National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-25


Governor Shepherd. He fixes the price, though
MIR Wilson. That is another matter. am not
Governor Shepherd. In that letter upon which
the contract is lat and then the voucher Is auulteu
The Witness. do not admit it.
-Governor Shepherd. No, IL seems You 90 not
,admit anything that is proper to be admitted
Tho Witness Here is the price that is put down.
The Chairman. What particular quality OF
Gerefnor Shepherd. The better quality OF flag,
gfng. There are only two qualities laid
The Chairman. DO understand you, Mr.. Cluss,
to statc That the quality Of tagging mentioned in
the letter which has your Endorsement upon It II
put down is not worth sl-24: Do understand
you to say that quality is not worth sl249
The Witness. This quality which has been &C.
tualy put down you meanf
Mr. Wilson. He is speaking Of the quality you
Gov. Shepherd. He approves the quality in this
voncher-the quantity and quality.
The Chsirmau. want TO understand whether
you now say that thu quality Of tagging men
TONED in that letter is worth q % not? A No,
sir is not worth I2! TIL; quality in thsn The
high rates which 1 have explained, and MI.
0ertly got me into. There is grading cents;
wind, 8 cents; then, again, furnishing sand and
laying and groutinE, Is cents. That MAKES SL.Vl
and net 4 The established price ~. ms - V 81
document which counsel have brought here 10 20
cents, plus 9, plus 10, plus 8, plus Is cents.
ascent item which you have alluded to In the In
dorseuent on that letterP A. Yes, sir; OF course.
Mr. Chrlsty desire to ask this question in this
connection, as to the quality Of tagging, in fact,
laid at Mount Vernon square .. ..
The Chairman: That is another question
Gov. Shepherd. Here is the voucher showing II
to have been the best quality.
Fhe Chairman want to know whether at Mr.
OIuss' estimate Ofthe quality he himself Endorsed;
The Witness. Even putting It at all those high
rates, amp 1t will only foot up s1os :,
Governor Shepherd. VIII you allow me to ask
tho witness a question? Here Is his approval Of q
certain class Of stone at IS cents foot and Is
He puts down the necessary grading in the other
estimate At cents; he puts down the taking out
ofwnd. &c-, cents.
Governor shepherd. Furnishing sand and lay
ing and grOuting, Is cents. What do you allow
for waste in this estimator A Not q. cent If you
pay such immense prices.
Governor Shepherd. But you say these are rea-
sonab.e prices
The Witness. An engineer don't allow any
waste; he gives his net price.
Governor Shepherd. He is some stone delivered;
pardon me q moment, Mr.. Chairman, want an
explanation Of this matter. Here is some stone
delivered 20 the Board Of Public Works at IS
cents a foot on the wharf On your recommends
tiOn to that being reasona BILE price in getting
at the prices charged the United States Govern
ment, ask you what would be fair percentage
around the sonares Tor The United States Govern
ment by the Board Of Public Works? What would
be the proportion of waste in order to get at the
net cost to the Board of Public Works for this
tagging as 1t is laid? A. Well, there ought to be
hardly any waste.
Governor shepherd. Name an amount
Tine Witness. This price includes stone four
feet long, therefore there ought to be no waste.
Governor Shepherd. Suppose pieces were
broken. Is it natural that the stone should be
broken in being transported from place to place?
The Witness. There ought not to be any broken.
Governor Shepherd. Such a thing docs not
occur at all?
The Chairman. Let me ask you question
right there. Governor?
Governor Shepherd with pleasure shall be
most happy 10 respond to any question you may Ask
The Chairman. Is this Tagging which you have
charged the Government &l25 for Of the char
actor We have now been talking about?
Governor Shepherd. 1t is.
Mr.. Wilson. Let me ask you question? Mr..
Evans has hid a very large amount Of tagging
around Government property?
Governor Shepherd. Yes, sir.
Mr.. " iIson. Is it all OF this character?
Governor Shepherd. No, sir.
MIR. Wilson And have not you charged at the
e1le rates for all the tagging that has been laid
Governor shepherd. think not. II So 1t is q
mistake, and should be corrected.
Mr.. Wilson. VIII you mans to me a single case
where you have not charged at the same rate IS
this one around P-street clrcle7
Governor Shepherd. will do 50 with pleasure
Seventh street, Twelfth street, Fourteenth street.
MT. Wilson. What rates have you charged
Governor shepherd. Ninety cents Is the price,
MIR. Wilson. What kind Of tagging is it?
Governor Shepherd. 1t is the second quality Of
Mr.. Wilson What is 1t worth?
governor Snepler0. mat Is the thing that we
have had under discussion so long, and In regard
to which VIC have had go many witnesses. The
faotas established by Mr. Cluss is that 1t Is worth
81 cents, and cents haul. which makes It worth
90 cents
Mr.: Wilson. am not asking you to swear by
Mr.. Cluss.
