New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-27
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
TESTIMONY OF A CIVIL ENGINEER REGSRDING
MEASUREMENTS AROUND GOVERNMENT PROP
EBTY-ANswER OF THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT
TO ELEVEN OF THE MEMORIALisTs' CHARGES.


IRTY-ANswER OF THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT
TO ELEVEN OF THE MEMoRIALisTs' CHARGES.
[BY TELEGRAPH THE TRIpUNG.I
WASHINGTON, March 26.-The counsel for the Dis
trict Government brought before tho Investigating
Committee this morning, Mr. Same, tie civil
engineer employed by Gen. Babcock to measure
work charged by the Board of Public Works against
the United States. 1t has been asserted tnat the
first bill of last Winter making appropriations to
reimburse the Board of Public Works, having been
approved Jan. 8. 1873, and the payments of the
money appropriated made Jan. II, it was impossible
for Gen. Rabcook to have had the measurements
made as required by law in the three days that in
tervened. Mr.. Same explained that the bill having
passed both Houses OF Congress in December, 1872
before the holiday recess, but being delayed
count of an amendment put on in the Senate, MIR.
Shepherd requested Gen. BabcOck to have the
measurements made in anticipation Of the law. He
therefore began the work on Dec p, 1872, and
finished JAN 10 1873 so that when the President
signed the bill the measurements had already been
nearly completed.
The inquiry was next directed to the discrepancy
between the account made out by the Board of Pub
lc Work. against the United States for work done
up to Dec l. 1872 and which the appropriation of
Jan. was made and the measurements upon which
payments were made. Gov. Shepherd said that the
Board engineers were requested by him TO make a
rough estimate of the work then done and in pro-
eress. and it was this estimate which appeared in
the Boards annual report; but the last measure
ments were those on which payments were made.
Mr. Samo then produced plan of the psf. circle,
and designated the work he had returned az per-
formed. In finding the amount of grading, he had
been obliged TO take chiefly the figures Of the Board
engineers as he had proilesin some places there
were none AT the time he made the first measure
ment at this place. the stones for the Tagging had
been hauled TO the spot, but had not been lad and
the concrete earTiage-way was only partially COM
pleted. The Board engineer suggested that Mr..
Same report the carTiage-way as done and
omit the tagging, but he concluded TO report the
tagging as done, and omit the carriage-way. In
other words he reported the Tagging as completed,
although the contract for laying it not awarded
until month later, and the work was not actually
performed until ithe next Spring or Summer. lie
thought he was justified i'll making such a report.
because he omitted other work partly done. lie re-
ported the flag sidewalk 10 feet wide, but he only
knew that il wide as that from the assertion
of the Boards engineer that they intended to make
II of that width In the same bill the United States
were charged large for circular curbing.
Some members Of the Committee who visited the
circle q few DAYS ago could find none. Mr.. Same
explalned that if straight curb was used around a
circle il had to be prepared in shorter pieces, and
fitted and that the extra work was compensated for
by paving the price for circular curbng. He could
not tell where the brick sidewalk charged for, and
which cannot now be found, was when he made his
measurement
The engineer wa examined in regard to his mea-
surements in other parts of the city. Around Rawl-
ings-square he reported two streets as covered with
concrete. when they were covered with cobbe-stone.
He explained this mistake by saying that when he
made the measurements the ground was covered
with snow. and the Board engineer told him that
the payement was concrete. He supposed the Board
engineer had made mistake. In November last,
II months afteT the first estimate, the mistake had
been discovered ard corrected Ii is proper to say
that this correction made after public attention
had been called to the excessive measurement. Mr..
Wilson also asked the witness about his measure
ment of tagging around reservation No. IL, and
asked him what he found there, but he did not re-
member The fact is that no tagging had been
laid around this reservation for years before the
Board came iu;o power. Mr.. Same has not COM
pleted his TESTIMONY but what he has given is suf-
fcient to convince some mcnbers of the Committee
al least, that all OF the work done for the United
States by tic Board Of Public Works ought TO be
remeasured by disinDcrested engineer. Such an
engineer will be employed b. tic Committee, aad
viii reach the city in dag o. two.
The last witness tiis afternoon wa ". T. Riley. o
small contractor nader tine H,arI and prerioueiy
EMPLOYED Ly Gen. HeJooc':. BE t...,i.d la. be
saw teams hcior.i r 'o JOHN @. Eveaf cary way
material sIa. 7js ai'ao3. .v from about Govern
Incnt square trtCid 10: ;.-oV VIA. was CO.. VIII
il. lie aso Lli ID W so.ae lots ahch had been dc