Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-04-09
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of the Joint Congressional Committee.

called 10 order this morning at half past ter
O'Clock.
Robert Mcclellan, sworn:-Reside in Chi
cago; am contractor; am the surviving part
ner of the firm of DeGolyer & Mcclellan; tn
firm had a contract TO lay pavement in wasa-
ngton; obtained the contract through Georg-
K. Chittenden, of Chicago; he first notified u,
that we had contract to lay 150, coo yards o.
pavement. In the month OF February, 1872
was in Philadelphia, at the Continental Hotel:
the clerk told me there were one OF two di -
patches for m; read them; they were from
Chittenden, telling me to come to Washington.
that large contracts were TO be awarded; at TT
declined to come, but finally did, and had con
versations with Chittenden. Mr. Chittendsn
took me to Mr.. Shepherd and introduced me tn
him, but nothing was said about contracts:
went then to New York and Chicago; after
wards got a dispatch to come on, that one or
the other of the firm should he here; came or
and remained some time; got up model OF our
pavement, and explained 10 the Board of Pub
lie Works the preserving process then left
again for Chicago, and i'll the month OF June
following received notice from Chittenden that
he had got an award for 150, 900 yards for the
DeGolyer pavement No. 2, and 50 900 additional
yards on certain conditions, at $3.50 per souare
yard. Mr.. DeGOlyer then came on; he closet
II up. DeGOlyer is dead. Chittenden WAS to
have one third interest in the patent pavement
laid outside OF Chicago, when he secured the
contract; have not paid Chittenden anything
because don't see any profits in the contract
On the return Of Mr.. Chittenden to Chicago he
IL
that he had been put TO in Washington, and
portion of it to pay the national debt; paid him
$4,000 in money and $4,000 in notes; th-
money was paid in drafts; the drafts
were made payable to our own order: the
notes handed TO Mr.. Chittenden; heard from
the notes through the Manufacturers bank
OF chicago; they were presented and we were
not able 10 meet them; paid $50, 900. of the note
subsequently, and 81 800 at anOth er time; the
balance was met by selling an int rest to Chit
tenden OF our patent process; he gave me a
u ifeln 81
cred with them again; in giving an interest in
our patent, he assumed the notes and gave me-
$4,000 in cash; it included property We hal
here in blocks and machinery; our machiner,
cost about 800, 600; of the S72 900 notes -, 500
was paid in Washington; don't know 10 whom
1t was paid; laid in Washington about 81 ,O0J
yards OF pavement under the name of DeGOlyer;
after DE Golyer died about 1909 yards of thi.
patent was put down in the name OF Q. A. Jen-
kins X Go.
q. How has the pavement turned ont? A.
have not given much attention to il within nine
months; there are some cases where there are
decsyed blocks in pavement laid in Chicago
but generally it is in good condition; the &C
tual cost OF the pavement in Chicago is about
S140 OF $50 per square yard; never Calculated
what 1t cost here; MIR. De Golyer said he had tiy-
ured it up TO cost about 50 so per square ward
2: Did this include the cost of getting tn.
contract? A. don't think he iii ured that in;
individually think l am out $50 900 on
the contracts L had in Washington; paid i'm
cash 81 800 to Geo. X. ChittenGeD; he d;da't
u. Il
was to pay his expenses and part OF the
national debt.
Mr.. HubbelI.-we had better summon thu
Secretary OF the Treasury and see If it was
By Mr.. wilson:-what time in the year va. it
when you came here? A. In February, 1872, l
think the 18th.
q. Did you have any interviews with the
Board OF Public Works? A. Nothing but what
l have said; drew up model and presented IL
10 the board; had no con yers atoms with mem
FQvar linz eh.an
introduced to Shepherd, but had no converse
tlon about contracts; IN June following was
advised by Chittendea that the board hal
granted US contract; il was By lester: hay,
not that letter, and DO not know where il Is; d,
not remember the contents of any OF ChitteD-
den's letters; after Chittenden notified us W.
