Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-07
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of The Joint Congressional Committee.
Closing Proceedings Yestsr,nx

closed yesterday, General Francis p. Bllir and
B. ID. Carpenter testified regarding the value
Of improvements made on the 7th street road
The testimony Of the former witness on thi.
subject, given before the Starkweather com.
mittee, was admitted as evidence.
b. Oertley was recalled and examined A,
length with reference TO the me lsurements on
New dsmpshire avenue, between u street AM,
the Boundary; the profile OF that avenue is no,
correct; tue cross sections were ma lie after the
MI commenced, late in the fall OF 1871; charged
the eovernme 1t both for the I'LL AMI excsys A.
siahce where the charge was m lde in each case
b. kirtiaDd wss rec hilei, lad asked In re-
lstion To Conner & Shan'ey's contract. He
stated that he bad but little Interest in that
contract, merely the procurement of it; Nj.
Reed first spok- to him about Ii; did not tell
the firm he could procure them \ Iarya con-
them q contract where there would be n, goa
ding to DO.
To days Session.
The committee was called to order at half
past ten O'Clock this morning.
GOV. sHEPHBRo RE MANNED
Gov. A. X. Shepherd recslled:-Q. State
what knowledge you have, IL any, OF the con-
spiracy set forth in the nrst charge of the me-
morialists? A. 1 have no knowledge of any
conspiracy; nor do believe there was any; the
on account of their business standing and tn air
ability to do the work TO the Satisfaction OF the
Board Of Public Wcrks; tho meeting of coz
tractors was not private; the doors were
open, and the room was crowded; circulars to
be in attendance were sent. or ordered by me
to be cent to every contractor who bid; the rea-
son schedule OF prices was established was
prevented straw bids, and imaginary claims for
additional reward, and secured the work being
awarded to responsible men, and prevented
contractors from detrauding their men; the
subject was thoroughly csnvassed BY the
boaro, and 1t vas unanimously agreed that II
YVES the beet way to do the work and secure re-
sponsble parties to do it; all responsible parties
who wanted work got it; the government OF the
United States do work in this way; the Capitol
was built on per centage paid TO the parties
who did the work for work done.
The Governor submitted prices paid for work
In New York, Pbiladelphis, Boston and Balti-
more, authenticated by the officers in charge of
tie work in those cities, showing that the board
rates were less than in the cities enumerated.
Among other items 1t showed that the Decor
yer pavement, In 1871, cost New York city as
pr square yard; that brick sidewalks in Phil
acelphia cost 81 Is per square yard, the same
pavement as me board fixed at 80 cents per yard.
-, Y. Are those prices the present prices? A
I'll e prices between 1872 and 1873. 1t was deemed
nt cessary by the board to enclose grass plats:
W. advertised for proposals for fencing; Cotton
Came 70 me one day and said he would get up a
style OF fence which he submitted to the DO ard:
he said Mr.. Smith would furnish the capital TO
90 the work; on the 30th Of April, 1873, prop
osition was received from Cotton saving he
would furnish for Sd street and other streets a
style OF fence, the same as in front Of r. H.
Smiths house, for 80 cents per lineal foot, and
lateral fence at 20 cents; the communication
was referred, on the 81 OF May, to A. Oluss, en-
gibeer In charge; MIR. Ciuss made an endorse
ment footing up his estimate Of the cost OF fence
at about AZ cents a foot, and recomm ending
New York avenue; upon this report Cotton was
ordered to 60 ahead and dit up Sd street; We
abandoned the wires on the fence because the
boys would sit on them and destroy their out
Cotton made N AIT;
furnish fence at 40 cents per foot, using wood
instead Of wire; under this bid Mr. Cunning
ham, an inspector, designated the streets for
fence.
@. State your knowledge of the character of
the bricks used in the ID street cover A.
carefully inspected the bricks every day. Be
c1use the filling up Of the canal and t1e con-
siruction Of this sewer vas one o. the perm =
nent features OF the last Investigation; I went
daily along the WORK; some or The bricks were
light, but found on breaking them Ooen that
Bladensburg road know very little; wA,.m
pOTtuned by Col. Rives and Clark Mills t, i'm
prove the road; the work WAS let 20 Mr Cros
Of sOt pay 0s abo
his men; by q little force and moral su aston
Col. MagrudeI got Of the "a 900 what Crowley
bad not spe ut, and paid the men. Then offered
the work at board rates to several parties but
no one would take 1t; Major Vaudenburs took
1t as favor and finished 1t In As DAYS. I went
over 1t when it was finished, and 1t WAS q good
the board determined 70 improve it; the es;i.
mate was made at s25 900, but it didn't com
plete 1t. The road is good one; there are one
or two bad places, but $500 viii make it as good
q road as there 10 in America. The cost OF the
road was about $4,000 per mile. The road is
macadamized fifteen feet in the center and
grayelled on the sides. The road was dons by
was done by contract. think the work was
Gene az cheaply rs it was possible to do work of
<6A
ance TO treating wood payements aud laying
concrete pavemontsY A. The board advel Sised
for proposals for treating wood; the bids were
opened septsmber 80, 1872, in the presence Of
were submitted to two chemists In the employ
OF lne surgeon general; they recommended: LIST,
creosote; II, burnetizirg, and Sd, the Ssmuels
laying of concrete pavements wherever it Was
advisable to lay concrete; 1 will say that the
people were prejudiced against copcrsts, but
the prejudice Is gradually We airing away.
The Governor submitted petitions of property
holders PRAYING for the concrete pavement.
q. State whether the board all0 we'd the De-
Golyer pavement to be further laid after having
refused to allow II? A. did not like the pave.
ment; they concluded it was a good pavement;
said to Mr.. Farwell il these parties would show
evidence from Chicago that the pavement was
good one, the board would allow them to use
mp the lumber; whereupOn certificate from the
Board of Public Works Of that city vas sent to
the board, saying that the pavement laid In
Cnicdg0 was ROOd pavement; the board WIS
anxious to get the work done, aud under the
presentation of the case tho board didn't think
they would be justified in preventing them from
using up the lumber; do not think the nrm
could pay . bonus Of 80 cents per square yard
and lay good pavement; had known they
were paying bonus they never would have laid
foot of pavement il this city; they thought,
maybe, by securing the influence Of my partner
they could lay bad pavement, but they round
out they were very much mistaken, and to their
cost.
@. State the circumstances of An award of
contract to O'Conner & Stanley. A. The
Governor read proposal to do work by the hrm
for the board, also Q letter from Marcus L.
Ward, stating that O'O0nnor s. Stanley were
reputable frm; also q letter from the Bank of
Newark. stating they had ample means and
good credit. In July, 1873, they offered to lay
70 900 yards OF pavement ct % per square yard;
on July 10th, they made another proposition to
lay Belgian pavement at S3 50 per square yard;
on July 18th, they wrote to inquire what dis
position would be made OF the bid; on the 18th
Of July contract was awarded the parties to
lay 2o,CoO yards OF wood pavement and 10 900
YARDS OF Belgian pavement; on the 30th Of July,
letter was received accepting the award fSr
the wood pavement, agreeing to do tho work in
% Gays. They didn't do any work, why don't
know. Mr. Wilcox was Introduced to me, e
well - lIr. Kinds. The statement was they
were interested with O'Conner 3 Shanley. I
SAID II the hrm was responsible one We were
glad to get them. never knew Hind was to