National Republican., 1874-05-29

Q. Mere tAers stwo HssspsemeHts made o.
NJ street. between 4Twenty-frst and Tnsnty.
sixth streets; one By Mr.. Forsyth and one By
Mr.. Barneyi- A. I thsqk 80.
q. Do you know wheSher there was any dis
crepancy between the two measurementsf A
Mr. Forsyth made, think, what was termed
partial measurements, late tn the fall or early
in the winter. In the spring, *hen the work
was completed, final measurements were made
by Mr.. Barney. When I went to the auditors
Office to make settlement of the matter, my
attention was called to what seemed to be q
discrepancy between Mr.. Barney's measure
ments and Mr.. Forsyth's partial measurements
of about thousand yards, as remember,
more than the final measurement was stated.
Q. On which were you paid7 A. On Mr.
Barney's measurement. -.... ~
g. In other words, Mr.. Forsyth had made q
thousant yards more than Mr.. Barney? A.
Mr.. Forsyth subsequently explained to me that
there was no difference Of measurement. The
seeming difference being one of addition. The
amount was made up OF items, and the item OF
thousand yards, or whatever the difference
was, was placed below the summing up. Mr..
Forsyth explained to me that that thousand
yards was q part of the items that made up the
other total, and therefore there was no differ
ence In measurements. do not know what
the facts were. ! called attention to the fact
that this Haus contract was let on the 18th OF
September, 1872, and then on the 21st of Sep
tember, 1879, three days sfterward. The re-
cord shows the assignment of the contract.
Q. That is to say, it shows the assignment OF
that contract to you had reached the board
within three days after the contract was
awarded. Now, can you remember whether
you got the assignment of that contract on the
same day that the contract was awarded A.
don't think any contract was ever made with
Hsus. They called 1t an award. -
Q. It was the award assigned A. don't
think l ever saw the award of that contract, as
far as I remember.
Q. Something must have been assigned A.
Yes, sir; a paper was drawn up assigning the
award, or the contract, or whatever 1t was,
which Mr.. Haus executed. a.
Q. Is that the same day he got the award2
A. don't know; / have no recollection;
probably knew at the time. -.-.-.-.....
Q. Haven't you any paper to showi Haus
had something to show that he bad an award
of a contract, hadn't hea A. Perhaps he had:
/ cannot state from recollection. have no
doubt that have among my papers-I have
not looked at them from that day to this-the
exact agreement that was made, whatever 1t
was, which will be very glad to furnish you
II you desire it.
Q. want to get at the dates; that is the
only point am striving for. A. could only
state that from recollection, but 1 have no
recollection of the subject whether three days
or three months.
The Witness. should like, If the committee
viii allow me, to make one other explanation.
By Mr.. Hamilton: Q. You say that you had
the opinion of the Comptroller of the Treas
urys A. Yes, sir; verbally.
Q. Who was that2 A. Mr.. Taylor, the pres
ent Comptroller.
The Witness. While was in the West, about
the time Mr.. 'Colton's testimony was given be-
fore this committee, I notiued in the dispatches
from Washington TO the Western newspapers
the statement that had left the city to avoid
an investigation into this matter. / only de-
sire to state, In regard to that, that the day on
which left think the last gentleman to whom
l spoke in the House was Mr.. Wilson, men,
Der of this committee, to whom l stated as
fully as knew where was going, why was
going, and everything that knew about it.
therefore take it for granted that the commit
tee could not have made any such inference, as
there could not have been any possible reason
for 1t In respect to myself.
By Mr.. Christy: Q. Will you state the date
Of your earliest contract with the Board of
Public Worksi A. Mr.. Wilson has It.
Q. That is the earliest contract A. / have
stated the only ones had.
Q. What official position did you OCCUPY at
that time with reference to the Legislative As
sembly Of the District of Columbial A.
None.
Q. When were you clerk in the Legislative
Councill A. The year before.
Q. Your term of Office had expired! A. Yes,
sir.
q. Was any other person interested with
you in this contract with regard to wood fences,
except Mr.. Coltoni A. Neither directly nor
Indirectly.
Q. What amount Of money did you, in fact,
advance to Mr.. Cotton upon that contract A.
Some S25, GOO or s26, 900.
ENGINEER BARNEY RECALLED.
By Mr.. Stewart: O.. Have you made an OK
animation Of the figures that requestedi A.
Yes, sir.
Q. How much do you ascertain has been
paid to contractors by reason of those errors
that have been discovered on final estimates
where they have been paid and the board had
not obtained the money! A. S21 $3.50 81; to
MIR. Hulse, New Hampshire avenue, 81 ,615 81;
to Mr.. Follansbee, Second street, So, ,S52.15; to
MIR. Claphane, Twelfth street, s7,281 so; to
Messrs. Walsh & Gleason, East Capitol street,
81, ,937.21.
Q. On Second street, that was Blickens-
derfer's mehsuIement: There were no cross
sections for thatl A. No, sir.
Q. That had to be estimated? A. Yes, sir.
The Witness. / wish to make statement, so
as to correct my testimony In regard TO New
avenue that gave the other day.
| stated here that the contractor, Mr.. Murray,
had deceived the assistant engineer In regard
to his work. l wish to say that on New Hamp-
shire avenue there are about 1+0, 900 yards of
earth, and it lies between Major Vaudenburgh
and Mr.. Murray. am perfectly willing that
they should swear it out. / do not know any
thing about it. / supposed at the time made
the cross-sections that Mr.. Vandenburgh had
taken 1t all out, but Mr.. Murray informs me
that he had taken a portion of It. Mr.. Van
denburgh says he has not. That is for these
gentlemen to decide.
Q. Turn to page 2165 of Mr.. Cluss's testi-
mony. Task you how long it would take you
to have those measurements for the purpose of
verifying those statements that came to you.
I will call your attention to that. The first item
there, "Balance due on the last measure
ment." A. Do you mean that this is the
balance of all the measurements that have
been madei
Q. just gave you that you see what It is
there. A. In order to ascertain the correctness
of this balance, would have to 60 over ever
thing.
q. How long do you think that would take
youl A. Probably six months.
@ That would be very excessive measure
ment, would it not! A. Yes, sir.
TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH H. FLETCHER
Joseph H. Fletcher sworn.
see from portion of the evidence given by
Mr.. Cluss, he speaks of the excessive prices
paid to me for my contract for old tagging. I
would like to make q statement in relation to
that, and about my contract. would state
that after / was awarded the contract there
was no price fixed for the work whatever.
addressed 9 communication to the board re-
questing them.to fix the price In order that
might be able to sign the contract. After
few days Invent to the office of the vice presi-
dent, and inquired of one of the clerks with
regard to my communication, and he informed
me that It had been referred to Mr.. Oertly. /
then saw Mr.. Oertly, and I requested him to
attend 70 1t as soon as possible, because
wanted to know what was TO receive. was
then working blind. did not know what
was to receive for the work. He fixed the
price, and I then signed the contract and
bonded. Itwas in July last. In regard to the
price of old fagging-the excessive price-I
wish to state that the old tagging cost me
more in proportion foot TO lay than new. I
also want to mention what Tread In one of the
papers last night-a New York paper-in refer
ence to my being an unwilling witness, and
also in reference TO my being settled with and
paid for my work, which is not the fact. The
work has been measured, and have been paid
in certificates for all the work have done. I
done this work cheaper than any one else. All
others who have done this work have received
much better prices than have.
By Mr.. Wilson: Q. How long have you been
engaged in this tagging businessi A. l be-
lieVe have only done-1 have worked at flag
ging-I served my apprenticeship at It, and I
have worked at It as q journeyman, and I
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