Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-06

The committee was called 70 order this MON.
ing at half past ten O'Clock.

To-day's Session.
The committee WAS called TO order this morn
ing az half past ten O'Clock.
The THIRrY.sIx inch WATER MAIN.
Major George II. Elliott, sworn:-State what
You know about the 36-in water main. A. In
1871 Was Chief Engineer of Washington Aqae-
duct. In that year was associated with Gov.
Cooke TO lay SO inch water main from the
reservoir TO New Jersey avenue. The main
part OF the business was done by me; Gov.
Cooke acted In an advisory capacity; the lowest
DID was by firm named Ward In PhIladel-
phia; the second lowest bid WAS Evans A. was
thrown out on account of it not being signed:
the third lowest bid Was By StOrr S Co., OF
IAN abstract of the bids were put in evidence
The original bid OF Thomas Evans was pro iueed
showing that IL was not sigued, but the bond
attached was duly eXecuted.l
The bids were referred TO the enyinssr In
chief; he referred the m % the Attorney General
rs TO whether l could consider the lowest bid
NJ on which there were ersSures, which male IL
difficult 10 understand He reported against il
and re-advertIsed for bids for the work. Wood
& Co., who we're the lowest bidders, bid the
and second bid was about $4,000; under the
second advertisement Jesse W. Starr & Sons, OF
camden, New Jersey, were the lowest bidders.
and the contract was let to them; Stars second
bid was higher by $50 GOO than Woods first bid
The option of the Attorney General, which
prevented me from accepting the first bid of
Wood Co., cost the District government
about sixty thousand dollars. Gov. Cooke was
associated with me az the financial agent of the
District Of Columbia, not by the act of Congress
requiring the work TO be done. have no doubt
MT. Evans bid was made In good faith, but IL
not being signed IL was thrown out. This male
the contest between Wood and Starr. Starr
said that Wood and Evans bids being thrown
out, he was entitled TO the award, and hence
the matter was referred TO the Attorney CEN
eral; between the time OF the first bidding for
the work and the second time, the price Of iron
advanced
By Mr.. Christy:-Evans bid was never Sub
mitted 70 the attorney OF the District, IL never
having been signed; my attention was called 20
the bond of Evans; Wood & Co.'s bid also had
bonds in perfect shape.
Q. Are you not aware of the fact that Evans
appeared before you aud Coy. Cooke and of
tered TO sign this bid. A. am not; have not
the slightest idea that he ever did.
By Mr.. Stanton:-Tbere never was any ring
as far as i know in connection with the letting
of the contract; never spoke to any body on the
subject but Gov. Cook }, the bidders, aud AttOr-
ney General Alderman.
THE COST OF PIPE LAYING.
d. Z. Lay recalled:-Q- Mr.. Thomas Evans in
bis testimony fIom What he collsted, says the
ocafd bought sewer pipe at GO cent? and
charged il TO the contractor at So cents; explain
that 10 the committee. A. We had a regular
list OF price,; the price was charged the street
at So cents, bat the contractor was charged only
the cost 60 cents; the charge of eighty-eight
CT nts TO the street included the laying; we al
lowed the contractor % cents for laying the
pipe; the street was charged, of course, Tor the
pipe and the cost of laying il.
Mr. OERTLEE RECALLED.
Is. Oertley recalled:-A careful rem easure
ment OF Government work was the basis; am
somewhat irritated to-day; the New York Sun
says yesterday make an ass Of myself.
Mr.. Jewett:-Hou will have an opportunity
TO reconstruct yourself.
witness resumng: - The measurements
charged against the Government were approx
mated at an average price; final measure
ment was made, which showed that the Gov
eminent did not pay as much as the work cost
the board; did not 60 out and measure with a
chain in making the schedule submitted the
other day; took final vouchers and the map;
the voucher is based on measurements; the
measurements are first made by Mr.. Bodhsh,
and then Mr.. Barney; 1 did not myself Apply
the chain; the proper instruments were used,
on which the voucher was based; I made nv
statement upon the vouchers, which were made
up from actual measurements.
Mr.. Oertley was sent for vouchers referred
to in statement submitted by him 20 the COM
mittee previously. He returned with some OF
the vouchers, which were inspected by the com
mittee.
Q. By whom were most Of the remeasure-
ments made? A. By Mr.. BOdfsh. aud then
Mr.. Barney went over them very carefully.
The vouchers showed that all contained the
certificates of one of the engineers that actual
measurement had been made.
Witn6 s. resumiDg:-In making nay schedule
Tor the committee got my data from the map,
and the voucher 10 get the cost per foot; the
Witness explained the vouchers at length. He
said the map of sewer. was made after the work
was done; witness had never known any bid.
sewer, or Slash run sewer at $40 per foot. In
making up his average price OF sewers witness
excepted the b street intercepting sewer, the
Tiber and Slash run sewers?
Y. Don't you know there are two sc wer m aps,
one Of which Is correct and the other is not? A
With regard to sewers.
Q. Yes, sir. Don't you know there was a map
brought here yesterday which was a right map
and was sent away? A. was only here a little
while yesterday. or course there are q number
of incorrect maps. The one used to the best
OF my knowledge was a correct one.
Mr.. Mattingly.-There was a map brought 70
me yesterday which sent back, because L was
not the map / sent for; il was not a sewer map.
q. Did you help to measure New Hampshire
avenue with Mr.. Same? A. was not present
at the last three or four measurements; / went
over il with Col. Same about ten days ago; he
was making figures; he convinced me he was
right; in the beginning thought he was wrong;
he measured the depth Of the excavation and
arrived as closely to the I'LL as he could; he had
to come to me to get the I'LL from personal
knowledge, because the profile was wrong; I
was familiar with the locality, and on account
Of the familiarity gave him my views.
Alta quarter of one O'Clock, the com mittee
adjourned until p. m.
AFTER RECESS.
The committee reassembled at a quarter be-
fore three O'Clock and proceeded TO examine
General Francis p. Blair with reference TO the
desirability OF the Improvement Of the Seventh
street roac.