The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-25
TIE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The Investigation Tagging, with Mea-
gre NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. I'm Com
structing Pavements.


structing Pavememts.
WASHINGTON, March "a, 1874.
The District Investigation Committee this morn
ing examined Thornton smith, one OF the unsuccess-
lul bidders Tor concrete paving contracts, and he
testified that the laid by G. E. Evans at the
corner OF Pennsylvania avenue and Madison place,
was inferior to that in front OF the Arlington House,
the latter being the required standard, although
paid for at the same rate
Franklin Mace, OF Maryland, testified that Evans
& Co. had not paid him the royalty claimed by him
as the owner OF the Scharf pavement patent, and
that the pavement laid by that company was COM
posed OF Inferior material.
Louis Clephane was examined by counsel for the
memoriaists, with the view Of showing that no
went on various contractors bonds for amounts
larger than the total value oil his property at the
time he testified that he was worth not to ex-
coed $4,000 and that he supposed ne mad signed
bonds amounting to 100000 in the aggregate.
The committee took recess.
On the reasse milling of the committee, counsel
for the memoriallsts offered In evidence extracts
from the published report OF the assets OF Jay
Cooke Il Co.. showing the extent OF the Interest Of
that firm III the Maryland FreestOne and Mining
Company.
john d. Evans was then examined In reference
to the transactions of the VARIOUS paving assoca-
ions with when he mas been connected He pro-
daced his books and explained their contents to
history OF his partnership operations in the paving
business in this city. The capital with which the
nlshed by the witness and partly raised on the
Joint notes OF the partners there has been no div
ldend OF partnership profits the major part OF
which Is due the firm from the Board oil Public
Works; witness Is an old contractor; has been a
long time In that business; there was never any
secret or other arrangement between the Wit
ness and the Board OF Public Works by which
he or his partners were to obtain contracts; he
said, "The Old material used by us, taken out OF
N n
the Board had to take up the cobbe stone pave
ment, and they gave 1t to US for removing 1t, aud
We broke 1t up TO form the base Of the concrete
pavement;" witness had no interest whatever IN
the passage of the sewer act by the Legislature
nor any interest In any real estate operation OF
Kilbonrne and LaJta; there was no truth IN the
statement that witness was ever favored over other
contractors by the Board; when the contracts
wood; after time they decided to have
the wood blocks burnettlzcd, and the
price OF paving was increased SO as to cover the
cost or burnettizlng; witness was Interested In
the Portland Stone Company ana would like TO
give away his stock In that company. Evans ex-
planned in fun the process OF laying his concrete
pavemenC and Its cost, showing its character Tor
durability. There Is i've times the travel over the
there Is over that IN 'front.' OF the Arlington House,
witness did not know anything ABOUT the pave
Grounds; the pavement on Pennsylvania avenue
cost about So 90 per yard and the witness
the cost q it nrd fepar subject or three
years; the PROFITS OF similar work done by
witness on New York avenue were about twelve
and half per cent; the relative percentage OF
profits on this work s from fifteen to twenty
cents per yard; witness furnished asphalt for the
work on Pennsylvania avenue west OF Fifteenth
street: a portion Oh the asphalt was from Trinidad
and portion was Cuban asphalt, from Taylor d
Co., OF New YORK; witness never paid nor agreed
to pay any member of the Board OF Public Works
any money to secure a contract: never divided or
proposed to divide prohts with any Of them; wit
ness has no interest in the contracts Of G. f. Evans
Co., and O. Il. Evans Is no relation OF witness.
The witness was interrogsted BY Mr.. Wilson at
length relative to the work done by the Board
around government property, and called the at
tentlon OF counsel for the Board to the apprOprla
tions made by Congress- 10 reimburse the Board Tor
this class OF work also to the TACT that within O
lew days after the passage OF such appropriation
the major part thereof was paid out by the Boa I'd
Oh account OF other and entirely different work.
Mr.. Huntington stated that this matter was
susceptible OF an easy and satisfactory explana.