Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-11

matter, rather than upNn knoElefge derived
form ed by officials cognizsnt or the contents
OF lhe books Uf the bOa-d OF pubiic works
that these Afforded little Information as %
perhaps be literally correct for us 20 answer
your question IA the negative. We prefer,
however, 10 state that we did not have any
IMPROVEMENT made or work done under any
contrsct which we did not assume and
oelleye, on recommendation OF the en-
gineer or advice OF counsel. 70 be incom-
biete. the only evidence which was
the completion of its contracts was
found in the printed reports OF that board
Wherein .hese contracts were noted As "com-
plete" and In engineer measurements
marked as "hnal." The engineer reports
that these printed reports were found hy
nlm al very early date OF bis adminIstrs-
called TO this fact by the assistant attorney
one of whose opinions mentioned 10, is dated
rs early as November, lSi. As a matter OF
fact, when the Commissioners took charge
OF District Affairs, work was found, as we
are advised, 10 be actually In progress upon
contracts which were enumerated In the
governors answer dated February >, 1874.
as complete or abandoned" That report
or answer" (See page i65.l IN its estimate
Of cost 10 complete contracts on which work
has been begun or in progress includes
only 10 contracts, which, II intended 10 in-
clude all, is inaccurate. The tables sub
mitted herewith by the engineer snow a
much larger number or contracts existing
June -. lS1i. The inaccuracy OF the scne-
dulles in the answer OF February 2~, Is
is illustrated by their report OF the contracts
contract No. Isl, is motel with .cDSt as far
as done by Weems, showing 10 10 b. iucom
plete; on page 80, IL is omitted from the
listci completed Contracts, and on page 3i,,
IL Is marked as complete On page Sd the
estimated cost OF No. $50 Is given, on page
i52 IL Is omitted from the list Of "cOro plete"
contracts; and on page $50 a Is marked as
complete" All three OF these contracts
were reported 10 us by the engineer as Gin
complete and we have pow 30 reason 70
think otherwise. Nor could W. rely upon
the mark OF "fiual' put upon the measure
ments, which, although so marked, proved
sometime, upon examination, 10 have been
partial, having been asked for as such hy
The contractor and the work not having been
finished. In some cases marked on the
printed reports a. complete" the cOntrac-
tors submitted proof that the board engineer
had never given them the grade, 50 that
they coulG work, and they claimed either 10
go on with the contract or 20 have damages
for its violation. See our report OF lSI4. page
% The detailed information asked for an
your question il Tally given In tables one o.
aud Two ~ and the reCapitulatiOn sheet die1
herewith.
-. state whether you male any new con-
tract or contracts FOR lmprOg ing streets ave
nues, sidewalks, or building sewers. Sc. n
so, state what contracts were so made aud
the names OF the contractors; what the char
acter of the improvement and cost thereof,
and where located. IL You answer nay, ex-
plain as TO contract No. l,O9i. A. q s-aSon
con tractor, page 3Ai, COmmiSs iOners' Report,
1915. Also, contract l.0s7, Charles Stewart
contractor, same page. aud furnish copies OF
the said contracts, and ali extensions OF
either or both"
s. Aa0rer.-we answer this question IN the
affirmative. All contracts arising under the
board of public works, whether IA the orr gi-
nal or modified letter, were m abe payable In
- bonds. Contracts not originating In any
way under the board OF public works were
termed new contracts aud were made pay
able in cash. Contracts Nos. ,0S1 aud 1894,
with their notifications, are contracts orr
ginating under the board OF public works
which have been modified by the Commits
slOEeTs, upon the recommendation OF the en-
gineer. For details OF these contracts see
table No. ,. Copies OF them AMI their extern
sions are transmitted herewith a requested.
On the other hand. five 90 aud ten (o) new
series are ''new contracts The former was
made for the work OF seweriug, &C ana the
latter for grading, setting curbs, aud paving.
Not having orig inated under the bOarlof pa D.
lie works, they were made payable in cash.
Contracts for repairs done AFTER the period
during which the original contractor was
OBLIGED 10 repair bis work have been regarf-
ed by us as new contracts" For detail led
Information as To new contracts, payable IA
cash, see table (5) OF the engineers report.
Excepting these contracts, we have male
none for the purposes named in the question
which we did not believe arose out OF con
tracts of the board of public works aud 10 be
necessary to the faithful administrati ION OF
the valid laws enacted for the government
OF the District, to the execution of existing
legal obligations and contracts and 10 the
protection or preservation of Improvements
existing or commenced and not com pleted
Oh the 2Otn OF June, losi
''6. Please furnish TO the committee the
histories of contracts prepared ~ the eagi-
neer's office. as stated on page f7T Of Com
missiOners' Report. 1S1i, ana also those re-
fsrred to on page 81 OF Commissioners Re-
port, 1873"
t.. AHareT.-All histories of c1ntracss re-
maining on file In the engineer Office or tue
Office OF the Commissioners are in the pos
session OF your committee.
SO. Have any improvements, either OF
streets or sewers, been made, or any money
expended on or about roads, streets, aven ues
parks. canals, or sidewalks; or certificates or
bonds issued therefor since June 20, 1874. that
either were not necessary to the execution of
legal obligations or contracts existing at
that date, or TO the protection or preservation
ofimprovements then existing or com menced
and not con- pleted at that date; III SO, state
and specify what Improvements have been
So made, in what part of the city, who were
the contractors on said work, how were they
paid, lin 365 bonds or otherwise,D aud tue
amount so paid, now due, Or ID become due
to such contractors; further, state whether
there was any open competition for such
work under advertisements, and If SO, in
what cases, and whether the lowest respon-
sible bidder was accepted in such cases"
6. AnsueT, First Series I'VE respectfully
answer In the negative. Whenever Improve
ments have been authorized or money ex-
pended, we have issued neither certificates
nor bonds IL has been our aim to contina
our action strictly within the limits Of the
powers conferred upon US by the act of June
20, 1874, and other statutes relating TO our
authority. We furnish In the tables accom-
pany ing this answer all the facts, which Will
enable the committee to form an opinion on
the subject of their question. They give ia
detail the nature. locality aui extent OF all
improvements, and the nature OF all coz
tracts and notifications OF contracts male
under our administration. The text OF the
engineers report gives a detailed statement
OF the general character, relative Importance
and necessity OF the work which has been
done.
az. Have you made any contract for the
purchase OF materials for Improvement of
If yea, furnish an iiemized statement of all
such purchases, with copy of bills sbo wing
from whom purchased, what material pur
chased, for what purpose used; whether there
is any amount Of such material now on hand,
and, NJ so, the value thereof state also ghs-
Their payment was made for such material
in cash or In 50 bonds, and whether at par
or at market value. IL the answer 10 this in
teirogary be in the negative, please explain
what is meant by the last statement Ga
pages ils and ii9 Commissioners Report,
loI5. where it Is stated that the balance OF
material required for the contract work now
on hand december, 1851 amounts 10 $780,
as o."
!. AnSCeT.-Two contracts were made after
due advertisement for a limited quantity OF
sewer pipe. The pay was % be in
cash. These contracts are Nos. thir-
teen f131 and fifteen (l5l. new series AMI are