Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-28

fhs Board Of Pubic Works entire control OF the
streets, ard authorizes them % make all regula-
tons which they may deem necessary for keep
tc s s for tse ecnstrne,on Or priyste
aud empowers them TO access the cost Of Inn
prove ments; 20 dsburse upon their warrants
Az moneys appropriated BY the United States
property holders in pursuance OF Law for I'M
pToyements, SC. These are q few OF their many
duties IL IL too plain 70 admit OF . doubt that
the performance Of these varlous duties REQ uires
the existence, and OF consequence involves the
right of appointing needed Off and en-
the board could not be performed"
FoURTKESTH CHARGR-The board deny the
general accusation that they have charged for
work which has never been done, and have in
cluded the same in assessments, levied upon
citizens as IL actually done. As respects the
planting Of trees. In a few instances these
have been included in bills, while the trees re-
main to be planted. The trees were actually
purchased for planting, and the cost therefor,
having been incurred, and nothing remaining
10 he done except to plant them out, they were
included In the rendered bills. The delay in
planting was in consequence Of the lsteness OF
the season and as soon as the weather permits
they will be planted according to the inten-
ton at the time OF the purchase, without any
additional charges in assessments to property
owners. WM. +. MATrINGLN,
EDWIN l.. STANTON,
RICHARD HARKIssroS,
WHAT MR. RuKsTIs KNOWS ABOUT CURB SET
WIN. Huestis sworn and examined by Mr..
Cbrisue:-Have resided IN Washington since
February, 1862, continuously; am contractor;
have not examined since yesterday P-street cir
Gle; have sc times casually examined that cir
Gle; the curb 10 straight; IL does not differ in
any manner from straight curb would furnish
and set the curb for sl.i5 ceuts per foot; a fair
price for setting 4-inch curb would be II cents;
AZ inch the same price; inch would make one
cent difference; inch Is cents; 4-inch circular
according to the radius, a radius Of 100 feet
would not be any more work than laying q
straight stone; would set 6-inch circular at 30
OF 100 foot radius At GO cents; q fair price for
dressing and pointing per lineal foot Old curb
would be 10 cents; new curb, straight, inches,
can be dressed for "a cents; hauling Is worth
about cents per foot; will do = JOB Just like
| IL for 81 - cents
Witness explained cost of taking up old curb,
cobbie- stone, brick pavement, &C., aud said il
| would be worth about or cents.
Q. Do you know anything about sodding, and
what IL can be furnished for including the loan.
A: don't unless you say how much loan, and
What kind Of sod. Have had sod laid; have
paid all the way from Is TO 30 cents; under tie
specification Of the Board of Public Works sod
| ding would be worth about 80 cents.
Cross examined by Mr.. Mattingly:-Am a
stone mason and stone cutter; the character
of the material of curbing makes q diff
ference in price; would lay granite curb six
inches wide At s1.45; have had sodding done;
never had any done on terraces; never hal any
contracts under the Board of ablic Works; did
put in bid for granite curb.
pare with the coptrsct let? A. Ii was cents
higher. bid at 81. Is; the contract was award
ed at 81 10. / furnished the curb around ine
Capitol to Mr.. Clark at sl10.
Mr.. BALLS HOUSE RAISING.
William Ball, sworn:-Own property on 9Th
street; Improvements have been made around
it; was compelled to raise my house by reason
OF the change of grade made.
MIR. AllfsoD:-lf any damage occurred by res-
SON of the change Of grade, property holders
have q legal remedy; IL is not the province OF
the committee to investigate that subject. j
take II there is legal remedy.
Mr.. Merrick.-We introduce this class Of tes-
timoDy 70 show also improvident management.
Mr.. Wilson-TestimOny of this kind may be
essential TO show improvident management, but
as one Of the committee do not care to 20 into
IL now.
Mr.. Allison.-You ask this gentleman how
the change of grades. You might ask a thous-
and witnesses such a question.
MIR. Stewart suppose an engineer can 20
owe over the city and generally set forth how much
hardly fair to judge Of it in individual cases.
Mr.. Mattingly.-We can settle this matters
The board have not as yet awarded damage.
Mr.. JOHN WILSON'S STATEMENT.
John Wilson sworn :-Resides in Washington
on street; witness owns certain properly on
New York avenue, 18th street and other places;
received notice in September, 1S2, from the
Board Of Public Works that his property was
assessed S255-32; was appointed chairman of
committee Of citizens to wait ON the board with
reference to assessments; they furnished him
their prices, from which, according to their own
figures, he should have been taxed sl2l.SS; wit
ness cited other instances of alleged over
charges; he said he proposed to test the charges
in the courts; that good brick sidewalks had
been carried away against his protest, where
the grade was perfect; witness complained that
ne was taxed for property improved on the one
only for improvements in front of his own prop
erty.
CIostexamined by Mr. Mattingly:-Did not
get statement from the Board of Public
Works when he waited on them; saw Governor
shepherd, who said the law was q most damna-
Oily oppressive one, and he would use his infiu-
ence with the Legislature to have II repealed.
witness don't know where the material ia front
OF his house was hauled 10, nor don't know who
hauled It away; don't know whether the work
was done by contract, or who the contractor
was,
Nh. GEO. r. RAuB's STATEMENT.
George Il. Raub sworn and examined:-Wit-
ness gave statement OF the amount Of taxes
paid by him for property owned by him Ola Z
street, between l4th and 18th streets; witness
explained the character Of Improvements made
there and calculated his bill ought to be be-
tween two and three hundred dollars, but bill
was rendered for upwards OF nine hundred dol
lare; streets IN his neighborhood with more
work and including sewer and gas mains, were
charged mp against citizens at a less cost than
Q street, which has no sewer or gas mains.
q. Do you know where the dirt came from
that filled up the canal? A. No, sir.
Cross exs mined:-Am in the soap and chan
dlery business the stone in the canal was COW
cred over except within four feet of the water
line.
DIeTRIcT RECEIPTS.
Mr.. Mattingly presented the following state
ment OF the aggregate receipts of the govern
ment of the District OF Columbia and of the
Board of Public Works from the d tie Of it, or
ganization, June LIST, 1871.
District Government.
Receipts from general taxes licenses, and other
revenues, excluding trust fund transfers,
. personal account, and payments 20 the Board
! OF Puoilc "a. fo5 ,006 80
Note.-These receipts have been applied TO
the payment Of the general expenses Of the Dis
trict government.
Late Corporations. I
Receipts from bonds sold and g.
sets realized Of the late corpo- l
rations Of Washington, George
ton and levy court, and from
appropriations Of the U. s.
government 1881, 95l y
Note-These receipts have been applied 70
iQuidatipg the IN debtedness of the late corpo-
rafione. E... ~
Board Of Public Works received
from appropriations OF the
United States Rovernment-... 3y522,sOl IL
Received from the District gov
ernment, In bonds and pro- i
ceeds OF bonds sold, Including
appropriatiOns Of y. d. gov
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