Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-14
The Joint Special Committee investigating
District affairs was called to order at Il:sO
O'Clock this morning.


tons and profiles when L could get them; /
awaited my elf of all the appliances within nv
reach to form correct opinion.
g. Explain to the committee how far you
differ from the measurements made by the
Board Of Public Works? Witness consulting
data said he would give general results:
He first took up p street circle and said he
measured everything he could see except the
grading. The asphalt csuseway may be made
IL ,696 yards; wood JIG yards; asphalt sidewalks
1857 yards flag, q ,195 feet; circular curbing
921 lineal feet; parking, 1876 yards.
Same made asphalt, 13 ,93S; wood, none; as
phalt sidewalk, more; brick sidewalk, 96l yards;
dag 20 99l feet; circular curb $50 feet parking
1903 yaIds. Witness yards he did not estin ate any
sidewalk on the mol tn side OF Massachusett.
avenue adjacent to Senator Stewart, property,
because he did not find any there; he had been
se se up This
much brick sidewalk as have in my measure
ments. Appropriated the grading around the
p street circle, ard made it about ten thousand
street circle m: lsured to cost S74, 7@9 81 Same
has made it 7S,540.15; witness explained he
had rot made measurement Samo b I'd, which
was in his (Samo's) favor 1000.
The next point examined was Scott square,
which is as follows:
Bliekenderfer's Sauso's
asphalt carriaseway. 5,Sl2 yards. LIB yards.
Brick a sidewalk. .......4,oOoo d" 4,ll2
PsPsins ,sSSSs " a,o &c
cuIbins. ..............s'e ss feet. $685. feet.
oeWeIs... l,fOz 500 "
lr0n fence. ............ Co3 59i ="
The aggregate OF the square according to my
measurement lie Si5, 1872 IS; Samo's is Si9,04290.
Including grading the difference between my
measurement and Samo's would be ABOUT
$1,000. had no data to estimate the grading.
RAwLINs' SQUARE.
Blickenderfer. Same.
Asphalt carriageway. .3,2ll yards. 3,i63 yards,
Gobblestone.. ........3,09S 2,09s 90
Brick sidewalk. SSH "
strsisIt curhing .. 4,ats feet. 2,e5ss feet.
Parking. .............l,1 72 yards. LIN yards.
sever "d . So, 9gi feet. s29 feet.
l did not estimate the grading here, had no
data; the difference in cost is Blicken tsFfsr's
measurement, SD, 210.31; Samo's, :22 1853 10,
after making a correction which was made;
before the correction was made the difference
By Mr.. MattingIy:-Q. How do you make his
aggregate more than yours, when your estimates
IN but two instances exceed his? A. have not
analysed to see.
Mr.. Allison.-It will be printed and you can
then cross examine the witness.
Witness explained these were all the measure
and other visible matters; had however,
estimated certain grading. First, New Hamp-
shire avenue, L made the amount OF emb ank.
rent, 81 ,65I yards; excavation, 6i,S53; total,
y
tween III and G streets, which was taken out by
the contractor who did the work on Virginia
avenue, AID was paid ior by Virginia avenue,
making S109, c33 as the whole cost OF the work
the charge in the Governors answer Is s1i9iSi
making difference of S40, 25t; the government
paid S6,281.11 more than was paid TO contrac-
tors; find the contractors in several Instances
have been actually over paid; on New Hanp-
shire avenue they have bcen paid for work IN
excess of what has been done; Hulsey, con-
tractor, vas overpsid 81 900; Murray was over
nQi < IL flhar
government should be 81 1891; the charge
made is $50 1854. 40; making an over charge Of
50, 12iS3; had profile OF this avenue and the
benent Of cross sections; they were in existence
With several exceptions; there were no notes for
the excavation between II and 1 streets;
calculated for work actually done, not between
building line and building line, bat work that
was actually dore. Witness stated he allowed
nothing fer the green measurement.
The next point witness measured was Vir-
ainta avenue; hpd complete notes or the entire
avenue, cross sections and profles. The gra
ling, including reservations at 18th and G
streets. ID 102, 60 yards. There was allowed the
contractor 10000 yards; the government was
charged 1oi 900 yards. The United States was
charged 104 COO yards at 40 cents, and haul at Sc
cts. The correct charge to the U. s. government
should be s41 9O933; the overchsrge is sl0,7si
on G street, between Path and 26th streets.
Witness found the grading II, 4O2 yards; con-
ractor was allowed 16. 239 yards; the govern
ment was charged 80 ,109 yards; the government
was r oyeTcha-ged 81, 4o7 yards, Or In dollars,
d
IN sewer on the work; ii is charged for over
3,0C0 feet, and there Is only some 200 feet the
work, making the total Overcharge 81 1888 So.
Witness explained that the difference in over
payment was made by paying the contractors
.xice for the work at the intersection of the
reservation at 26th and streets; the govern
ment also paid twice for the work.
Witness said on Maryland avenue east he
found the grading to be 22l 1858 yards; the
amount charged the government was over
257 coo yards; contractors we're allowed x9l,-
as IA
share; the excess charged the government over
the total cost of the avenue was one thousand
dollars; the government should have paid
S62 9097I; the excess paid Is $40 ,920.46.
Witness stated that he had not included any
old work which had been done.
Witness measured also around the Patent and
u, 066 yards the work was done by DAYS work,
and included lowering the gas and water mains;
the cost would amount to S2.06 per cubic yard
for the earth renewed; on % street, between
Pennsylvania avenue and H street north west,
witness made measurements; he had no notes;
used the marks on the sides of buildings a. land
tb sIxs; ne found tae grading to be 9lo6 yards;
yards-he being overpaid Sc, 85215.
Witness stated he had looked at other work,
but had not brought 1t to final conclusion, be-
caufe he could not get data With regard to
"a street, betwe cen Indiana avenue and H st.,
its contractor is allowed 24,443 yards; the en-
tire length and breadth Of the work charged
would have to be excavated feet and several
inches along its entire length to make up the
charge, and 1t does not bear evidence OF hayiag
been made.
By Mr.. Mattingly:-My measurement OF ID
street, between Indiana and Pennsylvania av-
enues, did not include It in my estimate; there
seems to be pi city heavy cut along there.
By Mr.. Wilson:-Q. Did you see any evidence
OF rock excavation? A. None except powders;
saw some rock excavation in the work out be-
yond the p street circle, on New Hampshire
avenue; saw no evidence OF rock excavation in
Maryland ayerue; the government is charged
for the grading and haul; the government Is
charged usually larger by 10 cents on excava-
ton, AID about cents in the haul, than Is paid
the contractor; on g street the government is
charged II cents more for the haul than was
paid the contractor; on Maryland avenue the
haul paid contractor varies from * cents to 21
cent?; three-fourths of the charge is at 9 cents;
the government 10 charged the whole az Is cts
at quarter after 1 O'Clock the committee
took recess until 2X O'Clock.
Mr.. FREDERICK DoueL ASS occupied n seat