National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-03

to Rawltns square. 7 msde that measure
ment before this committee was In existence on
my own account. made Il with tape-hn
and, as always do In case Of that kind, En-
ercised great care not to exaggerate the matter.
l would always rather make little allowances
but since hearing the testimony Of the Govern
'menk engineers who made the original L
thought It necessary for me to be very exaet
about 4. SO afterward went there with an
exact measure, not depending upon atape-lfne.
and aserrtained that there Is slight variation,
one way or the other, between my last meas
urement and that with tia tape-lins, but Il
augmsnts the measurements In favor of the
Board of Public Works against the Govern
ment; only slightly, however. In the frst
place, for instance, L did lot take intocousider-
alton the fractional parts. l did not take into
consideration the area occupied by the curb
the brick pavement. On the whole, there is
slight difference, but It Is against the Govern
ment and in favor Of the Board Of Public
Works. n 20
Q. Have you the computation ofthat second
measurement A. No, sir; have not got IL
carried out only far enough to satisfy myself OF
the fact. --- 80 80. '.- 80"
By Mr.. Stewart: Q. You say you made
these computations They are simply compu-
tations with arguments of your own showing
from books In existence-
The Witness. What are you speaking of
nowa -l - -
Mr.. Stewart. These other papers, not Raw
Inns square.
A. These other papers are mere collations
OF matter from reports, with comments show
ing the difficulties In getting at the facts from
the board measurement. The papers will ex-
plain all that. mean just what Is stated in
the papers aud no more.
Q. How long did It take you to get this upi
A L.. u
had to go through the whole list of contracts
and ascertain how many had been assigned to
each, and then TO ascertain what had been paid
to him. i had to go through all the List Of pay
ments.
O. When do you commence that work. A.
Soon after the organization Of this committee.
Q. With view OF bringing il before this
committed A. Yes, sir.
Q. That was made for the memorialists, with
a view Of bringing 1t before this eonmittee5 A.
Yes, sir.
Q. Where Is Rawlins squarei A. On New
York avenue, between Eighteenth and Nine
teenth streets.
Q. You measured what you have on your
aaa@ thsr A ohy Tares ssStHy the
Q. Have you drawn the comparison In that
between the actual measurement you made
and the amount reported for the work done
around Rawhns squarea A. Yes, sir; that
shows it.
Q. What Is the difference between the twol
A. They have made the area of the roadway
more than double what It actually measures.
O.. You say Il made more than double; what
means did you have of finding QUIT Did Won
get the same points and measure in the same
way that the Government measure was made1
A. The curb surrounding il. That was the very
definite line.
Q. There was no dispute about your measur
ing the same quantity that the Government en-
gineer measured A. No, sir.
Q. Was any Government engineer with you
at the time you measured itf A. No, sir.
Q. Might not tou have got some that was in
some other contract A. 1t could not be, for
the reason that the curbs were on the whole
square.
q: You say you me assured from the curb
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you measure from curb to curb, OF
from the inside of the building lincl Several
streets come into Rawlins square; in measur-
ing what belonged to Rawlins square, did you
take the curb or the building line! A. took
the curb surrounding Rawlins square. That
Is 3 rectangular parallelogram.
Q. Docs the curb go back to the building linel
A. No, sir; 1t surrounds the square and comes
in contract with nothing else.
Q. Do you mean the outside curb or the IN
side curbl A. Imean tie curb around Rawlin's
square.
Q. Right around the squared A. Yes, SIR.
Q. And then you took the roadway adjoining
the curbl A. The roadway surrounds that.
For instance, the footway between the square
itself lies between that square and the curb,
and the roadway laid outside of the curb, or
between that curb and the other curb.
Q. Was this q measure of the roadway A.
measured that.
Q. Now, in measuring that roadway, that is
where they overestimated, in that roadway
around the squared A. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Jewett. don't understand him to say
the whole work was overestimated.
Mr.. Stewart. What he stated was double
was the roadway. ......
The Witness. Yes, the roadway was double
Q. Now want to know, in ascertaining that,
what points you took on the outside curb. Did
you go to the curb or did you go the building line
following in on the street, A. was governed
by the curb surrounding that square. wit
ness here explained to Senator Stewart, by
means of the diagram, his mode of measure
ment.
O. Several of the Government engineers have
been here, and understood them to say that
in measuring around public squares-I am not
talking of this square particularly-that they
not only took the roadway around the square,
but so much of the roadway as would 90 to the
building line around the square running around
the ends of the streets. Now, take that one
Indicating on the diagram,) instead of going
to that point, Indicating on the diagram you
would go to this point, Indicating on the dia-
gramD A. Yes, sir. That was not explained
in their report, and l see no reason why 1t
should be so.
Mr.. Stewart. Perhaps there lie no reason for
It. But simply wanted to see whether your
were made in the same way.
@. As understand you, in measuring this
you followed this curb without regard to the
building line. 1t would add considerable if
you went to the building line on each of these9
A. Oh, certainly. i went to the roadway.
Now, let me state just here, Rswlins square
is rectangular parallelogram, of the width
and length have given. That is surrounded
by welve-foot footway, which includes the
width of q six-inch curb. That comes within
the twelve feet. Around that is q roadway. 1
have thought-all of it-making no allowance
for intersections of streets, but full width of
ten feet on, each side
Mr.. Stewart. My object in asking that was to
see whether this was satisfactory way of get
ting at it. Now we have selected an engineer,
and If there Is any dispute about Rawlins
square 1t seems to me we can determine by
measurement any. such dispute. 1t occurs to
me that that wonld be q better way to settle
this matter. don't believe this Is the proper
way TO get at the facts.
Inc Cnalrman. Qon' I tn1nk so elmer. Ana,
In this connection, will ask the counsel for
the memoriaiists If Mr.. Severson Is the en-
gineer on whom they rely In making these
which they have set out In
their specifications.
Mr.. Christy There is another engineer en-
ployedA but this matter came up anterior to his
and before the committee an
nounced to US that they would furnish an en-
yineer to act conjointly with our engineer, as
we had applied for.
The Chairman. will say to counsel that we
will hand this computation on estimate of
Rawlins square to the gentleman who will act
for the committee, and he will understand, l
rust, what Is comprised within Rawlins
square, and ascertain the actual measurement.
think he can verify 1t great deal quicker,
md great deal better, than we can by interro-
Eating this witness.
Mr.. Merrick. It strikes me that would be a
yreat deal better. IL
Mr.. Stewart. It Is very probable that the wit
hess is entirely correct in his figures according
% the points stated, and he may have taken
he right points. The engineers, however, can
ascertain the fact in regard to that matter.
Mr.. Jewett. We think this paper is not only
competent evidence, but very satisfactory evil
ience.
The Chairman. II is now in evidence.
> Mr.. Jewett. That Is all right, then; did not
know whether that was so or not.
The Chairman. All these papers are to he |
considered in evidence, and will be examined |
,y the committee. -
RvMr BASS: o. understand that these COM |