving millions
OF money is somewhat difficult. Suppose, for
example. a firm in New York, whose business
called for an expenditure 81 ten millions were
suddenly asked to make an exhibit of theic af-
Iairs IN response to street rumors and Talcious
attacks. The demand would he responded to at
the end of months. long after the credit OF the
concern had gone with its prosperity. i knew
that while these attacks were being made the
proper officers were at work in getting up the
reports called for by law that answer conclu-
siyeiy, to a reasonable mind, the attacks made
uIon the board of public works These now
submit to you. Before doing 50, however,
offer those portions OF Governor Cookies mes
sage bearing upon the subject.
Here follow extracts in reference TO the board
from the Governor message, which was pub
lshed in fall in THE STAR of Monday last.
now send you the following approved state
mtnts from the treasurers Office:
wAsHIssToS, April %, ~.
a f. Shepdsrd esq, Vios President BoaTi Of Public
sIE: Herewith please find statement prepared by
Nm. Laird, - bookkeeper, Of my receipts and
Csignedj JA@Ss A MAeRrpxR,
Treasurer Board Public Works.
J. A. Masruder, dr..
In account with Board Of Pubic Works.
To amount received from appropriations OF the Dis
t-ict government and Congress, and
o'heT sources, to S,E3Oj4 So
Advanced by baliks... ..-............-.. 25.9e y
Sc 1905 IS
BY amount raid to date, for which
WARRINGTON, April %
In my former communication stated the
amount to be realized from assessments at
>Z,Gt6, eco. How near correct L was will be
found in the accompanying report of the ass :
sor, rom which it will appear that my stat
meht was considerably inside the marx and the
resources III excess of what / stated.
BOARD PUBLIC WoRKs, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,)
ASsEsSoR's OFFICE,
Washington. April &c, I5.3. \
R0n a. f. Sh.ptsyd, Vac PrsssdeHi Board Of P"t-
DEAR SIR: have the honor to transmit herewith
sta ement Of assessments made upon which eeItif-
which coIiectahIe as asse.s a; this date, viz:
pom which certificates of Indebtedness
81 ssrncnts mad: and for which notice. -
for payment hsve been served --....---. 95,l37 80
A. see .ments due upon expenditure
conpiet, j, compiled by the auditor
and herewith 1.5t, 405 90
sl,gG SO IL
Leaving these assets resources from tais source
e. dare.
In addition 10 this there will be derivalie a sum
exceeding sS.1,N0 IN additional assessments upon
the completion OF the work to which the fO lowing
appropriations pertain, VIZ:
Already appropriated by United States
Ba arc OF iDU mIlIIOn loan due from
By thu above nsned ap4rop1iaiion the GnitSd
ccsi Of he work to which said appropriation
relates.
Very respectfully, GEORGE W BEsLL,
SupeFiHteu dent of Asse ssnensS.
The next statement Is from the engineer O.
he board, which shows that when all work un-
der contract shall have been completed the cost
will exceed the or gnal Estimates but II h per
cent; and considering that when we entered
upon the Improvement we had no established
grade-bOoks, surveys or other reliable data, is
rather a remarkable showing. When, in addi-
ton 70 these difficulties il is to be rem e,nber 4
that from the first effort until now we have been
engaged in a continuous contest of suits of in
junction, elections forced on us, and Congres-
sloDal Investigations, the result is better than
any reasonable mind could have anticipated.
Here follows the statement OF the engineer of
the board OF public works, comprising a com
pete summary of the transactions of the
beard from its organization to April Ist as pub
lished in The STAR OF Tuesday last.
The next staten mt is from the auditor and
accounting officer of the board, and is a com
plete exhbit of its entire transactions since its
organization, so far as relates to the accounts OF
the board
This statement was published i'm THE STAR
OF Tuesday last, showing total amount OF audi
tors certificates issued S9,I10 ,62l55; amount of
auditors certificates issued in payment o. the
e53 contracts, :. ,OG6,0S plus SiSs 1852,
- .5 03 leaving adherence of q, 2I6 2S3 81
which is in payment of the items given in detail
in the statement.l
The following statement is merely a certifi-
cate OF the amount OF property on hand corrOb-
Orative OF the engineers report:
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS,
OFFICE SUPERINTENDENT OF PRoPERTY,f
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
WASHINGTON, pril 2s, 1873.
Hon. A. X. Saephsrd. Vice President Board Of Pab
ttc Works, WASHINGTON, II. e.:
SIZE: have he honor to transmit herewith state
men showing he amount of property on hand at this
da. and its value, u, 5y0.39.l
(Signedl L. b. TowNsEND,
Superintendent of Property.
These facts, complied from the official records
of the board, ought to be conclusive to any mind
honestly DESTROYS of getting at the truth.
tSigned) ALEX. Il. SHEPHERD.
Death OF Mr.. EDWARD SwANN.-Mr Ed
ward Swami, well known in this city as a mem
Der of the bar, died this morning at his resi-
dence, in Mt. Pleasant, north of the city, after
a sickness OF several months. MIR. Swami was
about 81 or 90 years Of ge, and was born in or
near Alexandria, Va lie was educated at the
weli-knoyn Alexandria academy, then kept by
Mr.. Ben amin Hallowell. We believe that he
studied law with his father, and was admitted
To the bar of this District November 2Sth, 1887
and for many years followed his profession
in partnership with his brother here, the
firm ENJOYING good run of practice
Mr.. Swami WAS rl-WOrkinp lawVer