National Republican., 1874-05-09

VI Bruuef as oStaDnsneu Dy Mr. Cihrke tnu ~
commission, and In giving ths grades he CAV
them at the old points.
Q. The fact Is, then, that sitter Congress hai
established this grade Che Board Of Publil
Works proceeded to grade and pave the street
but not in accordance with the grade established
BY Congressl A. We did not grade and pave
the streets. First street was not graded and
paved, only East Capitol street and Pennsyl
yania avenue east, It would have left an EN-.
bankment ten feet high, and there would have
been no means Of communication at all. II
was great deal cheaper to pave those two
blocks, and afterward cut the streets down, the
only difference in cost being the relaying of the
pavement and resetting of the curb. The ma
terial was all used again. The grading would
have cost just as much II 1t had been done a,
first, as when done subsequently. The addi
tional expense involved was simply the relay,
ing Of the blocks.
Q. And the cutting down, A. No, sir; that
would have been done any way, and had to be
paid for any way.
Q. That is true, but the point is this: you
were engaged in grading and paving these two
streets. Did Mr.. Clarke call your attention to
thu fact that that would have to be changedl
A. / called his attention to the fact.
Q. Did Mr.. Clarke call your attention to the
fact that that would have to be changed be-
cause Congress had established grade at First
respond, when that grade was cut down, with
the grade you were making on these other
streetsl A. called his attention to II, and
asked him to give something in the shape
of an authoritative expression of bis ideas
which would enable me to carry out those
grades. There was some personal feeling be-
tween them. Mr.. Clarke at first promised to
do It, but when the crisis came he declined to
do so. /, as executive officer of the board,
could only follow the recommendation Of the
engineer Of the board to pave those two squares,
as people wanted to get to their houses, leav-
ing the matter to be afterward determined If
Congress made an appropriation to 60 on with
the work-leaving the matter to be done next
year. That is the history of the case.
.. Now, then, is It because since that the
grade of First street east has been cut down
to the grade established by Congress. necessi-
tating thereby the taking up Of the wood pave
ments Of these other streetsl A. In two
blocks.
Q. In two blocks. That you charged to the
United Statesl A. It is very small amount;
it would not amount to more than SIS, 900
or $4,000. 1t is in this bill, it is true.
General Babcock here requests that all
this work shall be remeasured before
further settlement Is made, and If 1t is
not just thing it will be thrown out We
have put it in as a part of the cost for carrying
out the part of this improvement around the
Capitol. It Is a matter for the committee and
Congress to determine.
Q. simply want to know how this account
is made up against the Government, for that
is a matter with reference to which we have to
make report. A. It is a matter that would
not amount to q great deal. The additional
cost would probably be 900 on those two
streets-just the doing of the work.
Q. That work was done this last summer?
A. II was commenced about August.
Q. Was there any special authority to do
that, other than the general powers conferred
upon the boardi A. The general powers con-
ferred upon the board and the request Of the
chairman of the committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds, that the work should be
gone on with.
@. There Is provision of the act of the 9Th
Of January, prohibiting the Board of Public
Works from contracting any liabilities on the
part of the United States.
The Witness. Was not that virtually repealed
BY this appropriation to complete improve
ments of streets and avenues now in progress
opposite and around Government property II
is matter for the lawyers to decide.
9. My purpose in asking the question was to
get your explanation.
The Witness. consulted Mr.. Gushing in re-
gard to the matter, and our attorney, and they
were of the opinion that it was virtual repeal
of the restriction.
Q. That is the ground upon which the
board
The Witness. That is the ground upon which
we acted. / got General Gushing, before he
went away, to give an opinion in writing in re-
gard to the matter. 1t is printed in the an
swer.
Q. 1 ask the question because in this act of
the Sth of January provision that "the said
Board of Public Works be and they are hereby
prohibited from fncurring or contracting any
further liability on behalf of the United States
In the improvement of streets, avenues, or
beyond the amount of appropria-
ton previously made by Congress, and from
entering into any contract touching such i'm
provements on behalf of the United States,
Congress-" Now, had there been any appro-
priation made for this works A. Yes, sir.
This appropriation here was made to complete
on streets and avenues now in
progress, opposite and around Government
Q. That is your explanation of that A.
That Is my explanation of 1t. / may not be
right, but that is the ground upon which we
acted.
Mr.. Wilson. simply want TO get the ground
upon which you acted, because that will enable
US to present the matter to Congress.
Q. Now, the next item of that statement in
The report is for work on svenues-s1, ,056,-
574 .36l
The Witness. The opinion spoke of little
while ago of Mr.. Gushing, will state, is in the
answer on pages 476 and AT.
Q. The details of that item I have referred
70 are found on page 80, an exhibit appended
% the report, II l understand A. Yes, sir;
hat is is It.
Q. That is made up of work done by the
District prior to the boardl A. Yes, sir; and
The different measurements given.
Q. Measurement of Marcn Il, 1873; mea-
'urement of March %, 1873; measurement of
March II, 1873; and additional work. Now,
hat work done by the District prior to the
)oard, Is that the same work for which the
was made out, to which called your
attention q little while ago, amounting to
1891 ,000l A. If you will hand me that paper
will compare It with this. do not recol-
ect. There are so many of these things that
cannot recollect all the little details. These
TENS seem to be the same, except three.
Q. The difference between these is very ma
erial, Is it, A. This seems to embrace North
Capitol street, and East Capitol street, which
ire not in the schedule.
Q. Because they are not ayenuesi A. They
ire not avenues, but they ought to be treated
Is avenues, because they are virtually such.
Q. Aside from thatl A. Aside from that,
7ermont avenue is put down at S95, 900 In this
able, and s22 ,250 In this. North Capitol and
Cast Capitol streets are virtually avenues.
uppose the engineers treated them in that
Vay.
Q. Then the first column Is the same, with
he exceptions that you have named, as the
Iccount made out at the time the million-dollar
appropriation bill was passed. A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now If you will take your answer, COM
nencing at page AL and ending on pages AIS
md 416, would like to call your attention to
ome items there. Is the voucher there given
he one on which the one million dollar appro-
,riatiation was drawnl A. Yes, sir.
Q. What work Is embraced in that voucher
5 It work done by the board or by the old cor |
,orationi A. Both, guess.
Q. Can you tell how much work is done by |
he old corporation, and how much is done by |
he boardl A. cannot; the vouchers will |
how what was done by the board, and the |
Inference between that and this amount will |
i've the amount done by the old corporation
he amount charged on account Of what has
,een done.
Q. When you were on the stand before, and |
our attention was called to the amount of
,rading on Louisiana avenue, you stated, be- |
ieve, that that grading was grading that had |
'een done by the old boardi A. Yes, sir; by |
he old corporation.
Q. And that continues through thisi A. Yes,
ir; It continues throughout. know in rela- |
lon to Louisiana avenue, because used to |
Tork as an apprentice there, when was about |
ourteen or fifteen years old. I know grading |
as been done all along for the last twenty |
We or thirty years; the street has been graded
own