National Republican., 1874-05-29

Isrourd the circles has bcsr dfessed. 4 Thst u
\ WHAT'S called taxed. 'S What Is the market
4 price Of that kind Of Aaggiagf Wei, y am
satisfied, in fact would be perfectly willing,
to take Q contract to deliver here for1S cents
/ foot, delivered at the wharf.
Q. What is IL worthto haul IL up iu town
take the average hauR A. had 1t hauled for
me for two and a half cents foot; and
could have had 1t done for two cents, 81 had
had the money to pay in cash.
Q. Is this tagging that is down here Of mis-
/ cellsneous sizesa A. As far as the width is
is, the portion ustd.
Q. John o. EvaRs' haggingi A. That Is sIl
/ the same.
/ Q. You think you could then put this flag
ging for forty centsf A. would be perfectly
willing % do it, and give the necessary bonds
| to do It.
By Mr.. Mattingly: O. Do you mean to say
that it is regular In length and irregular in
width A. All that have seen.
/ @. Do you mean to say that there is a specific
market price for that, kind Of fagginsi A.
Yes, sir, lido se.-
mated on the price-lists Of all dealers In aag
g1ng as subject to special contract. A. That
is where the dimensions are the same in width
and length, and not where the length and
width vary.
Q. Then understand you TO say that It Is
i not understood as dimension-aagging A. Not
/ as dimension both ways a
: @. What is understood as dimension tagging
IN the trader There is no specific price in the
price-iists, Is therei A. The dimensions are
| the same in length and width: There Is no
contract by me but where the width of the
tagging is irregular, there is the price-list
for It.
9. Then understand you to say that where
the width is irregular 1t Is not dimeusion-fag
gingl A. No, sir.
| Q. And comes within the price-listi A. Yes,
| sir.
Q. And that in these cases the width is irreg-
ulari A. In all the tagging have seen the
width is irregular.
| @. You have seen all the Tagging? A. /
think have noticed most of It.
By Mr.. Stewart: Q. Is there any difference
| in going around circle, and laying q straight
lines A. I think at P-street circle the stone is
superior. D.. - rr-.H
Q. In laying a circular form of tagging is
| there any difference in the price between that
and the other7 A. The face of 1t is dressed.
@. But mean in laying 1t down to make It
fit square. A. do not know as it is any bet
ter job.
Q. That is not what ask. / ask is It any
more of an expensive jobl A. Not any more
expensive to lay it.
Q. The only additional expense is the dress
ing of it A. The dressing.
O.. Is not there wsstage in laying around a
circle where 1t concentrates toward the centre
A. There may be wastage Of the stone.
@. In laying stone around circle such as
P-street circle, does not II have to be concen-
trated toward the centre, and is not there o
little piece of 1t cut off Of each stone A. Yes,
sir; small quantity.
TESTIMONY OF @. W. RIGGS.
G. W. Riggs sworn.
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. Have you had asses
Ja L., o;tx
for street improvements A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know By whom these assessments
were madel And if you have had any inter-
view with any person IN regard to them after
ward wish you would state Just what oc-
CURED. A. do not know BY whom person
ally they were made. got the information
from the Board of Public Works. The usual
written notice got, or printed notice; forget
which It was.
Q. Did you make any complaint as to the
incorrectness of the amount stated in those no.
ticesl A. I did in some instances.
Q. What was the result A. I complained
of the assessments, which claimed were too
should be allowed q very large portion of II. I
have not paid the bill. I hold the correspon-
dencs that had with the Board of Public
Works admitting that they had oTerchErged
me.
9. You have that correspondence with you
| now! A. Yes, Sir.
Q. Let me see IL? witness produces IT,
A. That is in regard to one case In front of my
own house.
@. Just give the committee history of this
| matteri A. This notice was served on me on
the 9th of November. think it is about that
date.
@. What Is the amount you were assessed
A. That is, the amount in front of my dwelling
house? was assessed for $3.50.
q What Ia that1 A NOvannher 1872
had, previous TO thst-in order to explain my
objection In connection with the majority Of
the property -holders| had, when under.
| stood they were going to take up the carriage
way, which was a remarkably good one, of
stone, handed to Governor Cooke, then the
Governor of the District, written protest
against changing the street. I objected to 1t
because they were going to put an inferior one
down. He said that was q matter of opinion
But I found that the protest did no good, and
they took up the pavement and then laid one
of thoss tay parements il hQnt Of my premises.
When the bill came M took exceptions to the
amount, c I'd inquired whether was charged
the same as the rest of the street. l was in
formed that it was so. then addressed q
communication to the Board of Public Works,
and told them that In front of my house there
had been no sewer laid. There is no sewer
on the square on which live at all.
And that found that was charged for q
sewer WHICH QlQ uOL UOuCn my square. L
thought that was Objectionable; that should
not pay for improvements which could not
derive the benefit of. In fact, was not on my
square at all. also objected to the fact that
they charged me for curbing, when they used
my old ourbing. They Just moved it out two
feet and used my old curbing. I objected to
their charging me for q new curb, when they
used old curbing. held correspondence
with the Board Of Public Works abont It, and
the agent of the Board of Public Wooks told
me that was entitled to drawback.
Q. What was the amount of the assessments
against your property therel A. The amount
of this one was SS59.
Q. What changes did they make in itI A.
In the first communication in answer to my
first letter, they said:
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
WAsHLNGToS, November = lsI2: 3
SIR: In roply to yours Of the 2lst instant, rela-
front Of your promises In square lsS fronting on
street northwest, you are respectfully informed
you are entitled to drawback Of ss5i II, and that
the bluestone on the streets1as been credited to
the general accounts Of the entire street, l
By order OF the board. CHAs. S. JOHNSON.
Geo. ". Riggs, esq. - -
This last clause is unnecessary after my
letter, In which I stated that the bluestone
pavement for which had paid in full had been
taken up ana chrJeQ away. naVe LnOuRnt II
they took away the pavement for which had
paid that should be entitled to the credit and
paid, too. They said no: the whole street was
entitled to the credit for that; that Is, the
squares beyond were to be credited for the
pavement In front of me. The second CON-
munication was in answer TO another one, In
which he stated what they allowed me for the
curbing, but they had never noticed my COM
plant Of the sewer which they had not put
there. They then answered:
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS,
WASHINGTON, December 10, 1872. !
SIR. In reply TO yours Of the 4th instant rela-
tive to your assessment bill for improvements in
front OF your premises, in square 1s5, you are
spectfully informed that you entitled to o de-
duction for 21Y g. being the front of lot @, square
ls6, 1885, and your account has been referred to
the auditor to audit.
BY order Of the bJard.
CHAs. s. JOHNSON,
Assistant Secretary.
Geo. ". Riggs, esq.
presume that was for the sewer, but they
didn't say so, and they sent the matter to the
auditor TO audit. The total amou ut allowed
me would be within fraction of one half of the
amount charged.
@. Have you heard Of this assessment
against you since that, and from any other
source; and If so, from WHAT A. heard 1t
was in the First National bank, New York.
| n po1u did vou hat I'M tiopf A