Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-09
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of The Joint Congressional COauitte.
Closing Proceedings Yestera,r.


tee investigating District affairs closed, Gov
shepherd WAS further cross-exsmined with
reference TO the mode OF making assessments
for improvements on streets. He was asked by
Judge Wilson IL he urged upon the District Le-
gislature the passage Of the sewer tax Law and
ne replied that he did.
Q. Dad you send to any of the members orths
District Legislature and personally intsrceda
With them 10 get them TO vote Tor this bill.
\, think spoke TO most or them, yes sir
-. ma you make any promises TO any OF them
IN order 10 Induce them TO vote for the bill
4. did not Several of them wanted promises
ont there was none made.
Witness further testified that the total amount
OF expenditures on account OF Improvements J.
sl5,652, 6S525, and thar the certificates iSsuea
by the Board OF Public Works up % the sd oi
April, lS,i for work done by the board, fUots
mp over slS,OO0,00O. With reference 20 con
tracts, witness testified that no contracts have
been made in excess OF legal appropriatiO
out that the work done has exceeded the ap-
preparations.
.. Then you have done the work without CON
tracts? A. Well, We 10 good deal of WORK
without contracts, OF course. Our employees
are all without contract
=. But am speaking about street improve
ments. A. say that the amount of improve
ments msde-the contracts for improy ements
made-have net exceeded the amount OF tue sp-
preparation.
Q. Yes, but If understood YOU, the work
that you have done has? A. Taking ali the out
tide work, which cOmPrehends a great mauy
details not included IN improvements, aud not
coming outside Of that clause.
=. Regarding this as a matter OF some i'm
portPnce, sir, / called your attention TO IT, Yol
nave been taking bond from parties for the
keeping Ia repair Of streets that have been coz
structed? A. Yes, sir.
q. HISS IL ever occurred to You that IL Won
nave made any contracts in excess OF and IN al
vance OF appropriations, those contracts might
be illegal, and therefore your bonds utteTl,
worthless, and that you could not enforce them
A. Wei, an not lawyer enough TO 20 into A
discussion with YOU on that subject.
IEFws. L.. UlraA 4
has occurred to you. / desire TO know whether
YOU have taken the advice of counsel? a
Every bond that has been giyen-every con
tract that has been msde-has been done
through our attOrnsy-thrOugh the District a
torney, and has received his sanction; every
bond that has been given 70 every contract.
q. Has that point been suggested? A. That
cannot tell; ii Is his business 10 look out for
that.
Q. Have you ever contemplated bringing any
suits on these bonds, and been deferred from
doing 20 by reason of this very question? a
Never, sir; we have in most instances held
enough IN our hands TO have the butt end OF the
whip.
q. You protected yourselves in that respect
by holding back? A. We took every precau-
ton, sir, both as regards bonds and holding
back enough TO make Us good.
q. Have YOU held back in any case exceptiug
these Evans cases? A. We held back in good
many cases.
Q. And protected the board and the gorsrn-
ment? A. 1 think the District has been thor.
oughly protected, or Will be; that has been our
intention.
UNDERPINSING HOUSES.
The Governor was then questioned a to the
authority OF the Board 20 raise and underpin
houses. be said there was appropriation
made by the Legislative Assembly for that pur-
pose Here is the act, approved June %, 1875.
providing for raising and underpinning houses
Geo; raising and uIderpinniBg GeOT getOwa
MAI ket-houses; S24, g4.Sj.
q. This seems To be an act making appropri-
atiOns for reimbursing the Board of PuOh,.
Works OF the District OF Columbia for the mOuey
expended by them Tor the erection and repar
of pumps, cleaning and repair Of streets, rsisinl
and uEdeTpinniDg or houses ana market houses
Had these houses and market-h houses been raise
by the Board OF Public Works prior to thu
passage OF this act? A. Only few of them:
the work was in progress at the time.
2. Now, what desire TO know is, where TIL
board procured its authority to engage in sucr
contracts? A. Well, il was a matter of die
creton; the board had to use discretion; 4,
would not have done TO have buried people b.
a change of grade twelve or fifteen feet unde
ground without making some provision 10 pro
tect their property aRd life, and the board eX
ercised that discretion by raising their houses
The matter wa. lad before the Isgisl AZURE, an
they made an appropriation.
.. Was there statement or report of an
kind made to the Legislature on the subject
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Can that be procured? A. I think il can
Z. would be glad II you would furnish thai
to the committee. A. will do 50, sir.
Q. When you raised and underpinned houses
having made these contracts for tn at purpose
were there assessments made against the prop
erty? A. No, sir; IL went in lieu of damage
which would have had TO have been paid 20 me
property for changing grades; the raising OF
tied the account.
THE CITY FALL AUTHORIZATION.
With reference 10 the appropriation of s. 900
for the City Hall, witness said il was procured,
and the money was in bank 20 the credit OF tht
District; credited TO the treasurer of the BOari
of Public Works; 1 think the matter was
brought before the board as the money would
not be used during the last season, ana would
lay in bank all the winter. The question with
us vas whether il would not be better to invest
part of it-S70, 600 OF t-in the securities OF the
District, and file them away for that purpose.
and use the money for the purposes or the
board. That was finally done by uuanimOu,
vote, and the bonds which were bought were
sealed up and placed as a special deposit in the
bank; thlnk the envelope was Endorsed am
sealed by the treasurer of the board; part OF
the amount (s10,000) was invested in sewer
bonds, which is now in bank to the bOards
credit
witness was then Intercepted as TO the pro
cess OF circular curbing around the street
circle.
THE MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE CUT.
q. Some ore OF the witnesses few DAYS ago
spoke about Massachusetts avenue, stating that
Senators Bsysrd and Edmunds did not paw anv
assessments, but that their assessments were re
mitted TO them on account Of damages 10 their
property. DO you know anything about that
A. There was some settlement made with them.
Col. Msgruder is familiar with it. l DO not
know exactly what the details were. They sub
mitted some claim for damages. forget what
it was. He settled the matter with them. 4
coIcurred in il at the time, but do not remem-
Der what the details of il were.
Q. There was pretty expensive work done in
front Of their property? A. Yes, SIR; il was very
costly work.
.. There was costly work done Just along in
that vicinity in front of other persons property:
A. That was the only property that was inn
proved; that is, with an improvement. There
are four or i've very line houses there. There
are two houses that will have to be fixed up by
the board; either dropped down or underpinned,
or something done with them. Ii was a cut tn AZ
was made after mature deliber alton, and az ainst
the protest OF Mr.. Edmunds and Mr.. Bsyard
They wanted the street parked in the center
and the hump kept there. The board, after eI
aiming the thing thoroughly, came to the con
clusion TO cut it down. and thereby incurred
the displessure of these two gentlemen; still
we did what We thought was right.
q. Did you make any other settlement with
any other property holders along there? A. 4
do not know; do not know whether any other
nave applied; there was something done for
Judge Wylie, who owned some property there
there was some concession made with him: I
am not familiar what IL was AZ this moment
@. Do YOU know whether the board moved a
house for Judge Wylie? A. think they did;
think that was IL.
O. How was the cost OF moving that hons,
settled with him? A. L suppose the board