National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-07
NEITHER Law nor MONEY TO PAY WITH
WILL THIS SETTLE THE NATTER
Warrants Awaiting Owners i'm the
COmptrOller's OnIce-A List OF the
Lucky Ones-The Board OF As.
SCISSORS Hard at wOrk-Or.
ders by the Engineer.

Commissioners to stop the payments Of certain
contractors Of the late Board Of Public Works for
the benefit Of laborers, the Commissioners re-
ferred the papers to Mr. E. L. Stanton the attorney
Of the District, for his opinion as to the power of
the Commissioners to stop such payments for the
benefit Of labOrers and other creditors. The an
swer Of the attorney which is in full accord with
the opinion Of the COMMISSIONER is Of interest to
all, as settling, as far as the Commissioners are
concerned, the much talked-of subject Of the pay
interest to contractors and others, as covering
matters relating to such claims, about which
much has been said Of late. The opinion is in
full accord with the frequently expressed opinion
of the Commissioners.
Mr.. Stanton says, with reference to contracts
made with the late Board Of Public Works, the
act Of June 90 1874 provides that 1t shall be the
duty Of the First and Second Comptrollers Of the
United States Treasury to examine and audit for
settlement all claims, existing at the time OF the
passage OF that law or thereafter created, arising
out Of cOntrats written or oral made by the Board
Of Public Works, both where certificates OF the au-
ditor of that board had been issued, and where no
evidence of Indebtedness had been issued. By
this law the Commissioners have nothing what
with the late Board OF Public Works. II there
had been no other legislation on the subject, the
Commissioners would have no power whatever to
make any stoppages against payments to contrac-
tors with the late Board of Public Works. The
question would be one affecting alone the powers
of the board Of audit. The act of Congress max
ing appropriations for sundry civil expenses of
the Government for fiscal year ending June 80,
1875, however, among other appropriations for
the District OF Columbia to be expended by the
Commissioners, enacts "that the sum of $4,000
shall be used for the payment of the workingmen
employed in public improvements on the streets
Of Washington, under the Board Of Public
Works, or the contractors Of the same, and the
Commissioners are authorized to retain from
the several contractors who are indebted to the
wOrkingmen, and whose accounts have not been
settled by the Board of Public Works, the
several sums due the workingmen; all the
above sums to be considered and adjusted
as q part OF the proper PROPORTIONAL sum
to be paid by the United States towards the
expenses OF the government OF the District OF Co.
lumbia. Here is the only provision Of law au-
thorizng the Commissioners to retain from con-
tractors sums due the laborers. The act Of June
audit alone to settle the accounts Of Contractors
ofthe late Board Of Public Works, and author
ICES payments under such contracts in certificates
OF the boord Of audit convertible Into 365 bonds.
The act of June %, 1874, directs that the sum OF
S75,N0 should be reserved for the payment OF the
workiDgmen under the Board Of Public Worksor
its contractors, and in case of payment to the men
directs that the Commissioners shall retain the
amounts from the contractors. AS no payments
are authorized by law to be made by the Uom-
missioners of the District to contractors Of the
late Board Of Public Works the direction to the
Commissioners to retain sums from such con-
tractors could only be carried out by means of q
request from the Commissioners to the board of
audit. This, then, is the extent Of the authority
OF the Commissioners Of the District to make
stoppages against payments to the contractors OF
the late Board Of Public Works. The authority
is limited to the sum which the Commissioners
were authorized to pay TO- la6orers Of such con-
being expended in payment to laborers, the Com
misSioneTs have nothing further to do with the
payment of the contractors Of the late Board Of
Public Works or of their laborers Outside Of the
sum of $4,000 the whole matter belongs to the
board Of audit, whose province 1t is to settle &C
counts or claims under contracts with the Board
of Public Works.
1t is proper to add that some Of the water con-
tracts made by the Board Of Public Works con-
tain q provision requiring the contractors, when
required to do to furnish satisfactory evidence
that all persons who have done work or furnished
materials under the contract have been paid, and
authorizes If such evidence is not furnished the
retention Of such sums as may be necessary for
such payments or claims until such claims should
be fully satisfied. Under the provision no doubt
the board Of audit would in .the settlement Of a
claim Of q contractor of the late Board Of Public
claims Of iaborers or material under the con.
tract. And perhaps the board Of audit would
exercise the power even where the provision is
not contained in the contract. At all events the
authority Of the Commissioners in the matter ex-
tends no further than the disbursement OF the
SIS 900 under the act of June 90 1874, and the
tention through the board Of audit of correspond
ing sums from contractors to whose laborers the
payments Of that sum may have been made.
UNCLAIMED DISTRICT WARRANTS.
