Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-27
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings Of The joiHt Congressional Committee.


committee investigating District affairs yes,er
day afternoon, after the reading of the answer
of the District government to the charges of the
memorialists, (printed in yesterdays STAR
which occupied an hour,
MIR. Allison stated that the committee Ia
sent Geographic subpoena tor MI Qaimby al
Dixon, H., and had received dispaton that he
was not there.
MIR. Christie asked for the scale of prices now
in use by the board He also laid before the
con mittee the answer OF John o. Evans in re-
gard to his interests with Mr.. Teemyer. 1t ia
cluGes the state ments OF the old contract.
MIR. Mat;iugly submitted the present scale OF
prices OF the Board OF Public Works.
Zephaniah Jones recalled:-Stated in former
examination that the New Jersey avenue con
tract Was the first awarded him; was wrong; had
a contract to open an alley first.
Mr.. Abrahams changed his statement in re-
gard to the Evans pavement, (both john -.
Evans aGd q. f Evans, concluding by saying
he could lay tiIs Class pavement Tor g 25 per
yard. Thought the asphalt used by Mr.. Evan.
could be bought for SIS per ton.
By Mr.. MattiDgly Do not include profits In
the cost. That is what it would COST at ir.g
cost. Don't know that Mr.. q. T.. Evans maize
30 much money out of his contracts with the
board Il at he tailed in business. Was MT sur
prised at it, though.
Alexander Chenowith sworn Resided here
three years; is an engineer by professions; lately
a contractor; has a contract now With the board:
no one interested with him; borrowed money 10
work the contract, which was awarded him in
July; signed IL tEen; omitted one name until
month.
ago; contract was for brick sewer out 10Th
street, and pipe sewers on two streets; whols
amount OF contract was $4,000, only partly
perfor med now. The witness stated that ne ySr
had the certificates he had received in part nav
ment; the sewer he is building connects with
the X street sewer.
W. T. Riley swcrn:-Resides in 18th stree;
some time in 1872 was sent by General Babcock
TO cut Rhode Island avenue through Fa:rayut
square; while there the teams OF =. T.. Evans
* Co. carried of the material from the pay.-
~ " her hay fnNLr IT,. had
verbal contract with the Board OF Public
Works to nil a square between Massachusetts
avenue and III street, and Il Ia and 18Th streets
square l6lj POI tloh OF 1t came from the square
being built on by the British Minister, the
balance from private lot; was paid 81 $50. 90.
reference being made 10 the report of the
board IL was fcund that Riley * Clark were
accredited as having done the work on Rhode
Island avenue. The org iual voucher was pro.
duced and shown the witness by Mr.. Mattingly.
The work, 1t appears, was done by the Board OF
Public Works at the request OF Cne Board on
Health, and by order OF Chief Engineer Cluss
to be charged up to Rhode Island avenue, and
the cost asst ssed upon tue property.
Governor Shepherd stated that he would have
MT. Willard, the Vice President OF the Board OF
Public Works, present at the next session to
explain the matter. IL was certainly all right,
a. the vouchers prove il.
The witness was further questionei in regard
to the removal of the material from Farragur
square, but knew nothing about IL. The square
Tiled up was a very filthy place, that should
have been filed up. Gave the superintendent
on the street, man named Gloss, one hun
bred dollars Tor measuring the work AM
getting his bill through the board The
order of the Board of Health 10 the Board of
Public Works, declaring the square nuisance,
was ordered 20 be produced before the commit
tee. Mr.. Williams questioned the witness la
regard to the walks in Ravlins square. The
concrete was put down by Mr.. John o. z vans
over the gravel walks. The same plan was OBJ
served in the street circle and Farraput
sqUare. Don't know that that work was done
by Mr.. Evans directly tor the gOvernment-for
General BabCock-and not for the Board OF
Public Works. Mr.. Wilson called attention TO
the fact that there was charge mAde for as
pbalt pavements i'll Farragut square. The Coz
ernOr stated tIat that WAS tor the road wa,
through the square, and not for the footwalk,
Of which the last witness spoke. The board has
40 jurisdiction over the footwalks, but has over
Mr.. Christie called up the contract in re
gard to the extension OF the contract with e.
+. Evans.
Mr.. Mattingly stated that the answer made
by the District government fully aud explicitly
set that matter forth.
(SOme time was lost here by Mr.. Christie ex-
aiming CONT acts in regard 10 the rate fixed for
the bufnetZing of wood, in contracts made
with messrs. Linville * Bingham, and claimed
that DO price had been established until long
after, and asked that the Board OF Public
Works produce the record when they deter
mined upon using treated wood. The matter
was finally settled by the counsel for the Dis
rict acknowledging that the contracts were
executed after the original awards were made.
TO-day's Session.
The committee was called to order by Mr..
Wilson this morning at twenty minutes after
ten O'Clock.
Mr.. Christie said two witnesses had been sub
pGBead whom they desired the committee to
compel to attend. One was Samuel Strong and
The other Patrick Cullinane. He said Mr.
Strong had written a letter to the committee
hat he was too i'll to attend, but he had been
seen on the streets in apparently good health.
MR.. JOHN o. kvANs' CLERK.
Charles GrAhb Avn eva min
CLERK for John Q. Evans & Co.; have been for
ten years; don't know who compose the firm of
Q. Had he an v other clerk? A. Yes, a man
oy the name OF Morgan; he attended to the out
door matters, L kept some of the books: Mr..
Morgan kept some; kept day-book or blotter
Q. Did you see the books brought here BY
John U. Evans day or two ago? A. did not
| never touched those books; they were kept at
another Office; the two offices Of Evans q Co.
were consolidated last October; was sick some
lime, and was away, during which time II. Z.
Evans took my place; 1 came back about two
Evans had nothing to do with.
Mr.. Christie desired that Samuel Strong be
compelled to attend.
A certificate WAS pre- sented from George Nc
Coy, M. d., certifying that Mr.. Strong was I'M
able TO leave his room.
messenger was dispatched for Mr.. Strong
COST AND ESTIMATED COST.
Mr.. Christie:-We make the charge that work
done by contract exceeded largely the estimated
cost by million or no dollars. Now i refer to
the Governors answer to show th at several
prominent contracts, including one W it'll George
Neitzy, are therein included as being below the
estimated cost. i call attention to III. II. BiDy.
hams contract, which Is said to be under esti-
mated cost. 1 would like an explanation.
Governor Shepherd made an explanation in
relation thereto, and various other contracts.
In answer to questions, he said there was NO
system In regard to sewerage in the city when
the Board of Public Works came In, and q very
incopl lete system of grades
Mr.. Sherman to Gov. Shepherd:-What esti-
mates were made which were submitted to the
Legislature before work was awarded by con-
tract? A. A general estimate. 1t will be found
In an annexed statement to my answer. 1t was
not an estimate made by the engineer OF the
q. How does the actual cost compare with the
amount OF total estimates laid before the gene
raj assembly? A. That can hardly be made a
subject OF comparison, because roadways were
subsequently narrowed, and other changes were
O. What was the footing of the estimates sub.
miIted to the legislature? A. over six million
q. How does this actual cost of work done
compare with the estimates submitted to the
assembly? A. have never made the compari-
son. Changes were made as say In the road
ways by narrowing them.
GOV. Shepherd showed that in the original
estimate the board included 800 900 yards of