The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-03
BOSS SHEPHERDS FRIENDS.
THE COMMIssTONERs OF THE DIS
TRICT OF COLUMBIA.

=
TRICT OF COLUMBIA.
How they have FULFILLED their Fine Profess
sions-Their Disregard of Lnw-vast Inc
crease Of the District Debt-The Records.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-The District Com
missioners are exerting all the influence they
can command TO break the force Of the argu-
ments OF Judge Duckner. who, after ove<hauliDg
their records, proposes, through the District
COMMITTEES Of the House, to nave them turned
over to tho Acknowledgement for prosecution
under their bonds for malfeasance and I'M
faithfkness In the discharge OF their duties"
The District Commissioners assumed once
about July 1, 1874, under the most suspicious
circumstances. Tue slightest disposition on
their part TO return to a responsible adminlstra-
ton would, By contrast, have been appreciated
and hailed with Joy by iong-abused commit
'Dky. The issue OF the 3.ss bonds was author
ed to wipe out the debts recklessy incurred
by their corrupt predecessors, and to complete
the unfinished work auth oriEed by existing legal
obligations Abundant cash resources were put
at their command by apts opriations OF Congress,
by the auth orizatIon OF a heavier tax levy than
had ever before been Imposed on the citizens,
and bystrinoent measures to enforce the speedy
collection OF large amounts Of back taxes, accu-
assumed once with pompous Declarations. and
hereafter given out shail he given to the lowest
responsible bidder after duo notice by advertise
ment." On Aug. 10, 1874, thew assured a com
mittee Of taxpayers that there will be no de-
| OF law with u.s." Such action was taken to show
their horror OF the corrupt practice OF awarding
| their predecessors odious. Another reprehen
| stole practice Of the defunct Board OF Public
| Plumber was to purchase material, such as sewer
pipe, curbstone, n,estone, &c, privately from
parties In colluson on so-called board orders
p oa IL pees%Sef & zen conformity aTt
| With the decision Of the Commissioners, no
| other material has been purchased for the use
| OF contractors than such as was due upon orders
| OF the Board OF Public Works"
FACTS FROM THE RECORDS.
These are specimens Of their professions, but
Sey we're coaronea WITH their h Wing as
sertions they acted the part Of dummies. pre-
Of the facts and hid Their
| OF subordinates In defence. These reports, how
ever. were uniformly prefaced or signed By
order OF the Commissioner On Aug. 10. 1874,
| the Commissioners stated that III old contracts
had been sscertained by the Engineer as still
| The Others were vet under the han Of suspen-
sion" On Dec !, 1874. the Engineer reports that
tic oS but Sa Oh Jy we're opera
| ton. including the main sewer contracts. He
claiming contracts we're az work with view to
| establish their claims. The 365 bonds provided
fSr %estos che legal obligations OF the
long since abandoned their work, to resume
without authority or direction; They were now
supsrssion Ne "os also reports that '" nn Ss
ty-nine contracts have been resumed
the late Board OF Public " oTks, but which
March, 1875 Mr.. Buckner forced the infor-
nation from the Commissioners that up
and fjtv four contracts and mad made additional
measurements on siIty-dve contracts, finished
up under the late Board OF Public Works. Evil
IDENTIFY. with the growing lposaneaa n n0afra
shown by the Commissioners, the benehciaries
Of the old boards swards came one ey one,
work A sum OF f5oi.71 Is even reported AS
having been measured and become due since
Congress lately stopped those allowances.
QUEER IDEAS ABOUT ADVERTISING.
II was also ascertained by Mr.. Buckner that
| the practice OF advertising for work on cash
| striking results, had long been abandoned and
| again replaced by system Of Commissioners
extensions ef the vicious board contracts, under
| which, according to their own showing, over
tl,So0O were expended and that the old con-
tracts themselves had been absurdly strained SO
a. to increase the benefits accruin2 under them.
| THIS Is proved BY the estimate Of Dec. l, 1874
under this head, having been increased In Marcn,
1876, from {l,s2l,2tO1l to an ac.ual expenditure
OF ea,a0,O4s.4s. The estimate had been thus
commented upon by Lieut.. Hoxie: I'm these
has been taken into consideration, and / have
| no apprehension that the estimates viii be ex-
ceeded, These gross anomalies must oe
cribed In great part to the recognition as exist
| ing legal obligations OF misnamed oral board
1
county rvad along the canal above GEORGETOWN
has been constructed for "A length OF about three
and half miles and at a cost Of over $7U.OO per
mile-morc than the cost Of a welieauipped
railroad. A similar road, under similar recog-
ton, fetched siei sic 81 into The rockets Of tne
lucky dog who commanded the oral contract,
attached ;c TO written one, manipulated IN the
when the Commissioners were questioned by
Mr.. Buckner as to the absen g OF all compete
| on work costing 50 many mlions OF dollar,
| they coolly answered, There Is no law to com
| pei advertisement In the public newsp ipers for
bids OF contracts. Advertising is expensive"
| This point Is we'll taken from the view Of the
Commissioners who have paid w. J. Murtsgh,
the tobber In third terms, $1,000 for an adver-
tisemeht worth not over ti5,0tO at a most Noerai
estimate. though plain, conscientious Mayor Of
ANOTHER BIO LEAK
was sprung by the prosecution OF so-calied re-
pair work with 3.d5 bonds. Under this head the
rotten wood pavements OF the most favored
Ring contractors were torn up IN Wholesale
mostly replaced by concretes, and F" charged TO
the delinquent contractors or their bondsmen"
The amount thus e1. ended was reported on
Dee. 1, 1876, as tG6dlz3l2, but Mr.. Buokner in.
sisting upon knowing more OF this wholesale
1rIHa; y, t1ey were oronsn. 60 grief and com
misstatement Of Sli40O0 in one lump. The
prospect OF collecting any OF this money from
the delinquent contractors or their bondsmen
IL very slight.
The boasted abolition OF the board ORDERS this
Significant relic OF Bossdom, has also proved to
be mere feint, and by table No. o, furnlshed
to the investigating comnittee Ia April. 1870 1t
this head last season. / shall illustrate the
modus operandi In May, 1875, the furnishing
OF sewer pipe was advertised for, and "A leading
hrtic-, pipe Of II inches bore, was bid Tor at
81 cents cash per lineal foot. A sh contract
was entered into on May 10, 1875, and cancelled
again immediately "by mutual consent" aud
the lowest bidder, J. Lynch, Jr.. was allowed
the board rte OF 30 cents In bonds. out he had
~ share the swsg with the stagers Of the old
board, who furnished GV3l2 feet out Of $3.50
feet the SUN total Of the purchases Of the sea-
SON Toe district had TO pay $5o!ss. o. In bonds,
instead Of $So13S.SS in cash. Every manutac-
turer or man In The trade knows that a plain
memorandum from u certain boss plumber, In
dicating that shortly an order for pipe and so
forth, payable at agreeable rates, will he re-
ceyed, secures 10 such dlsnterested friend OF
the community heavy percentage ON tho pro-
ceeds Of the order.
DEFYINo CONGRESS.
During the first eight months OF their term
the Commissioners went so far a. to pay for the
sweeping " the streets and cleaning of the
alleys in 3.65 bonds, under the pretence that
binding bargains had been made before their
grand reform schemes had been commenced,
but Congress stopped this by positive order Ia
March, 1875 Notwithstanding this, these men
undertook again, on Sept 7, 1875 to extend con.
tract No. ssB lof the old board so rs TO provide
for repairing streets and roads, where order red