The following is a list of unclaimed warrants in
possession Of the comptroller Of the District Of
Columbia, as prepared by Comptroller Coyle:
A-Allen E, Allen -, Anderson s., Avery p,
Avis H, Annis B., Adams o., Adams Alice, An
HBEBrooks j. H., Brown Alex, Barnard T.,
BeTring j., Beckett VIM, Blackwell H, Brown
L, BeTly W, Black Charles, Budd R., Brady F.,
Bennett j., Butler J., Bailey F., Bowler D., Bond
EurFIn GsOTge, B0I HE Miss y T., BucTy g. Burt
samuel Bratton Edward, Baden Joseph, Brown
Cora, Beall W. H., Boston Frank, Boyd j., Brown
Alfred, Bulger VIM, Brown J., Burr VIM, Bruen
A, Brown Charles, Bacon X. A, Boston X. E.,
BTapson J; w., Bell John w., Brooks G. H.,
C-CbampIon =, Crump NJ, Coleman J., Cla-
ney T, Curtis H., Conner John, Curtis g. Garter
rert r., Carter A, Carroll D., Cook H.. Clements
Robert, Colburt F., Conner D., Cronin John Cook
p, Clark J., Crew T.. Campbell s., Curtain J.,
nell John, Curran james, Cox c. O., Clinkett T,
Cole Barney, Covans Thomas, Carter l., Cad
more John, Cook Fred, CLEFT J., Club J. L.,
D-Drixsor JOhB, Dean Samuel, Diggs g.,
DOugherty J.. Delware r., Dartery J., DonohOe
Donohue J., Downing Silas, Davis George w.,
Danaher p, Dickson Daniel, Davis 5. o., Dow
ling Thomas P1P PIa, 1 A. MI q Dyson Z. F,,v
g., Egley E, Egan John, Edwards Andrew, Ell
Fry Ezekiel, Fugitt N. B., Fairfax f,
Franklin VIM, Forrest Joseph, Franklin Reu-
ben, FrankstOn J., Fitzgerald David, Foley T,
Flint Thomas Frinck VIM, Faulkner J., Farley
GHGe0ge VIM % GAINES f. driE:6y f F., Gray H
J., Green r., Gassaway F., Greene E., Green
Chas., Green Green r, Gerraghty M, Grimm
GIN James, Gates G.. Grant G., Gray W., Ged.
way ]. F., Galgan Mrs, Glanson Thos., Gilbert
Isaac, Grant Chas., Gibbs Arthur.
H-Huntress Samuel, Hackney, & Lawrence,
Hall NJ. p. l2), Haines VIM, Hamfll VIM, Hart
Lewis, Highly George, Hall George, Mailman
Howard B., Hogan a.. Holmes J., HOlLon H,
Holmes John, Harris Henry, Hills J., Henson
James Henry Gi Harvey, c. Harris Harris T, Her
Messy E., Holmes Tim, Hunter John, Hard s.,
Holmes j., Hammond ].
JOY j., Johnson John H., johnson VIM. (3),
johnson r. (2), johnson Patrick, James e., Jack
son T., Jones O., Jackson VIM. (2), Jones R.,
jackson p, Jackson D., johnson L., johnson J.,
Jones D., johnson W. H. tg), Jones L., jackson
J., Jones John, Jones p, johnson F., johnson
Charles.
liking ]. F., Knightsey George, Kimmell
by, KelPhenstein & Bentley (a,) Kelley VIM,
Kennedy T., King A. King 7.
,L-Lspreaux A., Lewis Bal, Lewis Edwi.,
Lassey W., Love WIN. O., Lee G. W., Lewis J.,
Nc Lee A. Lee s, Ly8Rs 81 LsgErePpS H Ia,
DOOley Pat, Mcclure p. D., Mack Jno, Nc
G.Es NJ r. m MEEsn a. MaStn
J., Marshall L., Minis J., Mitchell R., Mason
| Mclaughlin Jno., Middleton Ed, Meyers ].
Newman JnO., inland D., Nathan H., Maggie
OEO'Con6or Mrs, O'Leary A., O'DayT.
P-POrteI H. R., Humphrey s.; Pore9nin s.,
| ton Edmund, Payne Alfred, Proctor ]. F., Pratt
| D., Patton o., Plunkett j., Pleasant J., Pryor
Jno., Printable Tom, Pope p, Plumber Z.
Q-Quinn T., Quander Felix, Quander Geo.
R-keynolds s., Reynolds J., Rankin Rev. ].
| E, Rankin F., Kicks A., Reynolds VIM, Kelley
| Jno.. Robinson A., Reeves O., Rider J., RaWlins
| j, Randall J. H., Randall ", Ross J., Riley
| Richardson Jack, Robertson s., Roberts q. A,
| RieEs J., Runcaloek Gion, Reynolds Joseph, Rob-
| insOn Park, Roy E.
S-Simms r., Scott A. G., Switzerland ]. l. +,
| Scott VIM, Solomon Thomas, Scott F., Saunders
J., Storks T., Smith Jim, Staples b., Smith Jas.
| az Simms E., Simms Henry. Simms Samuel
| Saunders r. (2) Sayles O., Sullivan ]. (boy,)
| Scott T, Strather W., Stewart G., Schooler W.,
| Simmons j.. Sender q. e., SImms D., Spencer
| E. Shields p, SteinaRle J., Sprigs o., Shirley
John, Saskins A, Swami O., Stewart ]. W.,
sheldon ].
T-Toner James J., Thompson VIM, Traught
CA, Thompson, L. s., Thomas Robert, Taylor
| g., Taylor Henry, Thompson VIM, Thomas J.,
(2) Taylor R., Thompson J., (2) Turner Wm.,
mo. n Thomas g., Tunnel o., Taylor W. Thom-
as H., (2) Tantroy s., Taylor H, Thompson Gar
~, TURNER Smith, (2) Turner A., Turner T.,
Teeth james, Thomas Frank, Taylor q.
U-Unbsn John.
WAN Riswick John, Vernon Henry.
W-White H, Wilmington F., White NJ,
Wagner H. G., WOoley j., Williams A. J., Wright
W. H., Wright David, Woodroe Chas., William
son Uhas. j., West NJ. WashnRtOn Geo. Ware