National Republican., 1874-05-09
DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
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identical paper. The fact that the amount
foots up the same would lead me to think that
is the paper, but would not say 90 unless there
, was something to establish the fact.
Q. Were your instructions to Mr.. Oertley
and Mr.. Forsyth TO make up an account Of all
! the work that had been done by the old corpo-
ration for the purpose Of getting reimburse
ment from Congress, that had not been previ-
ously paid fort A. In this very report we state
the fact that the Government should reimburse
the District for the money expended upon
twenty-one avenues, which, being named after
the States Of the Union, form national fea-
ture Of the capital, and all that sort of thing.
In this report the details are shown. One mil
lion two hunfred and thirty-seven thousand
three hundred and seventy-one dollars and
ninety-two cents had been expended by the
Board OF Public Works on these avenues since
they went into power, and this statement of
SS9l 600 was the amount expended on them
by the old corporation.
2. Your impression Is, then, that this paper
shows the amount Of work that Il was claimed
had been done by the old corporation on
these avenuesi A. cannot testify as to that
being the paper. : :
| Q. That is your impressioni A. My impress
sion Is that 1t was paper similar to that
=. This paper contains the amounts that the
board claimed the old corporation had done on
these avenues, for which Congress should re-
imbursef A. That would not say. would say
the amount is the same the board claims, but
whether the details are so or not would not
like to say. would add that have detailed
statement made up from 1909 to June, 1871, of
all the expenditures by the corporations. The
abstract Of 1t is in my answer, but have the
paper.
Mr.. Wilson. We have that already.
Q. Now, did you have an account made out
to get the appropriation of $9l3, ,497 28l A.
There was an estimate made and submitted.
Q. Now, by the report of 1873, on page 2, 1
find that 1t is stated that the Indebtedness of
the General Government to the District of Col
umbia, on account Of Improvements, as shown
In the statement hereto annexed, is as follows:
''For work In and around Government reserya-
tions and public buildings, S513, 49, rs; for
1 work on avenues, 81 ,056 ,574 .36; for main sew
erage %, SAC, ,6S1 .S3; making total OF 81, no.,
1874" The details Of these are to be found,
presume, In this appendix, or In the exhibits
that are fled with this report, and apprehend
that that 81, $40 should be s740,OOOl A. Yes,
| sir. -.. -.
Q. That is misprint. gather so from an
examination of the tables that were put into
the report for the purpose of showing the
amount of money that the Government ought
to pay. A. Well, II was stating an account
with the General Government In q definite
form but think-and am of the opinion
that every member of the committee will con-
cur with me after investigating the matter
that that is about half Of what the General
Government should pay on account of these
Improvements.
Q. You think, then, the General Govern
ment, instead of owing 81, ,S75, ,427 .94, really
ought to pay twice that amount A. think
Judge, this: that they should pay just pro-
portion for improving streets and avenues
which they own in fee-simple and have entire
control of-which they have ownership over,
and which they close in and take up whenever
1t suits their purpose.
| Q. You don't mean, then, as this report
states, that this Is an Indebtedness of the Gen.
erai Government to the District of Columbiai
A. You know that Congress is a body that has
| supreme control, and can do what 1t chooses,
and the citizens of this District have no recourse
whatever. They can do nothing but take what
is given them. The first item Is about what Is
justly due under their own laws for improve
ments upon their property. The second, for
work on avenues, is carrying out the principle
established in the last appropriation bill-thst
they would pay all moneys spent on account of
avenues.
| Q. That portion Justly chargeable to private
property and the third the general sewerage of
the city is based upon tho same assessment
which the private property-owners pay in this
city. will come to that presently. / want to
get at the character Of this Indebtedness. Now,
the first item in the statement that have read
from the report of the board is $573, III rs and
the details of that item are found on page 20i
A. Yes, sir. -.
Q. Now, in that find embraced for work on
Seventh street northwest, in front of the Post
Office and the Patent Office, SIS, ,570.55; flag
ging on Seventh street, S11 ,10675; T street
northwest, in front of Post Office and Patent
Office, $34. .136.15; tagging on street north
west, In front of Post Office and Patent Office,
50, ,5SS 45; Eighth street northwest, in front of
Patent Office, tagging, s2,OO7.5O. When was
that work donei
The Witness. Whichi
Q. Those stems have just enumerated of
work aronnd the Patent Office and Post Office3
A. think 1t was all done during the past year
during 1873.
Q. All done since the approximation of the
sth of January and the Sd of March! A. Yes,
sir; part of this work was included In the ap-
preparation of the Sd of March.
Q. What Is thati A. This work included In
this appropriation of s9l3, ,4s7 SO was intended
to apply to portion Of this work.
Q. That S9l3 .36 has been drawn, has it
notl A. Yes, sir.
Q. Has it been applied to the payment of
debtsi A. 1t has been applied to the payment
of the debts of the board.
Q. But you say that 1t was intended for this |
work. A. No, sir; l say that 1t was q part of |
the work contemplated in that estimate, and |
think payments on account of this work were |
made, in all S913, 1876.
Q. Where has the Government got credit for |
the amount that was paid out of that 1913, 900
on account Of this works
TheWitness. Where is II credited
Q. Yes, sir. A. You have a full statement |
there. All the vouchers are in my answer.
Q. If the Government has been credited on
account of this work, then why is It put in this |
item of s57S, ,171.75f A. Simply because the |
appropriation was insufficient to pay the total |
cost of the work.
Q. Did y9u apply any of that money to the
payment ofthis work? A. think so.
@. Then should not there be an account
stated showtng-l A. think there has been
a settlement. This Is the balance due on this
work alter
what has been paid.
Q. Then this does not contain the statement
around the Patent Office and Post Object A. /
think not. The vouchers, l presume, will show
what II cost. think you will find them there
in the Treasury Department voucher.
Q. Without going through this account in
detail, 1 will state that find here an item for
work on streets around the United States Cap
itol, $2SS, ,286S1. What streets are those
How is that item made upl A. It is made up
by these streets B street north, and First
street, and changing the grade on East Capitol
street and Pennsylvania avenue east, to Mary
land avenue and G street, for bringing them
into It. --.-- =. Pm. |
Q. In other words, when you changed the
grade on First street east, you had to change
the grades to the streets leading into itl A.
Yes, sir.
Q. And then you charged the United States
with the cost OF changing the grades on those
streets leading into First street easti Where
they had been made before, because the
grade
Q. Upon what principle did you do thatl A.
II you will allow me to explain
Mr.. Wilson. That is just what I want you
to do. A. Congress passed, some time ago,
law appointing commission consisting, I
think, of the Commissioner of Public Build
ings, the mayor of the city, and the architect
Of the Capitol, to fix the grades around the
Capitol.
Q. VIII you turn to that acti A. It was
affirmed by Congress, but no appropriation was
made to carry it out. It was only at the last
session Of Congress that an appropriation was
made to improve those streets around the
Capitol, under Mr.. Clarke. Senator Morrill,,
chairman of the committee Of public buildingsl
and grounds, sent for me and said that 1t was
very important that these improvements
should X faEd Vi qa sqS tsss as 4 desired sst
grade; that the grsas bad nov bssn established
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