New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-02
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.


are absent without being paired
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
srprrr RAILROAD COMPANIES EXEMPTED FROM TAX
AT1oy-TIIE PAVING CONTRACTs-How BILLS ARE
PASSED IN THE DISTRICT LEGISLATURE.
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON. April lone method by which the
citizens of the District of Columbia have been I'M
Justly dealt with has been by the exemption OF some
of the street railroads of the city from assessment on
account Of street improvements. Several OF these
companies contemplated building new lines about
the time some Of the most expensive improvements
on the streets through which these lines were
to extend were begun. The law requires
these companies to pay for tho pavement
between their tracks. and on two feet each side.
Although. at the request of the Board, the com
papies laid down the seepers before the pavcments
were laid they postponed laying the iron until 80
days after the property had been assessed.
Then they put down their iron, and have ever since
refused pay any share of the cost of paving This
has been shown by several witnesses, and especially
by Mr.. Lynch, who was on the stand to-day. Mr..
Lynch also testified that the plan of work on East
Captol-st had been changed three times First a
contract was made to grade and macadamize IT,
the plan being to have the parking in the center.
-Four fVe squares OF thlS WOTh were uOne ana inc
curbs were set down in the center of tho street
Then the work was abandoned. the curbs and side
walks taken up, and q contract made to pave the
street with stone with the parks at the side. About
two squares of the stone blocks were put down and
then that contract was Cancelled, and a contract
given to John o. Evans to put down a wood pave
ment. This is a specimen of the needless manner in
which the work in the District has been done.
Considerable excitement was caused in the Com
mittee during the afternoon session by the testi-
mony of Mr.. Fowler. This witness was an owner
of stock in the National Paving Company in the
Summer of 1870 (he said 1871 but this evidently
a mistake). When the contracts for paving Penn
sylvania-ave. about to be awarded by the Com
mission appointed by Congress, Mr.. Fowler called
upon Alex. X. Shepherd to consult with him about
consolidating his company with the Me-
tropolis Paving Company in which Shep-
herd was interested. At this time
the present organic act not passed, but the wit
ness said it generally understood that Terrlto-
rial Government would be formed. Mr.. Shepherd
said at that time that he proposed TO take such
part in the new District Government that he could
not appear as interested in any paving contracts,
but if the witness would 20 to Haett kilbourn. any
arrangement he might make with him would
be tho same as though it was made with
Shepherd. Mr.. Fowler did go to kilbourn,
and during the negotiations, which were finally
broken of the latter left several times to consult
with Shepherd. The only importance OF this testl-
mony arose from the fact that the witness got from
the conversation, several months before the new
Government was formed, an impression that Shep-
herd was TO be secretly interested in paving con-
tracts. Gov Shepherd positively denied ever having
had any such interest, and produced documents to
a.. L., 10 int N
companies when he came into office.
The most important witness of the day was the
last, Mr. Claggett, real estate broker and mem
Der of the Legislature. Mr.. Claggett held that the
law imposing the sewer tax never legally passed
He gave an amusing description of the manner III
which bills were passed in the District Legislature
VIM. A. Cook the attorney of the District Govern
ment ne said prepared all of the bills: anc the mem
beers voted for them as they directed. For him
self he voted against every bill from the beginning
TO the end He took the advice of a stranger from
Massachusetts whom he met in the House gallery one
day. lie was looking out the Massachusetts members
and was much disgusted at the uproar and con-
fusion that prevailed on the floor. The stranger
said he believed that the only safe rule was that
which he gave to a Representative at home. and
that was always to vote NO Claggett took the
advice of this man and voted " No" every time. He
thought it would be pretty safe rule fol members
of Congress to follow. IGreat laughteri. Mr. Gag
gett explained the injustice of the sewer tax. III
some parts of the city the sewer tax amounted TO
the full market value Of the property and in large
sections il was 40 OF 80 por cent of that value.
SPECIAL AND FRAUDULENT ASSESSMENTS SHOWN TO
HAVE BEEN NADIA STATEMENT BY Gov
SHEPHERD.
IoEsERAL PRESS DIsPATCH.l
WASHINGTON, April 1.-During the session OF
the District Investigating Committee, several witnesses
were examined with reference 10 special assessments Tor
yements the burden OF the testimony being tha'
property -owners were assessed for more work than
could be shown 10 have been done. Testimony was also
given showing that street railways were not required 10
pay any tax for the portions Of carrage-way improved
by the Board and used for their track Gov Shepheu
explained that certain streets improved by the boafu
where charters had been granted for street railways
the companies requested by the Board W lay tbeu
seepers while the street being improved ~ preNch
the pa yement being up after once being put down
This was generally done. The streets were Improved
and the assessments made against the property Al TIC
time were made the street railways were
not finished and the Board took legal advice as to the