The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-04
TEE DISTRICT COREstg"rgoN.

We have, from time to time, referred to
the corruption existing in the territorial
government of the District of Columbia,
the cXtravagant, wasteful and corrupt cX-
penditure of money in all departments, but
especially by the board of public works
under the management of the present Gov
crnor Sheppard. These affairs have been
pretty thoroughly investigated by a com
mittee of Congress, and although it was,
at first, difficult to find any one who knew
or could remember anything, the facts
have finally been brought to light, and dis
close worse state of affairs than was even
expected by those who had been the most
persistent in their warfare on the ring"
as all such combinations are called. The
newspapers of the district, not much to
the credit of journalism, have, until re-
Gently, Endorsed every act Of the district
Government and this they continued to do
after the proof of wrong-doing was unan-
swerable. A cause for this was discovered
when ii was ascer,ained that each leading
editor had received the present of fat
slice of the contracts; but it is proper to
say that since that discovery, they have
somewhat changed their tone, and now adj
NIT that Congress will be compelled to
change the present form of government.
We have considered this matter SO many
times, that we do not propose to enter
upon the subject again, and only refer to
tnow AS Introductory TO giving II con-
denscd statement Of some Of the work
done, as testified to by Engineer Cluss and
rs published in one of the city papers. We
do not think that the statement requires
any comment; it furnishes its own com.
mentary.
There have been, he testilies, "laid mort
than two hundred miles Of brick sidewalks
three miles and n half Of flag sidewalks, one
hundred and lifty-four miles Of curbstone
four miles of concrete sidewalks. and forty
five miles of gravel roadway. In addition
to the above figures we may set down abou
fourteen miles of bluestone and cobbl,
pavement, fifty-four miles Of wood pave
ment, twenty-nine miles of concrete, ten
of Belgian and granite, and nine of Nc
Adam" This does not include the street
treated "chcmicaly," of which the follow
ing may be taken rs specimens, 4j0, co.
yards have been Burnetized, SO 900 yard
ironized 1870, 900 yards treated with tn
Scelcy process, and 100000 yards ircate
with the Robbins process.
In addition TO this, rs his testimon
shows, "About $50, 900 yards Of parkln
has been done To raise up houses an
underpin them has cost $1S2, 900, and nel
steps and ratings have cost S1O1, 200.
The main sewerage of the city is sti
more extraordinary, as the following figure
will show OF the Slash Run sewer, whic
is ten feet span, there have been laid 90, 90
linear feet of the Bsstreet sewer, lively
feet span, $500 feet of Tiber creek mai
stem, which is thirty feet span, $500 feet
plus 900 feet of twenty feet span. q
the eastern and northwestern sewers, whic
are nine feet in diameter, there have bee
laid about 7,700 feet. OF the Boundary
street sewers about 1900 feet have bee
laid. Add to these secondary brick sewer
to the amount of $4,000 feet, and of pip
sewers more than $4,000 feet Wit
this kind sewerage, Rutland may col