New-York tribune., 1875-10-08

PAYMENT OF CLAIMS AGAINST THR OLD DISTRICT
GOVERNMENT sTOPPED-AN UNPLEASANT DIS
CovERY AS TO THE ELASTICITY OF CONTRACTS
LARGE SUMS CLAIMED FOR NEW WORK UNDER
CONTACTS NEVER INTENDED 10 CoNEH ihA
NEW IMPROVEMENTS.
IDY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrSI.I
WASHINGTON. Oct. 7.-1he announcement to-day
that the First and Second Controllers of the treas
ury appointed in 1874 TO audit the outstanding
claims against the late Government OF the District
of Columbia and the Board of Public Works, had
discontinued issuing certificates III payment ior
work done extended contracts, caused consider
able excitement among contractors ana olhcIs'
When the District Commissioners succeeded 10 'he
new Government they found certain unfinished con-
tracts which being liabilities Of the old Govern
ment, they were authorized To complete or SETTLE
Bnt the engineer in charge of the work has, from
time to time extended these contracts, making then
cover work never contemplated by the ola Board ol
Public Works. Contracts for paving In WashlhS-
ton have been extended so as to cover new WORK
given out in Georgetown. and rice rsrsa. Contracts
that were closed up and settled by the Old Board
have been fcopencd and extended rs to cover new
work of all kinds. and generally the engineer mas
seemed able to find authority for any work, no
matter how extensive costly, that he has seen ut
TO do New work has also been DONE in accordance
with plans never approved by Congress or the DIS
tIict authorities and to complete which would cost
many millions of dollars.
Last Spring work was begun 10 connect the east
ern aud western ends of Nirgna-aye. across the
marshes. near the Washington Monument-a con-
nection which has been contemplated or lald
down on any map of the city, from the on" winch
bears George WaShingtOns signature To the last
official map made. This extension obstructed the
mouth of the B-st sewer one of the most important
main sewers in the city, and made It's extension DO
yond the new portion Of he avenue necessary In
stead of making this extension III the direction OF
deep water where a good outlet could have been OBJ
tancd by bnilding few hundred feet, the line oi
the sewer was detected toward the west across the
marshes in order 20 make il accord with plan for
the improvement of the halbors of Washington and
Georgetown, prepared in 1872 by Board, consist
| ing of Gen Humphreys. Prof. Pierce, Cen o. +.
Babcock. H. u. Cooke. Alex Shepherd, and Capt.
| G.. T. Patterson. This plan, although re-
ported 10 Congress. never approved
/ by that body or by any osher having
authority since the estimated cost was to he Stooo,-
OOO while the actual cost Of doing the work would
| be at least twice that sum. And Yet the Engineer
of the District has actually, during the past SUMNER
begun the rcn0dclng Of the water front of the city,
in accordance with this plan not only by changing
the direction of the li-st sewer as already NEIL
toned but by beginning ia cut down TIE NH, on
/ which the Naval Observatory Is situated ANA by
filling up The flats between that hill and the channel
| of the river.
The question which the Board Of Audit considered
was whether the law contemplated that new work
should be- prosecuted under an old contract. in fact
whether the District Commissioners have authority
to do work not previously contracted for 10y their
I predecessors McSsrs. Brodhead and Taylor have
called on the District Commissioners for statement
Of all work which has been done by them heretofore
under the system of contract extensions. Winnie
| awaiting this statement they have decided not to
allow any additional certificates to be sSi"d ANA aS
the 3G5 bonds are ouly isSucd 10 caucel certificates
this will stop The issue OF the bonds temporarily at
least Controller Brodhead thinks that Sl2'ooo'coo
! will cover the certificates already issued,