Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-10

ity in the payment of the sewer certificates by
! bonds which are endorsed by the government
OF the United States. The law provides that
the board of audit shall audit accounts OF
all oral contracts, and when YOU come here
and say that these contracts are illegal, we an
| lections out by the act Of June 10Th. The act
| provides for the completion of these contracts
and payments OF the same, thus recognizing
| species OF contract made by the Board of Public
Works, excepting always such as light prove
| to be fraudulent While the Commission might
are IN excess OF what they should be, yet it Is
| not subject ceming before them in their Off
cisl capacity. These remarks are intended to
| cover all the ground, and are final 80 far
| as the present commissioners are concerned.
Had Congress taken the view that you do,
namely; that all the contracts are illegal, they
would not have said il was impracticable to
impose taxation 10 provide for the payment,
nor have provided for the payment of eight
millions of dollars in excess of the limitation OF
ten millions. You seem to ignore entirely the
act OF Congress in your paper before Us. The
commissioners recognize that they have the
power to finish up these contracts, and if
necessary 10 make new ones. They say
| that Congress covers all defects, IL any, in
the contracts, and provides q way to finish
them. The Commissioners have come to
the conclusion that they will prosecute
some or them, because they think it for the
| common good of the people. You have referred
to the fact that the contracts involve the Dis
trict in debt in excess OF that limited by law.
The act OF July 10, 1872, and August 10, pro-
| vidng for the payment Of the interest and
principal Of the District Indebtedness, was
| cited as in force up to the 10th of June, at
| which time it was virtually repealed by the act
| authorizing the board of audit to pass upon
the s entire debt. reaching to some SIS, 600 200,
| has been considered and acted upon by
Congress, and the defects healed by the
last act. The Commissioners felt it their
duty to the people that they should
| know the feelings which prompt them
in arriving at the decision which they
had made, and while they have no advice
to give, this was the delibei ate and unanimous
decision Of the government and II is rrevocable.
| A few days since the Commissioners were called
upon by Mr. A. Cluss, whom they believe was
| prompted by the very best Of motives, TO warn
| them against q contract on street. now being
| executed by Mr.. j. o. Evans. he represented
that it was very much in excess of the price
| which is being paid for similar work in New
| York. The engineer had been directed to ex-
| anime it, and had reported that the price paid
Is "a cents, and that the parking, which the
contract includes, really brings his work down
| to 40 cents per foot for the tagging.
Here Mr.. Dennison asked the committee il
they had anything to say or any questions to
| Mr.. Wilson replied that they had nothing
| they simply wished to get Information in order
that the people could understand the matter.
| swer in writing. There had been much misun-
derstandiDg about the case.
| Mr.. Dennison stated that they would accom-
| modate them IL possible.
| General Birney will make full report of the
| decision.
REORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL BOARDS.
The District Commissioners have issued the
| following important
OPTICAL ORDER:
"OFFICR OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE)
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
| WASHINGTON, August 5, 1874. \
| Ordered First. That the three Boards of
| Trustees of Public Schools and the Board Of
| Trustees OF Schools for Colored Children in the
| District OF Columbia be. and they are hereby,
| consolidated into one Board of Trustees Of
| Public Schools, consisting of nine residents OF
| Washington, three residents Of Georgetown and
| three residents OF the county OF Washington,
| and the several appointments heretofore made
to the respective boards thus consolidated shall
be, and hereby are, vacated.
| Second. That Geo. F. Mcclellan, Edmund f.
| French, William K. Woodward, Geo. w. Dyer,
| Benjamin F. Lloyd, Frederick Douglass, ST..
Henry johnson, John II. Brooks and W. Perry
| Ryder, of the city OF Washington; Anthony
| Hyde, ". W. Curtis and F. W. Moffatt, of the
| city of Georgetown, aud G. b. Smith, Prof. j
W. Chlckering, ir., and Solomon G. Brown, OF
| hereby, appointed Trustees of Pablo Schools
| in and for the District OF Columbia"
The gentlemen named in this order were each
notified and requested to hold meeting this
| evening for organization.
| SEVENTEENTH STREET WHARF.
The Commissioners have decided that MIR. j.
| b. Lord, who has occupied the 17th-street wharf
iOr q number OF years past, must pay the rent
| Tor the time he has occupied it, or the property
| will be sold for the purpose of making the rent
out OF It; and that Mr. Lord must pay rent for
any future time he may occupy the premises.
| TIE CoRCoRAN SQUARE MARKET.
The following communication explains itself
| OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE)
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
| WASHINGTON, August &, 1874. \
| Peter Campbell, esq. Chairman Northern Market
CommiSsion, and r.. ". Hal, Chairman Of Citi-
zeRS' Meeting:
| GENTLEMEN: We have carefully considered
the written communications laid before us, with
| view OF procuring the issue and negotiation
by US OF market stock bonds, and the application
of the proceeds thereof to the construction of a
| market-house on square numbered 4i6. We
| have given attention, also, to the arguments
/ addressed to us by deputations who have called
upon us with reference to the same subj ect. We
| desire TO advance the material Interests of this
| community in every section of the District, but
| upon an examination of the various statutes
| bearing upon this subject we find
| l. That the act of the Legislative Assembly of
| June 10, 1872, provides that no contract for
| erection OF a msrket-house On square No. 4i6
1 shall be made, the entire cost OF which shall
| exceed 100000, and that until the completion
| OF the entire work no payments shall be made
upon such a contract in excess Of 50 per cent. of
| the amount OF work actually done. The subSe
| quent act of the Assembly, approved June &c,
| 1870, appropTiates 500, 900 for the erection of
the eth street front Of the building, and pro-
| vides for issuing 800, 600 in bonds applicable
| under previous enactments to markets in botE
| the western and northern sections of the city
| Thus, by the latter act, expenditure is contena.
| plated upon single front of a sum equal to the
whole amount fret fixed as the limit for the cost
| of the entire building. We are not satisfied
| that the appropriation OF 100000 for the Tth
| street front sanctions contracts or expenditures
| for other parts of the building upon a scale So
| much at variance with the provisions of the
| earlier act. And it is clear that the provisions
| of the act of June 10, 1872, forbiddiDg any pay
ments IN excess OF 50 per cent. on work actually
| done, is still in force.
.. The appropriation of 100000 for the 9TH
| street front OF the proposed building will lapse
| Oh october L, 1874. Proper expenditures,
| within the limit of 30 per cent on work
| tuslly done cannot reach the sum Of 100000
| between now and october /, consequently the
| negotiation of bonds to the amount or S100, 900
| or exceeding that sum- is not REQ uired in faith
| full Administration of the valid laws of the Dis
| trict. If the expenditures be limited, as the
| law requires, 10 so per cent, work TO be actually
| done between now and October 1, the result
| would be an incomplete structure, with no ap-
preparation available for its completion or pro-
| lection. Were there no other considerations
| adverse to your application, this should be
| almost, if not wholly, decisive.
3. We are not authorized to increase the debt
OF the District otherwise than by such contracts
| and obligations as may be necessary to the faith
l full administration OF valid laws enacted for the
| government Of the District. execution of exist