Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-10
The New District Government.
THE TAXPAYERS COMMITTEES INTERVIEW
WITH THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.

Commissioners in relation to certain co ntracts,
and that they presented a communication TO
the commissioner. The paper states that 10
s not their purpose to dictate oficiousIy to gen.
tlemen of so well-know intelligence and large
experience in public Office, but they simply
claim greater knowledge in regard to the special
matters with which they have of necessity been
Intimately familiar for several years. For this
reason they trust that q frank exposition OF
their views will be kindly received, and express
an earnest hope that this appeal to the cause of
justice OF impartial gentlemen will relieve the
tax payers from the necessity OF appealing to a
judicial tribunal to settle differences of opinion
honestly entertained. But in the discharge of
their duty they ask to be permitted TO enter
their earnest protest against the continuance
of any of the contracts for improvements made
with the Board of Public Works, and In sup
port OF their protest they submit the following
reasons that to them seem to be conclusive:
1st. he estimated cost OF the entire system of
improvements 70 be made by the Board of Pub
lie Works was 81, 59S, 1871. The said board have
expended and contracted to expend SIS,sI2,-
56576.
I'd. The law said shat in 10 case shall the
said board enter into contract for any werk
or improvement, the cost OF which shall exceed
the amount estimated therefor in its aforesaid
plan, less 20 per cent. of said estimates.'
Sd. That said Board of Public Works shall
have no power to make contracts to bind said
District to the payment of any sum of money
except in pursuance of appropriations made by
law, and not until such appropriations shall
have been made.
4th. The law further provided that the aggre-
gate debt of the District should not exceed i've
per centum of the valuation of the property
thereon, unless the proposition should first re-
ceive the sanction OF the people by popular vote,
and in no event shall the aggregate debt exceed
S10,000000.
These contracts that your honorable body is
asked to continue are described by the select
committee on page 9 of the report. The Board
adopted an erroneous, and In its results vicious
method of letting contracts for their work, viz,
without competition open to the public. and
the method a1ODted resulted m
ment of an increased price over and above wha
would have been paid il open, fair, and free
competition had been invited"
They conclude by saying: owe trust tn t You
will avoid the vicious system inaugurated by
the late District government and let the work
to the lowest bidder after proper notice.
To-day at IL O'Clock, being the time set for a
hearing, the same committee appeared prompt
ly at the rooms of the Commissioners; Lieut..
Hoxie, engineer to the commission, and Mr..
Birney, attorney, with Controller Taylor being
After an interchange of courtesies Governor
DenDison said: "GentlemeD, we have read your
paper carefully; have you anything further to
say in relation to the subjects under considera-
tion?"
Mr.. Wilson replied that there was nothing
more; the resolutions and the memorial con-
tanned full exposition OF the views OF the
ISOLATION.
Mr.. Dennison continued. saying that their
paper had been carefully drawn. He reminded
them that they must assume that a question of
20 much gravity as the contracts of the Board
Of Public Works could not escape the Commits
sioners. IL was the contracts of the Board OF
Public Works that led to the investigation be-
ore Congress; it would, therefore, have been
strange il they would not have given this sub
iect their most careful consideration. This he
mentioned in order to say that they had been in
no haste in arriving at the deliberate and
unanimous conclusions that they had. Your
paper sets forth that there has been q large
number OF unlawful contracts let by the Board
If Public Works, and in summing up
them n 4.
You will observe, also, that you have asked
hat all the contracts be annulled on the ground
be recognized by the Commissioners, that
the prices are il excess of those which
should prevail, and that they should be re-
awarded to the lowest bidders. No contracts
have been awarded and no contracts will be by
he Commissioners. When the Commissioners
inferred upon the discharge OF their duties they
found large number OF contracts outstanding;
they had no knowledge of them nor of the con
tractors. They had on the start a designated
and competent engineer, designated by Con-
gresS and appointed by the President of tue
United States. This engineer had been re
luested to examine the contracts and the con
1ition OF the work, and for this purpose they
had suspended them all in order to come TO the
proper conclusions as to which to proceed with
and which to reject under the provisions of tAe
aw. The engineer had made a rspOrt that there
we're III of them, and that after an examina-
lion he recommended the revocation of the sus
pension on o. of the number, Leaving 80 yet
ander the ban of suspension, also, that each con-
tract in the meantime should be specifically ex-
amined and report made thereon separately.
The Commissioners decided that the sewer con-
tracts should be completed, as they had no au-
jhority to revoke them, and thus incur litiga-
non for the District. The District needs these
'ewers to relieve il from foul mIasma, and so
tar as these contracts are concerned the decision
II the Com mlssioners is irreyOcable. They have
forwarded no contracts, and the legal status of
Zach of them stands precisely as IL did when
hey were made. They had revoked 90 of them
5y temporary suspension, which has, howe yer,
been removed, and the work which had been
lone and is to be done upon them must 60 be-
ore the board or audit In accordance with law,
and contractors must take the bonds provided
~ Congress in payment Should they adopt
he suggestions as Set forth in the resolutions, OF
-eawardiDg these contracts, they would have
20 pay the money in place or the bonis,
hereby imposing a heavier tax on the
people OF the District; it would thus
De seen that the Commissioners are bot
-er friends to the Taxpayers than the ascot
alton which they (the committee) represent. 1t
had been grave question with the Commission
srs when they assumed their offices how they
could 90 on with these contracts, not Ia wing
The money to pay them-whether to 90 on ana
rely upon money coming in from taxes. Tney
called TO their assistance the controller aud
senator Thurman, and after full canvas OF
he subject the unanimous opinion was that
hey could continue the existing contracts under
The provisions of the act authorizing the issuing
d the 500 bonds in place OF money. You say In
your paper that the system of letting contracts
under the late Board OF Public Works was 3
vicious one, and you nave the hearty concur
renee of the Commissioners in this expression.
and as an evidence Of this, will say that on the
10th Of July we had made order to let all con-
tracts by bids, and there has not, nor will there
be any departure from this order, which has All
the force of law With U.s. This then is the law OF
The present government, and in all subseq lie nj
contracts IL has been observed. The almsnouse
supplies ana the proposals for repaying the
north side OF Pennsylvania avenue were cited
As evidence of this. This rule was, therefore
IN thorough sympathy with the expressions of
the resolutions submitted. You ask us to revoke
or suspend all contracts made by the Board OF
Public Works, on the ground that they are
illegsl-the prices excessive. The Congress OF
the United States has decided this question
You are aware OF the fact that certain mum
Der of gentlemen, terming themselves memori-
aists, pettioned Congress to arrest the improve
ments OF the District. Congress had appointed
gentlemen of known integrity to investisst the
matters set forth. The committee had called
before it many witnesses to enlighten them upon
the grievances complained of. The report OF
that committee with the testimony was before
them. The history Of every contr act had Deen
entered into and considered. The presumption
was that this committee had dischar ged their
duty faithfully, knowing as they did, the origin
history and defects of each contract. The com
mittee ofinvestigation having made their inquiry
Congress had passed the law creating the pres.
ent government. Now, under this law, the Com.
missioners have decided that all these contracts