Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-31
The District Commissioners.
INFORMATION WANTED by TIE HOC
DISTRICT CoMMITTEE


Commissioners to make answer In writing
10 the following interrogatories:
/. Whether they have abolished any
Office, consolidated two or more offices, or
reduced the number of employees in the ser
| vice OF me District government since the
passage OF the act of June 10Th, 1874, If So
what offices have been so abolished or con-
| solidated, and to what extent they have re-
duced the number of employees of said Dis
trlct, botn In number and amount of reduc-
! ton, and If any officials fill more than one
once, specify names, rates and amounts re-
/ cefNed by such.
2. Whether the specific provision of the
act of June goth, 1874 relating to the COM
lensation of the ten assistant engineers and
the surveyor OF the District and any of his
snboTd1nates and to the abOlishing of the
assistant surveyors of the District has been
complied with. the names of the present in
cnmbents Of these offices, whether old in
/ cumbents or new appointments, and the
amount and rates OF compensation they have
received in any form or shape, including any
/ payments under the board of audit for ser
vices OF claims, in cash or in bonds.
3. state what they have done since the
passage of the act of March 30, 1875, towards
! reducing, adjusting and equalzing the pay
of salaries of all officers or employees, pay
able from the funds of the District govern
ment in whole or In part, and what savings,
incurred under this head; further, If any
officers or employees have been paid from
different sources, state proportions, rates
and amounts, and authority of law therefor.
and for what periods such payments were
made
| A. What has been the annual cost OF said
! District government, exclusive OF the pay
, ment of principal and interesE OF the Iublic
debt for the last fiscal year o. The District,
| from December /, 1874. to December I. 1881
| Compile and state IN detail the payments on
account Of each department or bureau or
board Of the District government, including
engineers department and payments made
| 20 employ es oil the Board of Audit, the num-
her ard daily, monthly or annual pay OF
| each official in each of said departments or
| bureaus, aSylums, jail &C. also number.
| pay and qualifications of labOrers, and other
| tempOT 9ry or permanent employ s whether
| any Grail Of them are paid in whole or in
| pert ont OF the funds or bonds of the District;
| what lew appointments they have made To
| office Of persons not in office under the Dis
| trict government on June 20, 1874; and what,
| If any. removals from office have been made
| since last mentioned date.
| 3. State whether in their opinion the num-
| Der OF officials, as well As the number of
| boards or bureaus, could not be reduced with
1 out detrimert 10 the public service; and If
1 so, state what reductions can be made either
| in the number of officials, or by the a6Gli-
| ton OF Lizards or Consolidation OF the same,
| ard what changes should be made either in
| the o. ganizatiOn Of said boards or in the re-
| CCctiOn OF the number of officials; and in
| what way, II any, reduction can be made in
! the present expenses OF the District govern
4 meDJ.
| 8. Have any Improvements, either Ofstreets
| or sewers, been made, or any money expended
| on or about roads, streets, avenues 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 OF inn
| lTOvementS then existing or commenced and
| not completed at that date; if so, state and
| specify what improvements have been 50
\ II ace, IN what parts OF the city, who were
I the contractors on said work. how they were
| paid (!u - bonds or otherwise, and the
amount so paid, row due, or to become due
| 10 such cor tractors; further, state whether
| there was any open competition for such
| Work under advertisements, and if So. in
y nat cases, ana v hctHeT the lowest r6spOu-
/ slbio BIDDER was accepted in such cases.
! = II any new work has been given out
Without advertisement under so called eek
| tensions or "DlUJ3tiCajiOuS'' of old board
contracts. state the eases with original csIf-
mates UCCer such contracts and actual cost
| under such alleged extensions or mCdifica-
tiCl s, and whether tEe same were given ont
/ 10 the lowest bidder.
s. specify plainly nature and cost Of any
orks now Ia progress or contemplate, and
Proposed To lie paid in $.C5 bonds Will. date
/ ana number Of contracts and names OF con
tractors.
.. lave works reported to Congress IN De-
cember, l0'i, as 10 De done with cash pay
TnCuts, since been paid IN $50 bonds. If SO,
/ what were they, what was the cash estimate
| N The aggregate and what are the actual ex-
E0LCitUTeS in SO bonds.
10. Was the SIjOCC appropriate for the I'M
1 paid WOTEiugmen and labOrers employed on
I tie streets and Improvements prior 70 June
F c. 1874, which is reported by you a. exhaust
4 q, devoted to the payment of said Ia 5Orers.
! ana are any Of The claims OF the working
/ ingmen ami la5Orers still unsatished; if so.
| state 10 what extent they are unSatisfied.
| II. Were any sums of money claimed to
/ be due from contractors TO the workirgmen
/ retained by the Commissioners or Board OF
AUDIT, out OF sums due the contractors, or
/ any OF them, aRd whose accounts hal not
been settled by the Board of Public Works
/ on TIE 25d Of June 1874; If So state the names
/ of such contractors, the amounts SO retainc,.
and for whose benefit retained.
II. State whether the Commissioners Of tie
! District and the Commissioners OF the Sink
/ ing # und or said District have destroyed, by
burning. all bonds, sewer certificates. &c,
2 paid or redeemed by either of said boards as
greeted by section 10 of an act approved
March 3, 1875, for the support OF the district
of columbia, and as requested by a letter OF
The Commissioners of the District, datei
February S, 1875, and read on the floor the
House 10y is clerk on February 2, 1875; and
II 20, OF what date or dates, and whether il
, amounts spOnding with those stated in
said i tier OF February 9, 1915.
I3 STATE whether the administration of the
finances o. the District government is not
tCO much divided and diffused to secure
proper respC visibility and efficiency, whether
tire Controller has any authority 10 inspect
the accounts of the other Distric. officials or
/ 10 prescribe the forms for the keeping or rem
deTiHg their accounts; whether any Accounts
are Kept by the controller with the collector
OF taxes and collector of assessments and re-
turns made To him by either OF those officials
4 of their daily collections beyond filing In his
/ office the treasurers receipt for the moneys
paid over, and whether there is any check for
| tie prompt and regular paying over of the
daily collections OF tire above collectors to
/ the treasurer, and what Provisions, If any,
\ they have TO make for detecting any irregu-
/ laIltles or short comings in such respects.
ii. Have they made any estimate of the
/ personal property in the District that can be
/ reached by taxation; If so; state that esti-
/ mate and the amount of tax that in their
/ opinion can be realized therefrOm at the
I present rate, and at per cent. on said val
UatiOn. State also what are the rates at
| which licenses are now Issued and on what
. basis 50 Issued. Also, state what changes or
II notifications Of the license laws of the Dis
/ tIict ihey would recommend, If any.
I 4 True Story OF one WoInan's Wrong.
- GENTLENAS "HIGH IN POSITION BUT
Low IN MORALS.
In TIE argument Of Mrs. Sara j. Spencer,