had the contract, saw him in Chicago, aooa;
eight or ten days afterwards; Chittenden in
termed us it would be necessary 20 have som
ready money.
q. When Chittenden came to Chicago. VIII,
did he say to you about ready money? A. Whe
ne came TO Chicago he said he wanted $1,000
but that he had arranged to get along witt
$50 GOO; asked him what he wanted with it;
he said to pay his expenses and part of the IA
tional debt; said to him, sit is go!sg it blind"
and that didn't know what IL all meant; b
SAID, why, II don't amount to 80 cents PEI
square yard on your contract" | never could
understand what that Sg7 900 was for; never
could get anything else out OF him; without
further understanding, furnished him with the
money, as L stated before; he never told me
the S9i 600 was to pay for getting the contract:
may imagine 30, but L do not know 50; the
notes given were for sixty and ninety days, four
months and nine months.
z. How long had the az 100 note to run? A
think 90, may be So days; il fell due first; tn
drafts were payable on demand to our own
erder; they were promptly paid by our firm.
y; DO you know to whom the drafts were
PAID? a. DO not; have seen the drafts sincs;
nave no recollection OF any endorsements being
on them; think the drafts are in our safe in
Chicago.
account OF these notes; have Won any memoran-
da which will enable US to know to whom the
81 800 note was paid? A. have not; do not
know the name Vt any person who got money
on account Of these notes; have heard man
named Brown got some; it was said he was an
Episcopal minister; it was not Brown OF the
Board OF Public Works.
Q. Who told you Brown got any money? A.
think Mr. DsGol yer said 30; he So he thought
he was an old scamp, and that he believed he
got eight or ten thousand dollars of that money;
Brown at the Arlington.
v. why was 1t that in paying out this large
sum OK money you made no inquiry as to where
II was gong? A. As | think L have already
stated, 1t was to pay Chttenden's expenses in
washington and part OF the national debt;
never could get anything more out of him; gave
IA the money upon the presentation of a let
Ter Oh acceptance of our pavement.
z. hen you were willing to pay a premium
OF $50 900 TO secure a contract of 2OO, 900 wards
OF OF pavement in the city? A. Yes, sir, we did
~ We Souiu 10y OoiVUU NdTus Oh our
pavement over and above 150, 600 yards, il We
would wait Tor our money.
y. was contract inferred into? A. We ha
a letter OF acceptance; L said to Mr. Chittende
we ought to have a contract, he said an
award was better than contract, because 1t
hsd no restrictive clauses, which would allo " it
10 De taken away; took legal advice and was
toid az award was better than a contract.
Y. Dld Mr.. Chittenden inform YOU at any
time what influence he could bring to bear ~
control contracts? A. He said he had infiu-
ence at Washington, and if any trouble came
UP De could arrange any that might arise; he
oion't let me know whom he particularly relied
on; ne spoke Of Governor Cooke being his warm
irieno; never spoke Of any other member Of the
BOARD, heard him say that A. X. Shepherd was
q very particular man, and that the work would
nave TO be done A No. 1; the reason we didn't
lay tne other $4,000, was because Mr.. Shepherd
SAID ne would not allow any more to 90 down
until the board acted upon complaints made
against the pavement. didn't insist on get
ung any more, on account Of the pay we got,
which was in certificates disposed Of the first
got A. 30 cents on the dollar, in New York city;
negouated the sale through q broker; don't
knyW whether he dealt with jaw Cooke & Co.
or not; my partners sold some at less than 5
cents on the dollar.
q. Did your losses arise from an inadeauacy
o. price, or the character Of the pay you gotp
a. we suffered by the pay-th.n we lost heav-
ny ~ selling out our machinery; the pay was
ample to make fair margin.
". why didn't you take up the notes? A.
Mr. Holmee, who held them, said he wanted 10
retain the notes; but he gave me Q written