National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-11

avenue I think the curbs are Just about on the
same grades as before; in fact, think some OF
the curbs were not disturbed.
/ Q. Was anything to be done except little
trimmingl 4. That 10 all that was necessary
on those streets. 1 viii say in regard 70 this
matter Of two feet OF grading, that as under
stand the rule of the board 10 does not mean
that the average Of two feet Of grading IL TO be
deducted, but only where there Is grading. For
instance, II there were three feet at one end OF
the SQUIRE and one foot at the other, making
an average OF two feet, u would not be de-
Quoted, but that portion only which was neces-
sary to do over two feet.
BY Mr.. Merick;sQ. Do you mean to say that
II there Is less grading than two feet 70 be done
i the contractor gets the advantage Of thatl A.
Yes, sir; only be assumes the responsibility OF
doing two feet II Il be necessary. 5000,
/ Q. will ask you n there were any cases in
which you made measurements which were al
terward rejected, and larger measurements
made BY other enginsersi A. No, sir; don't
know Of any case. setOt s9Tis lrs. .t en-
/ q. On Massachusetts, avenue, for example,
10 the neighborhood Of Eleventh street, did you
make any measurement there which was re-
jected for its paucity and q larger measurement
made and allowed A. The facts in regard to
that case are that Mr.. Connolly made spplica-
ton for measurement on Massachusetts, avenue
between Eleventh street east, and New Jersey
avenue. fsent'one Of my assistants out there
to measure It, and he returned to me some
40 900 yards-no, before that, however, will
state this: Asl had not the cross-sections of
/ that work, and supposed that Mr.. FORSYTH
knew more about the work than / did, having,
perhaps, sope Of the original levels, I asked
Mr.. Close, the engineer In charge, to refer the
matter to him, as preferred he would meas
i me- hof He -
ment was returned ] think It was lis, 900 yards.
Mr.. Close was not satisfied with that and d.
rected me to go out there and examine 1t fnyself
went out there in company with one Of my
assistants, and by taking levels from the
original surface, and taking all the landmarks
we could get, we made an estimate, think, of
somewhere IN the neighborhood Of forty or fifty
thousand yards. Mr.. Connolly was not salts
i fed with that, and the matter was then refer
red to Mr.. Same, think. and went with Mr..
Same and explained to him how we had made
the measurement. We had with us some Of
the people who lived in the neighborhood, and
we made up our figures at that time, making
| the statements OF the contractors. That Is,
statements to the effect that there were large
holes underneath the banks, which we could
| Dot tell anything about OF the present time.
Then Connolly was not satisfied with that, and
the matter was referred to arbitrators. One OF
those arbitrators was the sworn measurer of
fthe Treasury Department, Mr.. Hoffman. He
| Was Appointed on the part Of the board, The
one sppointed on the part Of NJ. Connolly was
MT. Arthur Shepherd, and then there was Mr..
know what-Hr. Holman declined to act in
the matter, and It was referred 70 three or four
gentlemen who composed the commission for
assessing damages done by the improvements.
q Who were theyi A: Governor Shepherd,
Thnrae M
and Mr.. Bell. They were the commission ap-
pointed by the Board Of Public Works To-
assess damages. IwiH state TO the COMMITTEES
that when heard one of the parties who had
been appointed TO arbftrate this matter was .
brother Of mine, 1 annulled the whole thing
would not consent to having him act in that
o. What was the final RESULT A. It was
referred to this commission. They took evil
dencc In the matter, Mr.. Forsyth sent in the
profile which he had and we made our state
ments. We made statements In regard to the
different measurements that we had made.
The commission awarded TO Mr.. Connolly, /
think, To-, 600 yards. Idon,t know but there
was some fraction. j have forgotten just how
that is. think los, 900.
= By Mr., Merrick: Q. Could there have been,
| from your knowledge and observation Of that
| place, los 600 yards Of excavation there4 A. /
will state now, as stated then, that j could
not see where the earth could possibly be put.
