National Republican., 1874-05-09


Engineer in Charge, April "a, 1874.
submit also the following letter from Mr.
Barney, assistant engineer, May 6, 1874:
BSAEn 94I4,te, Q, PgPtIc Pg gdG WORKS,
OFFICE OF CHIEF OF ESGINEKRs,
WASHINGTON, May G. 1874.
SIR: In looking over the list Of contracts, I find
that upon I3 contracts for grading, sections
were made and used In the calculation.
Eighty-seven contracts where cross-seotIons
were not made to ascertain the amount Of grad
twenty contracts where cross-sections were
taken but not used to ascertain the amount OF
Upon nearly all other streets upon which no
Very respectfully, oHAs. E. BARNEY,
Hon. A. R. Shepherd. Gopsraor District Columbia.
By the Chairman: Q. Have you stated all
you desire to say in reference to cross-sections7
A. think SO. That is history of the whole
matter.
@. would like to ask you, In this eonnec-
ton whether or not you gave any orders to any
OF your engineers, or TO whoever was your en-
gineer at the commencement of your duties,
with reference to preparation of the ground
for improvement A. Yes, sir; very stringent
instructions were given. may as we'll remark
here, at the commencement of the operations
of the board, Mr.. Mullett was made the cngi-
neer in chief merely until some proper person
could be found to fill the position; and /
may remark in passing, that 1t is a very diff
cult thing to get proper engineer; man who
combines executive ability with scientific
knowledge. We sent to New York and got
here General Green, who had a reputation
second to no engineer in the country. He was
employed on the Central Park, employed in
New York, and is now employed there. Gen.
eral Green came on, and was quite an old man.
After serving for two or three months, l found
that he was involving us In great many
errors; that he was not an efficient executive
officer. He would from his Office, fix grades
without any reference to the contour of the
streets, as they existed, and without regard to
the wishes OF the people. l remember one IN
stance at the corner of Fourteenth and New
York avenue, near where Senator Thurman
lives-where the houses would have been
buried about three feet if we had not managed
to get there in time to stop It. We then made
an arrangement with Mr.. Green-made bar
gain with him TO prepare general plan Of the
with him with regard to that. The plan of
sewerage was prepared In the winter of 1872,
and very excellent plan Il is, with certain
notifications. The sizes of sewers have been
increased in some particulars. The order of
the board at that time was that cross-sections
should be made in every instance, and the
grade points and levels should be established
and the best was done tha" could be under the
circumstances. It was very difficult to get
proper help In the matter, or proper Jewelers.,
and assistant engineers. Judge Jewett will
probably know, as he has had experience In
railroading, that It Is most difficult thing to
get proper leveler, and an engineer who COM
b!nes executive ability with knowledge Of his
profession. ...
Q. State as to any instructions given by you
to Mr.. Oertly to measure John o. Evans work.
4. Mr.. Barney was very much pushed with
his work; Mr.. Oertly was the office-man, the
deputy engineer; said to Mr.. oertly, 81 wish
you to take charge Of this filling of the canal
and the fixing of the grades there. 1t is all to-
gether, and you can attend TO 1t without inter-
fering with your duties, and Mr.. Barney can
go on with his work. He has at present as
much and more than he can well attend to-"
That is the history Of Mr.. Oertly's having any
thing to do with the measurement of that
work. g. --.r .--..
Q. State why the work was not continued
upon the digging cellars OF the new city hall
building on Pennsylvania avenue. A. Merely
because the force was wanted somewhere else.
The work was commenced and some contrac-
tors failed to finish up their work, and we had
TO have their work finished. ..- -.
By the Chairman: @. observe some dig
ging going op there pQTi A. Yes, sir; they
are digging out the foundation for cellar. l
stopped them this morning, at the request of
Senator Morrill,.
Q. State the amount properly payable by the
Government for Its share Of the improvements,
and in Its relations generally existing between
the District government and the United States.
The Chairman. do not know as I under
stand this. $50 ~ =
Mr.. Mattingly. That Is mistake of the copy
LIST In drawing of that question. $500
The Witness. think II Is all stated in my
answer. It Is summed up in nutshell. For
ty-hYe per cent. Of the property Of the District
pays all the taxes. The Government owns
and a. schools sSa bspsyoient % insti.utioas' and
does not pay any on its 5wi bf;oopogrfy-Eist q,
general tsxes-so that really Is per cent. Of the
real estate pays all the taxes.
@. And that is the only property taxed A..
That Is the only property that Is taxed.
| Y. Do you issue licenses here for the District
government A. Yes, SIR. ~ EGG g
Q. State the reasons for the present embar-
rassed condition Of the District. A. Well, I
think 1t is stated IN my answer pretty plainly.
The passage Of the general tax law at the last
Legislature made an abatement of thfee-fourths 8
of l per cent. . month on all taxes. Shortly
after this the financial crisis came on, and
money has been worth more than Q per cent. o
year 70 almost everybody; and the payment Of
taxes has been deferred. There q no penalty
for non-payment. They do not fan due until
July, and there has been no way, therefore, OF
meeting the demands Of the government. -
Q. II all your taxes had been collected,
would you have had means to carry. on your
work. A. II all our taxes had been collected
We would have means enough to pay every dol