Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-06-22
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Two Reports from the Committee.


to consider their report in the matter OF
their investigation OF District affairs. Pre-.
sent-Messrs. Buckner. Stephenson, Henkle,
Hendee, Neal, Cate, Willard and HartrIdge
The Majority Report.
The report OF Mr.. Buckner, heretofore
printed in THE STAR, was taken up and dis
cussed, and the following resolution adopted
unanimously as substitute for the resolu-
ton offered by the chairman of the commit
tee and printed at the end OF said report:
Resolued, That the clerk OF the House be-
and he is hereby instructed TO certify 10 the
attorney general OF the United States copy
of this report fBuckner's, as heretofore cub
ushedl with the accompanying evidence for
such action in the premises as he may deem
proper under TIE law and the facts, as
developed in SAID testimony.
2d. That the Clerk OF the House be,
and he is hereby further ustructed 10 certify
q copy of the evidence accompanying the
report TO the grand jury OF the District OF
Columbia, with direction to Investigate the
criminal charges against parties referred to
In said evidence as having been guilty OF
violation OF the criminal law of the United
States, and the Attorney General is also d.
rected, by the aid OF such special counsel as
he may appoint, to institute such proceed
irgs as he may deem proper under the evil
dence to recover any aud all sums OF money
due the District OF Columbia, which have
been obtained Illegally or improperly by any
parties mentioned in said evidence"
The report presented by. the chairman OF
the committee was then adopted, the follow
ing members voting for it: Messrs. Buckner,
Neal, hartridge, Henkle and Stevenson.
Judge Cate, democrat, did not vote for IL.
The Minority Report.
On motion of Mr.. Hartridge, the members
OF the committee non-concurrriug in the re-
port presented by the chairman of the COM
mittee were permitted to make and present
minority report.
Pursuant to the resolution adopted by the
House OF Representatives on January 81,
1876, the uDdersigne mem bers OF the Com
miltee on the District OF Columbia respect
fully submit the following report The sub
jects to which the attention OF the Commit
tee was directed by the House, are indicated
in the resolution above mentioned, which
reads as follows: Here follows the resolu-
lions ordering the Investigation
The act of Congress approved June Goth,
1874, emil tied "An act for the government of
the District of Column ia, and for other pur-
poses" created a mission consisting of three
persons, to be appointed by the President
and confirmed by the Senate, In whom ex-
ecutive functions were vested until Congress
nent for the District.
Section ofthe same enactment created a
board of audit consisting OF the FIRST and
SecoCd COmptrollers OF the United States
Treasury, charged, entirely independently of
the Commissioners of the District, with the
duty OF examining and auditing for settle
ment all of certain specified classes of un-
funded and floating debt of the District of
Columbia and OF the board of public works,
including, among other claims, existing or
thereafter 70 De Created, Tor WllCn no evil
depce of debt had been issued, arising ont OF
contracts written or oral made by the board
of public works, and the farther duty ofissu-
ing certificates stating the amount found
due 10 these persons and on what account,
which certificates were, by section Of the
act, convertible into 6j bonds, to be pre-
pared and issued by the Commissioners OF
the Sinking Fund, whose jurisdiction in this
matter was also independent Of the Com
missioners OF the District. Pursuant to this
law the Commissioners of the District were
appointed by the President and confirmed by
The Senate and have held office until the pres
eHt time. In The general II management OF the
hCances OF the District and In their super
vision over subordinate officers, the CO. mint
tee find that the Commissioners have dis
charged the duties OF their Office carefully,
judiciOusly, and beneficially to the interests
IF the District. The Commissioners have
reduced the bonded debt which existed when
they entered upon their duties, and paid
Aoating debts which had been incurred by
me former authorities, and for which those
authorities had hypOthecated securities of
ne District 10 the extent of 81 ,564 si3.56. OF
this amount the sum of 81 ,lS9, 634 81 was pa Ia
" the Commissioners from revenues of the
District other than Congressional approprI.
ations.
The number of salaried officers under the
late government was 81; under the present
government, 1873; and the reduction in aver
ase annual expenditures on account of COM
pensation is S288, $3.50. 1t is also to be said
| that under the charge OF the engineer and
under general supervision of the Commits
=
| pleted contracts of the late board Of public
| works has been well and economically done
One subject to which the attention of this
| committee was directed by the resolution of
the HouCe OF January 81, 1876, is the excess
| of Expenditures to complete contracts OF the
| board of public works beyond the estimate
| Ofsuch expenditures mentioned in the re-
port of the joint committee of 1874.
The joint committee of 1874 estimated the
| Indebtedness, which would probably be
| funded In 3.65 bonds, at IS 3O5 ,SS659, and in
4 ciIIda m al Tan inf
"amOunt due, or to become due, on incon-
plete contracts" of 81 ,325 GEO. AS to the esti-
mate Ia this item, the report OF that COM
| Inittee expressly states that accuracy is
impracticable, because work was in pro-
| gIess on some of the contracts, and was
| unmeasured and unadjusted. 1t includes
both the amount due and to become due on
| Incomplete contracts. 1t is reasonably to be
| presumed that the balance due and unpaid
l for work already done was smaller than the
amount TO become due for work remainin z
TO be done in performance of incomplete con-
| tracts. But for what was already, on June
| 20th, 1874. due the board OF audit, made set
| Elements In the sum of 81 ,7SS, 25S 81, aud the
| Commissioners paid, IN cash, To the laborers
/ OF contracts 4,TS2.65, making u total
amount then due Of sIs63, 0i1.19, for work
which had been actually done by the board
OF public works, and for which payment was
| actually due on June 20, 1874 1t will be OBJ
| served that this Indebtedness, actually exist
| it's report, exceeded by Sj38, 0iI79 the esti-
| mate of the committee for what was both
| then due and TO thereafter become due on
| Incomplete contracts. Apparently the joint
committee of 1874 derived this item of their
| estimate, for the accuracy of which their
| report does not vouch, from the answer OF
| tie late governor, as made to interrOgato-
| rtes of the committee at the outset of the in
1 vestigation; for that answer, on page 465,
| gives 81 1925 ,91l 60 as can estimate OF cost To
1 complete contracts on which work has been
| begun or is in progress" That answer is
| dated February rs, 1874, and that particular
| estimate embraces forty contracts, which II
enumerates. But after February IS, 1874
and before June 20, 1874. sixty-seven other
\ contracts were executed by the board of
| public works, the cost OF completion OF
which does not appear to have been esti-
| mated. Furthermore, the Commissioners,
| upon entrance upon their duties, found work
| actually In progress upon numerous other
| contracts, which had been reported to the
/ joint committee of 1874 as completed or sus-
pended or abandoned. The report of the
1 joint select committee shows that they relied
| upon the answer of the governor, as show.
| ing that work thereafter to become due
! would be confined to the forty contracts re-
/ ported by the governor. The estimate of the
l committee did not have reference to those
attracts which were not brought to their
attention, and which were either signed
after the date OF the governors answer, OIL
were In that answer erroneously reported as
Il com pleted. cancelled or Abandoned. AZ this