New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-01

DISTRICT CONIRiCTS AND CONTRlCIORS
We have grave doubts as to the propriety
of an official reporter of the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes becoming a contractor for running
fences around the parks in our national capt
tai. Mr.. Frank Smith, who, it seems, has en-
joyed profitable contract of that description,
probably agrees with US; for when Mr.. Smith
took the contract he so far consulted the pro-
prieties as to keep his own name in the back
ground The name of one II. V. Cotton ap-
peared in the contract, and Mr. Smith con-
fined his own labors 10 furnishing the
money going on his substitutes bond,
keeping the accounts and drawing the
profits. Meantime Mr.. Cotton was paid
a liberal salary for his name and SER
vices, and it was through no fault OF
Mr. Smith that the details of their business
copartnership leaked out. For as soon as 1T
became evident that there was to be an in
yestigation in earnest of District of Columbia
affairs, Smith accepted place in the Indian
Peace Commission and went to the far West
Mr. Smith showed in his every act that he
knew what was right and becoming in an
official reporter Of Congress and President
of the Young Mems Christian Association !;
and but for Mr.. Colton's reluctant admissions
on the witness stand Congress and the people
would never have known that in addition to
his salary of $4,000 from the General Govern
ment, Mr.. Smith had received during eight
months about $4,000 as his share OF the profits
from a contract given him by the Board OF Pub
lie Works of the District of Columbia.
Another high contracting party of whom we
read in the reports of the District Investiga-
ton was represented on paper by an humble
individual of the name of Faehtz, who was to
make Third-st., from indiana-ave. to MIST,
resplendent with patent prismatlc wood
"pavementn But MI. Faehtz does not pro-
pose, now that contractors are liable to be
oyerhauled at any minute, to assume all the
responsibility for what may have been done
i'm the name Of his prismatic pavement-and
it appears that he, too, had silent partners OF
Influence in various ways" These were Mr..
Rhnehart, Chief Clerk of the District
House of Delegates, and Mr.. ID. e.
Forney, editor of The Sunday Chronicle; and
nobody knows how many more were inter-
ested in this prismatic contract, for Faehtz
sold out handsome profit to partner OF the
ubiquitous John o. Evans, and Mr.. FOrney,
according to Mr. Faehtz's impressions, was to
divide with somebody else. In the same affair
Mr. A. p Brown, son of member OF the
Board of Public Works, appears as furnisher
of lumber. And after all Mr. Faehtz does not
think he was fairly served, for ne received
only So per square yard for his pavement,
while his successor put down one less expen-
sive in composition. and probably less pris-
matte, and was paid So 80 per square yard for
it, But then a partner of Mr.. John .. Evans
was the successor; and Mr.. Faehtz forgets
that that may have had something to do with
the increase of price.
Other contractors under the Board of Pub
lie Works were, it seems, members of the
District Legislature; and the list is not yet
complete. With such contractors! with MIR.
Samo's guess work measurement of snow
covered pavements and of tagging never
laid, and with shoemakers and painters to su-
perintend the construction of sewers we do not
wonder that the work went forward 80 expe-
ditiously that in some instances only day or
two elapsed between the award of the con-
tract and the payment of the good round sum
40 quickly earned to the contractor.