National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-16

persons Tor contracts or Tor employment u
otherwisea A. I would say, Mr.. Chairman
since have been member OF Congress, and
member of the House COMMITTEES for the Dis
trct of Columbia, that have been In the habit
Of doing here What always do at home. II 9
man calls upon me, and know him to be 6
worthy, respectable, and reliable man, give
him my recommendation, be he contractor Oh
otherwise. / have recommended persons Il
Governor Shepherd, but, think, have never
written him but one letter, and then contrac
tor called upon me, and said that certain injus
tice had been dome him by the Board OF Public
Works. wrote letter to Governor Shepherd
which stated about this: that this party had
called upon me, and that injustice had beer
done him. knew nothing. about his CONTRACT
or his business, but that il injustice had peer
done the man thought It ought to De cor
rected; but rather than do q wrong to tnls DIS
trict would rather that the heavens snouic
fall. That was my language in the very lettei
wrote to Governor Shepherd, and 10 WHICH
signed my name. think that Is the only letter
ever addressed to him. As my name has beer
mentioned in connection with DIR. Ftl0ert,
would be pleased if the committee would call
him.
The Chairman. The committee will do So
He is Witness
Mr.. Hsrmer. would like to saythat per
haps did not fully answer the question as 10
whether have recommended persons. have
recommended persons-seyeral of my COL
leagues from Pennsylvania, who were RESPONSE
BILE and reliable men, as well as parties whom
recognize as my own friends.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. ELLIS FnDERT.
DR.. Ellis Filbert sworn.
By the Chairman: @. As we have Just had
under consideration matter in which your
name has been mentioned, ask you whether
or not you have had contracts in this cityi A.
l have.
Q. From the Board of Public worksl A.
Yes, sir.
Q. In justice to Mr.. Harmer, who has just
left the stand, will ask you If he has had any
interest with you, directly or indirectly, in any
of these contractsi A. None whatever.
The Chairman. Do you now desire to go on
with Mr.. Filbert's examination, Mr.. Christy'
Mr.. Christy. Yes, sir.
By the Chairman: Q. What amount of con-
crete pavement, carriageways, &C., have you
laid in the city of Philadelphia, and upon what
streets, before the beginning of your work
herel
The Witness. Do you have reference to car.
riageways alonei
The Chairman. Yes, sir.
The Witness. have not laid more than per
hsps two thousand yards of-carriagewsys.
Q. OF pavementsl A. OF payements, l have
laid perhaps fifteen or twenty thousand yards.
Q. / am requested by counsel to ask you If
you desire to correct your testimony made be-
fore what is known as the Stsrkweather In
vestigation Committee. l do not know myself
what your statement was there.
Mr.. Filbert. do not now remember.
Mr.. Harringtc n. 1t was In regard to laying
pavement on Coates street.
The Chairman. What particular thing do
you desire to call Mr.. Filbert's attention to,
Mr.. Christyl
Mr.. Christy. To those parts of his testi-
mony-
The Chairman. Wherein does that become
material. / think We had that question before
US the other day.
Mr.. Christy. Yes, sir. If it be necessary
it will depend upon the responses OF the wit
ness-we desire to call testimony from Phila-
delphia upon this subject.
The Chairman. Very well; go on.
By Mr.. Christy: Q. In response to this qucs-
ton, "Do you believe that pavement will last,
If properly constructed" you answer on page
$50 of the Starkweather report, 81 have laid 1t
for three years in Philadelphia, and it has
lasted perfectly. have had q pavement down
four years on Coates street, subjected to the
ordinary travel we have in Philadelphia.
have some laid In Paramount Park three years,
and it has given Perfect satisfaction" Is that
correctl
The Witness That is correct. do not
know about the four years on Coates street. It
might have been perhaps more than three.
Q. You did lay pavement on that street,
A. That is, l laid a sample pavement; l did not
pave any part of the street, but run out per-
hsps fifty yards into yard where my works
were, and run 1t out to the railroad track and
from that up into the yard, between Eighteenth
and Nineteenth streets, on Coates.
Mr.. Christy. The witness has, perhaps, al
ready answered to the extent that we DESIRE
He modihes his answer to this question, which
will read:
Ifyou make perfect job, how long do you
think your pavement will last, so as to be a
good pavement
have had one in use four years, and It has
given perfect satisfaction. I believe, if laid as
I have laid some in Philadelphia, it will last
from fifteen to twenty years
Q. / want to ascertain whether his judgment
is the same now as it was at the time when the
testimony was given. A. believe if 1t Is laid
have testimonials with me to
show that Il has been down for four years and
a half withougany wear being perceptible.
By the Chairman: Q. Is this concrete pave
ment3 A. Yes, sir; our work on that pave
ment, l am speaking of.
@. What do you call it, A. Vulcanite.
By Mr.. Merrick: Q. You say the only pavement
you laid in Philadelphia was a sample piece
of fifty yards, extending out from your yard
to the street? A. mean on to Coates street,
since which time 1t has been taken up by q
sewer, which they have been digging along
there. General Meade was by when part OF
1t was taken up.
By the Chairman: Q. You did some grading
in this cityl A. did.
Q. What prices did you receive for grading
under carriageways laid by you in this city,
A. believe the price is what the board price
was-thirty cents q ward
Q. Who composed the firm OF Taylor & Fill
bertl A. Jonathan Taylor and myself.
Q. Does he live in Philadelphis or herea A.
New York.
Q. Did you lay any wood pavement in this
city7 A. Yes, sir.
Q. To what extent, A. suppose have
laid 100, 900 yards.
@. Taylor s. Filbertl A. Yes, sir.
@. ANY other parties interested with youl
A. No. sir. There was on First street. There
was party interested with me on that street.
Q. Who was thatl A. Mr.. Slater.
Q. Was there any other party interested with
you in the wood pavement A. No, sir.
Q. Have you laid your concrete pavement in
connection with any other person, except the
firm of Taylor & Hilbert, in this cityl A. Tay-
lor 81 Filbert laid it on Vermont avenue, and
they laid 1t under the firm of Taylor Il Hilbert.
The rest were laid by Vandenberg s. Co., of
which am one of the firm.
Q. Are you connected with any other con-
tractor in this city as member of firm except
Vandenberg & Co! A. No, sir; not at this
time.
By Mr.. Jewett: Q. Were you at any timea
A. I was some years ago-in fact, two years
ago.
Q. The committee would be glad TO have you
state the names of persons with whom you
were associated in laying payements in this
cityi A. The only parties | was associated
with was in the Metropolitan company, ofwhich
was one of the stockholders; Vsnderberg &
Co. and Taylor s. Filbert.
Q. Do you own the patent of any of those
pavementsl A. do.
Q. What onel A. own part of the patent
in Taylor & Hilbert, and then own this Vul-
canite pavement.
Q. Have you received royalty for the use OF
this pavement, or either of these pavements!
A. No, sir; not yet. have made application
for such and they have agreed to pay it.
Q. What amount per yardl A. Ten cents.
BY the Chairman. @. Can you state to the
committee all the contracts in Which you have
had an interest, awarded by the Board of Pub
lie Wo-ksi
The Witness. Do you mean of all the streetsl
@. Any and all contracts In which you have
had any Interest, made with the Board Of Pub
lie Worksi A. I have had an interest In First
street, part of Second street, part Of street,
part of Eleventh street, part of Tenth street,
part Of z street, part of T street, part of Four
teenth street, part of Rhode Island avenue and
part of N street. That Is all / can recollect at
this time,
Q. Did you sub-let any of these contractsi