National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-05

Cost of contracts per Governors an
sEer- 2g,S6l 3
Excess Of estimate over actual cost SAB y
Alvin state that in Mr.. Severson's esti
mates there be puts in the contracts which
had under q commission appointed by act o.
Congress, and which were afterward paid by
the Board of Public Works, but no contracts
awarded by the Board Of Public Works. Thai
payment on those contracts by the board
think amounted to some $685. 600 or 500, 900
That is for the h-street work, and lie not giyer
in the list Of contracts Of the Board of Public
Works and docs not really come under the
Board of Public Works. There is q clear error
in his statement of Sl54 600.
BY Mr.. Wilson: Q. L. that the fault of Mr.
Severson or is it the fault Of the manner in
which these matters are presented to the public
in the books OF the Board Of Public Worksl A
Mr.. Severson undertakes to give the contracts
and these payments, state what contracts they
are on and what streets, which If he had COM
pared he would have seen the payments did
not apply to the contracts which he gave.
BY Mr. Mattingly: @. He charges you In
that statement relative to yonr contracts, with
the payments received for N street, and does
not credit you with the amount Of the con-
tractf A. No, sir.
By Mr.. Merrick: Q. Did you or not receive
those sums of money upon contracts from some
source or otherl A. received the amounts of
money as stated here.
Q. The only point Of difference Is as TO the
sources Of the contracts and the sources of pay
ment, not the amounts. A. But when be
makes q charge Of oTerpayments, he should
certainly give the contract as well, and not
make a false statement here.
O. You did receive al the sums he assigned
to YOU az having been received! A. i have
enumerated them all In these statements Ihsye
furnished to the committee.
By Mr.. Mattingly: Q. Just state TO the COM
mittee generally as to the extent of the errors:
whether you ind errors all through i'll A.
They are all through them, varying from $50
600 70 500, 900 In each statement, and more.
Q. And find errors In additionl A. Yes, sir;
In addition in various places; additions In these
columns; and then there Is one error Of $780,
600, which he Is not responsible for. Il Is q
typographical error in the contract as reported
in the report Of 1878. It Is contract Of s147,-
900 there, which should have been S247 600,
which the estimate opposite will show. For
that no blame is to be attributed TO him.
find in every one of his statements the same
discrepancies. They viii appear from the
statements / have already submitted to the
committee.
By Mr.. Merrick: Q. Do 1 understand Won
to say that the data he gives appear anywhere
In the published reports of the Board of Public
Works. A. Oh, yes, sir; they all appear
there. he takes HIS statements from there.
q. His statements are all taken from the
statements in the report Of the Board of Public
Works. A. Yes, sir. .- ..
O. Has he stated anything in his papers that
do not appear at some place in the report of the
Board Of Public Worksi A. think not.
BY Mr.. Wilson: @. Has he omitted any.
thing from his statements that does appear
from the report of the Board of Public Works.
A. He misrepresents by making payments on
contracts which he does not give.
Q. Has he omitted from his statement any.
thing that does appear on the face OF the re-
iIorts az the Board of Public Works. A, No,
sir; think not.
Q. Thetl, If there Is any error there Il Is not
bis fault, but the fault Of the parry who made
up these reportsi A. II is his fault BY making
Misrepresentation here at the close of his
tabular statement for the purpose of endeavor.
ing TO show that these contractors have re-
ceiyed more than the estimated costs.
Q. Does Il not 50 appear from the face of the
reportsl A. Il does not
Q. Have you pointed out in your statement
where, in the report, those things can be found
which he has omitted 10 state in his statement
A. Yes, sir; have pointed out everything.
O. You say that there are things appearing
on the face Of the report that he does not take
cognizance Of in making up his statement A.
Yes, sir.
BIZ Mr.. Mattinely. O. Are all OF Mr.. Sever.
sons errors on one sidel A. Yes, sir. I have
not seen anything that is not.
Witness. In this matter Of the NJ street
bridge, also, ! desire to put in statement. BE
says, on page SO Of the record, "Page IA, Janu-
airy %, construct an iron truss-bridge over
Rock creek, on the line Of n street, northwest,
between Washington and Georgetown, estimat-
ed cost, SIS r59S.52." Then be gives the pay
ments Of the treasurer, and be says ''cut turn
ing, ending with contract price. In that he
that bridge for other purposes, and taking
simply the contract for iron work, and given
that and not the other expenses attending the
construction Of that bridge,
The following Is the statement that desire
70 submit IN regard 70 the M-street bridge:
A-stSsa BRIDGE.