Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-19

Board OF Public Works, and therefore viii con-
fine Themselves to merely stating their conclu-
sions, which will answer ali that Il material IN
the paper you laid before them.
First We hold that b. the sctof June -. iS-l,
congress has recognized the validity Of the
contracts OF the Board of Public Works, what
ever Their defects, in their origin or the manner
OF their execution, subject TO the exception
common to al codes of law, viz: That contracts
frsudulently made are void, and that sill con-
tractors who shall accept TO elect the provisions
OF the law as 10 the mode of payment prescribed
therein secure to themselves it, benefits
Secondly. That the defects, IL they existed, OF
excessive price, want of antecedent appropria-
ton, or those involving the making OF tue debt
OF The District 10 exceed sic COO coo. were all
known to the investigating committee and 20
Congress, and were covered by the act OF June
gsuIzed.
Thirdly. The Commi ssioners therefore hold
tina! the prosecution Of any or all the contracts
OF tie Board OF Public Works to completion is
FOR them alone to decide. Under their authori-
~ they suspended all the contracts amounting,
as represented by the engineer, to III. and upon
investigation revoked the suspension OF g. of
them leaving the legal status OF each aud all
the contracts the same as when originally m ade.
You will remember that in rendering their
decision the Commissioners ayerted to the fact
that unless The act Of Congress hal provided Tor
the payment for all future work under existing
contracts in what are known as Is bonds IN
would have been impossible ID have completed
tne sewer system. or any considerable portion of
the contracts for other improvements, as the
making of new contracts would have compelled
y paying of money for which the resources of
he District al their disposal are Inadequate; so
that without the relief of said bonds the result
would have been the suspension, Substantially
OF all improvements OF the District and the
mmi-sioners cannot do less than congratulate
You and all other good citizens OF the District
tnat Congress has so fully provided for the com
pletlon OF all necessary work in bonds We will
add that no work under existing or other con-
ira Is will be prosecuted until after careful in
yeS'Igation, and satisfaction on our part that
the work J. necessary Ito the faithful admipis-
traiion of the valid laws enacted for the govern
ment OF said District, to the execution of ex-
listing legal obligations and contracts and TO the
protection or preserya alton of improvements ex-
istlng or commenced and not completed at the
time CT the passage of the act of June 20. ls.4."
We beg TO say. in conclusion, that our order of
the 10th ultimo, 10 which we called your attau-
ton, viz: "Tbat all contracts hereafter 70 be
given out shall be awarded to the lowest bid
der after due notice II advertisement and the
right to reject any ana all bids" will be- as IL
has been, strictly observed.
Very respectfully, W. DENrIsoy,
j. II. kHrCHAM,
Commissioners. ID. G..
-HeSS's. Jesse x. WisC5l. TsOlluS Erny1y, W'ylylH
RiCes, Tar Payers association.
It's proper to say that our colleague, Hon.
Henry I. Blow, who is absent from the city
concurs in the conclusions herein stated.