National Republican., 1874-05-27

referred TO here in Mr. Cluss's testimony A
Yes, sir.
Q. Did you have any cross-sections witt
which to make that measurement A. No
sir.
Q. Have there ever been any cross sections
made there7 A. No, sir. q u
Q. Has there been large amount Of wofk
Q. what is the character Of III A. Grad,
Q. Cutting Through hsii A. Yes, sir; It d
cutting through hill.
Q. Do you know the purpose for which Q
large amount of that excavation was done
there. A. think all that excavation was
hauled into the canal.
O.. Was there any sand or gravel got out OF
therel A. Well, 1t has that appearance. There
are large holes dug there six or eight feet, per-
haps, or more, below the grade.
Q. Which will have 70 be filed up againi A.
Yes, sir. .-.-. = '- d.
Q. Was there not mistake thsrei A. Yes.
sir; am sorry to. say that found Q mistake
there of Mr.. oertly's. d
@. ofover 81 900 in s17,o00i A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you measure any Of the other places
that Mr.. Cluss spoke about 10 connection with
Q. Were you directed to make any other
than that A. No. sir. g. 2
Q. After you made that you quit A. Yes,
sir. Do ..
O. You do not know whether the others were
right or notl A. No, sir. l.r I'D.
O. Was that measurement made by Mr..
Oertly q regular or irregular measurement A.
Well, it was one of that kind of measurements
where he was directed by the Governor to
make it; at least presume it was by the Gov
ernoF. ...a s'- 81. ... e.
O. Do you know anything in regard to these
measurements that were made by Mr.. Oertly
of work that was done last summer around
Government property on account of which the
District government Is now seeking to get an
appropriation' A. No, sir; know nothing
whatever about it.
Q. Did you have anything is do with IT. A.
No, sir. "a ''f1 -'
Q. Did you know that Mr. Oertly was making
themi A. Yes, sir; do not think knew IL at
the time; l may have heard afterward that he
was with Colonel Samo and Mr.. Forsyth meas
uring up Government work.
Q. Was that work that was being regularly
done under the supervision of the engineers 8
Office, or was 1t done under the order Of the
Governor or vice president, so far as Mr.. 0ertly
was concernedl A. do not think / under
stand your question. .
@. Was Mr. Oertly acting under the direc-
ton of the engineers Office, or was he acting
under the direction of the Governor or vice
president? A. think he was acting under the
direction of Governor Shepherd.
Q. Do YOU remember of his bringing in his
reports did you ever see themI A. No, sir.
Q. Was there any data in the engineers Of
fee by which you could have sat down and
tested the accuracy of what Mr.. 0ertly, Mr..
Samo and Mr.. Forsyth had done? A. So far
as the work was done by the board, and so far
as the matter Of grading-aDd we had cross
sections-I could have tested the accuracy Of
this wood pavement, or anything Of that kind !;
we could have made measurement for the
Government as well as for the board. g..
Q. Did you have the data In your office by
which you could test the ACCURACY of It'll A. l
think not, in all cases no, sir.
Q. So that In making any approval of these
measurements that were brought in by Mr..
Oertly, by Mr.. Cluss, or by yourself If you
happened to do any of it, you would have to
rely upon Mr.. Oertly alone, would you, or
measureably soi A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long would it have taken you, as an
engineer, to have taken the amount of work
that has been referred to in that connection
and have tested its accuracyi A. can hardly
answer that question; it is difficult to say.
Q. Well, about how long do YOU think 1t
would have taken; you know something about
where this work was done, do you notl A.
Yes, sir. The work was scattered In such shape
and payments, were made In such shape, the
owners and the Government in such q way,
that it was a very difficult matter to get at It;
still, 80 far as the quantities are concerned. In
great many cases, or perhaps large majority,
could have accurately measured the work.
9. l am speaking about how long it would
rave taken you, taking that just as 1t was
You had to apportion that to the Government,
'et apart to the private property that belonged
% the private property-how long would 1t
lave taken you as an engineer, after Mr..
)ertly had brought these estimates into the |
,fice, to have tested the accuracy of that
yorkf A. It would not have taken q great |
While if we had only compared them without |
'ouchers. If we had had to have gone over |
md remeasured it, it would have taken some |
ime.
Q. Now, Mr.. Oertly having gone out on the
round, by the direction of the Governor, and |
thsSs a EHg sUGd GE t5R
ngineer, have felt justified in indorsing them
pproved if you had been called upon to do sol |
l. Well, sir, do not think should have hes
tated at all if Mr.. Oertly should bring meas
lrement to me and tell me that 1t was all |
ight, in approving it.
Q. And IL it turned out to be all wrong, YOU
hould not have regarded yourself as the re-
ponsible partyl A. No, sir; l should simply
ave
By Mr.. Stewart: Q. have this voucher for
last Capitol street; take it, If you please, and
xplain how you think that mistake occurredl
l. This first measurement for William A.
fletcher was made at the time their contract
7as Cancelled, July %. 1 was away at the
line, but this was made by one Of our assist
nts, Mr.. Danenhower, IL 400 yards of grad
1g, certified to by Mr.. Oertley. Then the con-
ract was awarded to Walsh and Gleason to
nish It up, and this was measured November
/, 1872, by Mr.. For syth, and here there is
2, 40 yards. Now, l presume that amount
lcludes this IL 400 yards; but those were both
as final measurements, and charged
gainst the street accordingly-43, 900 yards
gainst the street.
Q. You account for that in the same way as
gu account for the intersection of New
hampshire and Virginia aYenuess A. Yes, sir;
xactly.
Q. That one surveyor had gone there, and
Ir. Forsyth did not know that he had been
herel A. Yes, sir.
Q, Do YOU regard anything as wrong about
Q. But only as one of those natural mistakes
nat sometimes do hsppeni A. Yes, sir.
Q. You say that you would certify Mr..
'ertly's work. A. Yes, sir.
@. You would not If you had thought at the
Ime that there was anything wrong about iti
|. No, sir; would not.
Q. You have been certifying it up to the
resent time, have you mott A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you regard Mr.. Oertly as a competent
lsni A. do. have no reason 10 think
therwise.
Q. You have no reason to think but what
lr. Oertly is . square mani A. No, sir.
Q. You have considerable knowledge on this
ubject. Iwant to know whether the measure
nents which we have here are fair average of
he surveys for the measurements which have
cen made in the city. VIII the errors which
re have before us generally appear in all the
treetsl A. Well, sir, / do not know, from the
act that ! have never tested any of them
econd time-either Oertly's or Forsyth's.
q. Taking New Hampshire avenue, Twelfth
treet, and East Capitol street, and those streets
Thich have been measured and exhibited here,
re they about a fair average Of the work of
be cityl A. Well, no; think not. think
most Of the work, or great deal of It, has
cen done accurately, and will stand a pretty
evere test. A great deal of work has been
one hurriedly, and as have testified two or
hree times 1t it was utterly impossible
Q. Have we now, so far as you know, got at
be most glsring mistakes, or have we about
lir average of the tbingi A. Well, sir, do
OF know about that. 1 did not know of these
ntil they came out here. a
Q. You do not know but that there are othersl
|. I do not know that there are others.
hould not be astoHished if you were to find I
thers. ..-.- .--.s
Q. Nor 1 either. Do you regard these as Z
Mistakes or fraudsi A. think we are all
able TO mistakes, sir; think ] am as liable to I
Mistakes as anybody; / do not consider myself