National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-26

/ Q. Did you take the full amount of thu
j voucher, or two-thirus Of the amour. Of the
voucherf A. took the full amount Of the
voucher. believe in every voucher where *
sIys "avenue" that the whole amount Of the
voucher was taken.
Governor Shepherd. The corporation paid
the whole Of the vouchers under the old law
Whenever an assessment was made IL did not
| go on to the books of the corporation at Az
but on TO the Embarrassment books.
The Witness. Then there are some itenns
here not taken from vouchers, but from the
ward books, which are here and which can b.
| referred to- 81
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. What Is there to ver1ty
the ward books, simply charge on the bookA
A. That is signed by the commissioners Of the
9. That is the way you made that upa Ar
peheve that is the way; at least there are tho
BOOKS. II Is made up from that, under the
head Of paving, curbing and grading" the
usual form signed by the commissioners for
| the work done.
Q. Have you any items Of payments on that
statement OF yoursl A. No; nothing at slIt
| sir. .
Q. It Is simply statement Of the amount
Of work done BY the old corporations A. Yes.
sir: including grading and paving-an itemst
and there are one or two very large itema
there. =
Q. That is intended to be full and ccmpIets
statement Of all the work that had been dona
By the old corporation on the avenues from
1879 A. Yes, sir; up 10 1870, the time that
the board went into operation.
By Mr.. Mattinely, Q. Were not Instructions
given TO reject everything that Was doubtful or
which would be caYfled att A. Yes, sir; 90 /
understood. know Mr.. Forsyth was very par
ticular In regard to that matter. had some
conversation with him shout II e everything
here was complete. Before made up the nns4
statement, In order TO verify my work, / went
over 1t myself personally and examined Il TO-
see that all the vouchers were there, and that
the items we're correct; and he told me that he
had gone over them carefully, and taken out
everything that appertained to the avenues,
and nothing beyond that. 49, ....
The Witness. wish 10 make an explanation
In regard to this assessment Of Nineteenth
street, which Mr.. Cluss has spoken of, which
he was unable to obtain. Some week or so ago
Mr.. Forsyth received letter from the board
requesting copy of the assessment of Nine
teenth street, from street to Boundary. The
letter was referred to me. did not exactly
understand why the assessments were needed,
and weLt down to the board and made In
quiry. ! found out that there was an item n
connection with the expenditure for some sod
ding which was not included in the auditors
expenditures, and was afterwards called for
from Mr.. Barney. BE sent It up by me.
"CAs AOWA PCA5OAnIAy VIC the assess
msnt was made, which was the last of No
vember. He gave the item In writing and
signed his name to Il. It was included as.
q part of the expenditures. I took down
this item, as ! understood It from the board
that Mr.. Cluss had not seen this thing,
| produced sopy Of it signed and certified 70
by Mr.. Forsyth. He said he was not satisfied
with that but he wanted q statement made up.
IL you will give me an annual report / Will
show you exactly what mean. 1t has been
the habit always when an assessment has been
made-the time that the first special assess
ments were commenced-for the auditor of the
Board Of Public Works to make out such
tabular statement as that. He said, 81 want q
tabular statement" told him I could not
get that, because our Office did not make any,
thing of the kind all that we deal In is dollars
and cents, not measurements. He produced
this book in the Office Of the Vice president, and
said that was what he wanted. ! told him We
never got that up, that it belonged to the aud
itor's office; but 50 far as the squares
or feet were concerned, that we gave.
then forwarded the expenditures.
He not being satisfied with that, gave him
duplicates of all bills that had been forwarded
by the auditor Of the Board Of Public Works
for assessments, and sent them down. ! say
forwarded them to the board al the bills Of
expenditures that were assessed against Nine.
teenth street, from E to the Boundary. Now,
Mr.. Cluss speaks about being refused assess
ments. The assessments are OF no value to
him whatever; they are matters OF dollars and
cents. In making up an assessment don's
look to measurements at all; don't care any
thing about them; all want Is the money
part. In speaking Of assessments he has mis-
led you in one respect. he should have said
that he wanted tabular statement made out
in that form by the auditor after an assessment
was forwarded by the board. Now, Mr.. Cluss,
himself understands this, that when that as
sessment was made
The Chairman. He understands that as we'll
as you do, he says.
The Witness. The reason he could not get
that was that the assessment went in on the
18th of November last, and the annual re-
port was made on the 31st Of October, which
Included this tabular statement. lido not know
whether the auditor has made out another form
corresponding with that assessment or not,
and giving the details which generally fur
nish him in regard TO the general fund, the
amount charged TO the property holders, and
the United States, and all that, and the squares
and front feet. But The had gone to the aud
itor, / presume he would have obtained Q
copy, If 1t Is printed. But 90 far as measure
ments are concerned, we do not care anything
about it. We make 1t up from dollars and
cents.
The Chairman. This statement furnished by
the auditor, / see in the margin "No. Of
voucher" does that refer to the voucher on file
for the expenditures
Governor Shepherd. Yes; all the vouchers
are here-eyerything.