Governor Shepherd. Pardon me- I am not
swearing by him. should not undertake to do
anything Of that kind.
Mr.. Wilson. l want TO get at the facts Have |
you a bill Of prices for that tagging?
Governor Shepherd. How do you mean bill Of |
Mr. Wilson Simply have you prIce-list9
Governor Shepherd. We have the original |
vouchers paid by the Board Of Public Works.
Mr.. Wilson. l am not asking you about that. |
Have you price-list of that kind of tagging? 1t
don't make any difference TO me what you paid
Governor Shepherd What do you mean by the
priceS2
Mr. Wilson. 1 mean the prices at which that
daggng can be bought in the market. Have you
the prices at which It can be bought In the mar
ket-regular prices for that kind Of tagging?
Governor Shepherd Mr.. Evans has the prices, |
the original invoices of the Tagging, which he
proposes tOputtn soon this witness Is through
the original invoice.
Mr.. Wilson. Turning to Mr.. Cluss Mr.. Cluss, |
have you the price list? |
mr.. Cluss. Yes, sir. Handing q paper to MI. |
Mr.. Wilson. Look at this, and pick out the kind |
Of tagging Mr.. Evans has put down around this |
Government property, and then tell me the price |
Governor Shepherd: This is the tagging. 1t |
says here. The price OF large flag" which We |
are discussing, either one both ways is sub |
iect to special contract" Mr.. Evans has the |
original vouchers, and lie proposes to put them in
Tor the consideration of this committee, as to the
MT. Wilson. Now, Governor Shepherd, what is !
The size Of this Tagging that has been put down
by Mr.. EvRns around Government propertyf
Governor Shepherd. Turning to Mr.. Evans.
MIR. Evans, you are more familiar with the matter
than am. win You please answer MI. Wilson?
Mr.. Wilson. do not want MIR. Evans to an
twer want GU TO answer the question. What
s the size?
with these matters than l. and dOubtle IS could
InsEer you more satisfactorily.
Dir. Wilson. prefer to have you answer.
80 Five and six feet is what Mr.. Evans states.
Nlr. Wilson. Is il rough or smooth tagging?
Governor Shepherd. 1t is smooth Tagging;
Mr.. Wilson. l this pTice-list 1t Is in |
lorsed: "Price-list of Thomas Booth, wholesale |
sealer in North-riveT biues:one; Wilbur, Kings
1874, delivered in New York and vicinity adopted
by the trade, February 70, 1884, |
nj; wilson. This tagging i've to six feet |
and Ave feet and nve feet six inches is put down
on this at eighteen cents, and six feet six inches
Hput down on thiSst twenty cents.
Governor Shepherd. That ! understand to be
random dazging, prUmiscuOus tagging. The wit
ness, Mr.. Emery, testified 10 that TACT.
Mr.. Wilson. Is this put down around the Gov
srnment property; for instance down here b
street, near around the Botanic "a On. Is that
anything bu; random Tagging?
and Fourteenth street is good hagging. am not
certain about that around street, because a good
ueal OF inc olQ uaSginX was put there, winch i
stated 10 the committee when was on the stand.
! did not know about
Mr.. Wilson. But is not this random tagging
different siZes7
Governor Shepherd. No. sir; irEt-class flag
ying Of It's kind.
Mr.. Wilson. am not saying 1t is not But is
not this the kind OF Tagging that is described in
this pTice-list as being worth Is to 20 cents?
Governor Shepherd. No, Sir; it is not.
q. You say it Is not.
Governor Shepherd. ] say so.
The Witness. was asked the other day By the |
committee about the tagging at Thirteenth |
street, opposite FGrragut square-around FArra- |
gut square. Here see a charge Of l,94I square |
feet OF side fizgging-
Mr.. Stewart. i want to exhaust this other SUBJ |
Ieet before you go on to another would like to |
see fair play in regard TO this all around. You |
certify there that this tagging would be worth, |
delivered on the wharf, rs CENTS and that an or
der was signed on that basis. Then what has |
been charged for taking 1t up? A. For haul, |
grading, taking out Of wind, laying, &c, amounts
TO so cents foot That Is the other charge
making SIPS per foot.
Q. Now, admitting that you are right in the IS |
eents, because that order appears TO be based |
upon your letter. Admit that correct, 1t is |
worth Is cents on the wharf; but you say it was
eXOFbitaut prce to take that from the wharf, to |
take 1t out Of wind dress it, and lay it, TO make
good Job Of II? A. That is taken out Of wind al
ready dressed. That ts maohine-dressed tagging. !