Q. Your measurement was 5000 and some
thfngi A. Yes, sir; but then, after taking
some evidence Of the people who lived along
there, should have Increased the estimate TO
at least n, 900 or "a, 900 yards. 60 -el-.H
| Q. That would have been the maxim of esti-
mate with all the sllowsncesl A. Yes, sir.5a5 4
Q. Were there any other instances of similar
character or Mr.. Forsyth g measurement differ
ing from yoursi- A. No, sir; don't know Of
any. LIT .--..r or ,.,s. Z - ---.-r ---rg (.
BY Mr.. Wilson: Q. Are you familiar with
the prices Of tagging, such as are put down by
the city herei A. No, sir.
Q. Where does the Tagging come from. A.
think from North river. have simply heard
| that .,-----.s- n I'D, ~ - - go.
Q. Do you know from whom it comes A.
No, sir.
By Mr.. Merrick: O. Allow me to ask YOU
one additional question. Had you or not the
same means Of ascertaining the correctness Of
the measurements on Massachusetts, avenue,
which you described as being in your posses
sion, as you had In reference to East Capitol
street, A. No, sir.
Q. Were there not ancient prof1es and
measurements prepared by Mr.. Coyle to which
you had accessf A. No, sir; believe there are
some old grade-books at the surveyors office,
but never paid any attention to them. I
found them full Of mistakes. There were a
half dozen figures on each curb corner, and Il
, was impossible to tell which one represented
Mr.. Merrick. have always understood that
Mr.; Coyle was very accurate measurer.
takesi A. Yes, sir. .'.
Q. How did you test the mistakesi A. I
have tested them, I suppose, fifty times on the
ground itself by leveling It over. .s-I 1855 O.
By the Chairman. Q. What pro6les are you
speaking Of nowi A. am speaking of the old
grade-books. / don't know whether they are
Mr.. Coyle's figures or whose they are. aE-
Governor Shepherd. 1t is Mr.. Coyle's book
By Mr.. Wilson; @. II there are any other
points In the city where you think there have
been excessive measurements, / would be glad
to have you state them. A. I don't know of
any. I never have checked over any persons
measurements, excepting in three or four cases.
Q. What are theyi A. have always found
them to be correct. -. ..'....- -. 20
Q. asked you II there is any point IN the
city where You know, or have reason to believe,
that the measurement have been excessive for
grading. II so, please state them to the COM
mittee. A. No, sir; don't reeollect Of any.
Q. don't speak Of measurements that you
have made yourself. Have there been any
measurements made that have not been under
your supervision A. Not within the last year
yes, sir; few measurements made by some |
other members Of the engineer corps. Mr..
Oertley has made few and think Mr. For
syth. -..-- -. |
s Q. You say there are none of these that you
would suspect Of being improperly madei A.
No, sir; know Of no reason to suspect any
such. %
Q. As general rule, have the necessary
cross-sections been prepared so as to enable |
proper measurements now to be madei A. |
Yes, SIR have endeayored to have them,
and think have now cross sections for every
street and avenue In the city.
Q. Were those cross-sections that were made
before the work began or since the work has
been donei A. On all streets or avenues
already torn up and on which It was impossible |
TO get actual cross-sections. .T,a /
q. There are some cases where actual cross
sections cannot be hadl A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where are these casesi A. There are q |
great many cases. Until commenced to make |
measurements myself, was not so particular |
about this matter Of cross-sections, but prefer,
rather than taking any land marks or trusting |
TO my own judgment, to have accurate cross |
sections to make my measurements from.
Q. Was there any profile made Of street |
between the Patent Once and Post Office be-
fore the work was done this last summer A.
We have cross-sections on street, between /
Fifth and Ninth.
@. So that you can make an accurate meas \
of ha ovrodInor hat oa haan d0na fhia