Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-21
WASHINGTON.
Dawes Committee Vote to Gen.
sure Richardson, Sawyer
and BaDfieid.
More Revelation of District Rot
tenneSS.
The Engineer Of the Public Board
on the Stand,

WASHINGTON, May 20.-The Committee
on Ways and Means have authorized Mr..
Foster TO report resolution cehsutinx The
| Secretary of the TreaserN the Assistant
Secretary and ScsicifOr Banfeld for the tax
and careless admin stra.ion of the law in
! the Sanborn contract cases.
The District Machine Run wffheuf
an Engineer.
Mr.. Cluss, Chief Engineer and member
Of the Board of Public Works, testified to-
day that he had never been consulted con
corning the letting Of contracts. He
thought the system of the Board extremely
loose. He further testified that the organi-
ization Of the Board was such as would I'M
pede any engineer in The discharge of his
duties; that the Vice President against
the protest of the engineers Office, was in
the habit of detailing Mr.. Oertley, an as
sistant engineer, aud giving him private in
structions with reference TO measurements.
He stated he had nothing to do with esti-
| mate on which government appropriation
OF 3, ,240,000 was based. 1t was made up;
Mr.. OeTtley and he (witneSs) never saw it
till it appeared in print, and the Governors
answer, nor would lie be held responsible
for the errors. Mr.. Forsyth who made a
great many of Government measurements
was nominal subject to his control, but did
generally whatever Gov. Shepherd required
him to do. Witness stated that although
Mr.. Oertley was one of his subordinates, he
had not seen him in his office for a fort
night.
Question by Mr.. Allison-Where is he?
Answer-Making up statement for this
committee. Witness stated that all impor-
tant contracts made were awarded without
consulting him as engineer and without
his knowledge as a member of the Board.
The Vice President made the contracts.
The Minutes
of the Board were made up By meeting
Shepherd on one corner, Willard on an
other, and Magrude- on another, and agree
ing 70 something and calling it a meeting.
Whenever the Vice President sat down TO
write a contract, it was considered as
Board meeting, whether any of the Board
but him were present or not. Some work
was once proposed to be done which con-
sidered unnecessary; il was said it must be
done, as assessments were made out for the
work. / asked 10 see the assessments and
was blnffed off.
The Iron Monopolists.
The Committee on Ways and Means to-
day, by vote of eight against two, ex-
pressed themselves opposed 10 the restora-
tiOn of the ten per cent taken off the rate OF
duty on certain articles in the second sec
tion of tariff act of June 8, 1872. This
section relates mainly to manufacturers Of
cotton, wool, iron and STEEL
The Pennsylvania delegation in Congress
have been notified of the adoption by the
Pennsylvania Legislature of joint resolu-
tion opposing any cancellation Of the con-
tract made by the Postmaster General with
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company for
additional mail services between San Fran
cisco and China, as it would cripple, If not
break up the iron ship building industry in
this country, which, though in its infancy,
gives employment to thousands of Ameri-
can mechanics, and consumes millions of
pounds of American coal and iron.
Financial Tinkering. -
The Committee on Banking and Curren-
cy to-day considered the finance bill and
struck ont tina. section of the Senate bill
which provides for the retention of one
fourth Of the coin interest by the banks as
reserve. The committee also modified
that part of the Senate bill in relation to
the amount Of greenbacks 10 be retired as
the national banks are issued, substituting
20 instead of 20 per cent.
The Louisiana JeHreys.
The names Of the six members of the
House Judiciary Committee for the i'm
peachment of Judge Dunell are Butler,
Poland, Wilson and White, Republicans,
and Eldridge and Potter, Democrats. The
four against impeachment are Ward, IRE
main, Frye and Cessna, Republican, jew
EFT, Democrat, being absent.
The wedding This Morning.
When the Senate adjourned it did so till
10 o'clock tomorrow TO allow Senators an
opportunity to attend the wedding at the
Executive Mansion.
NEW YORK, Mas 20.-The bridal party
from the White-house will sail in the
cFa Ratio