New-York tribune., 1874-05-21

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a foot for pipe sewer Mr.. Cluss showed that the
average cost of pipe sewer had been S277 Gov. Shep
herd and Oertey in order to justify the outrageous
and illegal sewer tax, have sworn that the totai
cost of main sewers would be S4,5o0000; Mr.. Cluss
showed by table to-day that it would be only
about S250O,000. 1t is the general talk about town
tonight that the bottom has at last dropped OUT
of the District Ring" and very few remain to be
convinced that all that has been charged. and
more, of frauds and corruption Will yet be proved
THE TESTIMONY IN DETAIL
[GRNERAL PRESS DIsPATCH.l
WASHINGTON May 2O.-Adolph Cluss, Chief
Engineer and member OF the Board of Public Works,
was examined by the District Committee several hours
today. He testified that the organization OF the Board
such would impede engineer In the discharge
of his dues that the VicePresident against the pro-
of the engineers officer, in the habit OF detail
ing Mr. Oertey, assistant engineer, and giving him
private instructions with reference to measure
ments. Measurements were made by this assist
ant. not under his twtnesss) supervision, and be
would not be responsible for them He had nothing 10
do with the estimates on which a Government apprO
priation Of 81 10000 based. IL was made up by
Oertey and nc twitness) it until 1t appeared
in print in the Governors would he be held
responsible for the errors Mr.. Forsythe. who made
great many OF the Government measurements. was
nOminay subject to his control, but did generally
whatever Gov. Shepherd required him TO do. Witness
stated that although Oertley one OF his subord-
nates he had not him in his office for fortnight
By Mr.. Ahson-wheri is hef A. Making up q state
ment for this Committee
The witness stated that all the important contracts
made awarded without consulting him as
engineer, and without his knowledge as a mem-
Der OF the Board; the Vlce-President mace
the contracts; the minutes OF the Board were
made up by MI Shepherd Mr.. willard, and Mr.. Ma
gruder who agreed TO something and called 1t meet
ing; protested to Magruder once, aud he said, "we
they have agreed TO q proposition which you op-
pose; there is majority, and the ma
jority rules" such action then entered
meeting OF tie Board, and spread on the minutes;
whenever the VicePrcsdent sat down TO write con-
n tract u w. S Fl G2aTa sG%g O Ws5es soms
work was once proposed TO be done which considered
unnecessary It was SAID It must be done, as assess
ments made out for the work asked TO see the
assessments, and was refused; there have been
many contracts let, and the men were at work
the streets before the Engineer Department
was notified Of the award; | consider cr0ss-sec-
tons as absolutely necessary, even IN tue Simplest
case whore there sections it npOssl
the assessment sheet IN advance of work done is for
Nneteenthst have made demands to see IT, but up to
this day IL has not been forthcoming witness testified
that Oertley made nearly all the measurements for
John o. Evans it was twitness'sl duty determine
who should make measurements. but Oertley told him
he was acting under Mr. Shepherds orders aud he
not e blamed for what he did; witness often did not
Oertley for week; he would ask where he was and
usually found he was engaged on some government
tnat designated what contractors should be paid
Government appropriations.
Q. VINO measured the work Of the Evans Concrete
Company A. Mr. William Forsyth
O. Who designated him 7 A. didn't
O. Did you object to hint A. did not know any
thing about the designation until the work was meas.
urcd this work amounted TO about sl,OOOJO, and was
certified to without my knowledge.
@ Do you know anythius about the grading FIJI.
teenth and seventeenthsts near the War Department
a. The District has paid for the grading l 095 40 the
Governmeutis charged s15172; this Is not an over
@ Wen explain that A. Well, if you buy horse for
sjOJ and man brings you OIL Tor Two mules AT $50
each youare not cheated yon pay the correct amount
@. lis that the way the Government accounts have
@ Explain that again. A. John o. Evans did the
work; there were actually about 1900 square yards
Evans allowed abont 81 per yard; some put It at
5000 yards at 50 cents per yald that the way 1t was
Mr. Cluss was examined with reference to a tabular
Somehpr If J"bn Evans for Where 10 GOO
yards ng charged at 40 cents. He did 80 To show
ihat the bIil Was in a different Handwriting, and that
when he signed the voucher he did not know these
amounts were included; the ngnres are III tue hand
MI up inc voucher nut Oertey, acting under special
orders TO measure John o. Eyanss work. filled up these
same; the G-s sewer cost s. 1876 they charged the
Government ssl95; the grading on Mapyiandave e. be,
the United States has paid <95,J2J 49,
O. How do you account for thisi a. cannot account
fort have taken the accounts and made up the state
ment.
O. In North Caro!ina-ave the amount charged TO the
United States is sjI3O6 e. TO the Board
S9s2I 20 how do you for that discrepancy A.
cannot account for ii have the records Of
O on Connecticut-ave. the cost is slG.933 70; tho
United States has paid s2lOoO; how is that ac
counted for A. know reason why 1t should be SO;
have taken the records
O. what do you know about filing the canal A. Not
filling up the canal very small quantities have been
brought into the office they VIII not amount to $1,000;
OF earth from the streets aud avenues
Witness read from the journal of the Engineers office
applications made by Albert Gleason for grading
work certain streets III the south western and other
portions OF the city he found nVe DAYS after TINS ap-
plcation made siotantEngneer Oertey, without
the aid OF instruments, rodnen, or anybody to help hun,
had made estimate of all the streets which was de-
livered TO Mr. Gleason by orderi the voucher is for
sliS23O il asked Oerey how he dli this and lie said
must not blame him, as lie was following out the vice.
Presidents orders
O. Who was Vice President then A. Mr.. Shepherd
looking this up witness found another voucher
was passed which was concealed from him. Tor about
s75 900 could how twelve streets could be meas
ured In five days without Instruments or rodnen, or
assistance OF any kind Mr. Shepherd appointed all the
street s1perntendents: they had not been paid Tor
several mouths and would generally sign anything as
correct; last Summer 140 superintendents were en,
pOyed, and IL they had been appointed and controlled
by the Engineers Department. they should have
been, CO good men could have done the work more
satisfactorily; witness considered Oertley good en-
gneer he wanted to be, but he acted under ORDERS
he did not think Oer1ey had been honest with the Com-
mittee he had submitted tables winch concealed the
truth rather than stated ~ he thought the system of
the Board in keeping accounts very complicated ana
was difficult 10 make any hing out OF them; up TO Janu
AIRY last from October 1872 January 1874, there have
not bee than eight meetings OF the Board OF Pub
lie Works; contracts were generally awarded by Gov.
Shepherd without advising consulting with tho
Board witness did not know why expensive payeinents
were constructed uuinhabitcd portions OF the city it
was done without his being party it, he knew that
expensive pavements had been laid IN places where the
wood would rot before the street would be Inhabited;
Dr. FilDert contractor, got hdsl measurements on
progress aud after being paid left for parts
known.
THE POSTAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ADOPTED BY THE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CREswELL PRES
ENT DURING THE DEBATE-AGRICULTURAL RE-