Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-09
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
Questions to be Answered by the Dis
rrfct COmmfSsfeneFS.

Dla in pursuance OF a resolution adopted by
The House OF Representatives on the Stst o!
January, 1s76, have proposed the following
lnterrogatories TO the District Commits
sloners, the answers TO be returned under
oath and in writing, duly verified by affida-
vii, with all convenient speed.
LIST. State the number of contracts of the
Board OF Public Works which the Commits
sloDers found 10 be incomplete at the date of
the passage or the act OF June 10Th, 1874,
which they have recognized as legal obliga-
tions of the said board. Give in tabulsted
form the mum Ger Of said contracts; the work
required 10 be done under said contract; the
amount expended thereon by the Board OF
Public Works; the name OF the contractor
aid the amount expended by the Commits
sloners; also, the total expenditure, and
which OF said contracts are now complete,
and If incomplete, how much is estimated 10
be sufficient to complete said contracts
entered into by the Board of Public Works
ID. Have you extended, enlarged, or modi-
otherwise any or all of said contracts? II
yea, state in what this enlargement, extern
sion or modification consisted; whether il
was confined TO work done on the same
street, avenue or sewer, or whether II was
made To cover work To be done on the same
street, avenue or sewer. or whether it was
made 10 cover work 10 be done on cOntigu-
Gus streets and avenues, the building OF new
sewers, gravel pits, &c grading, parking or
curblrg, &c, parts Of the District remote and
Instant from the streets, avenues or sewers,
mentioned and included in the contracts re-
cognlZed as legal obligations on the Goth OF
Jnhe, 1874. Give the cost OF such extensions,
engagements or notifications. if any were
MADE. Also, state whether these extensions
were given to the contractor under the Board
OF Public Works in all cases. II given to
others, state why so given; if given 10 tie
contractor under the Board Of Public Works
state whether in any case other parties Of
Tered 10 make these extensions at a less pri &c
than the party who did the work. State in
detail the amount of expenditure incurred
by the commissioners for work, labor, ma
terlaIS, &c, on such extensions. enlarge
ments and notifications over and above line
cost Of the work required To be done and ex-
pended on the work, covered by the contracts
recognized rs legal Obligations OF the Board
OF Public Works; giving location OF i'm
pTOVement character and Kind OF improve
ment, ana the name of the contractor and
number OF contracts so extended, enlarged
OR modified.
30. II you answer that TO extensions, en-
agreements, or notifications OF the contracts
Of The Board OF Public Works rec0gaiZeit as
valid obligations at the passage OF the act
OF June -c;h, 1874, were made by yOu. you
viii explain: 1St, as TO contract No. If3, T..
l.. Barnes, contractor, on page 316 of Com
uIssiOnor's report I'd, do 4l5, to Peter Nc
Namara. 3D., do. III. TO Daniel y. Connolly.
i. h. do. SCI, 10 John J. Shipnnan. 5th DO. Ta2
70 ICmphins x Ruckel. 9th, do. I3i to Joseph
:. GEMS Itn, 90. in2, to James y. Nelson.
i'h. Did The Commissioners nave any i'm
rToNcmentS or wOrB done to complete, con-
tracts which appeared on the books Of the
board OF Public Works to be completed, on
" ICIi Iull payment llslG USen made. III yea,
give he number Of Said contracts, the name
Of &c ntracfOr, AID what work done, and the
cost thereon. II you answer nay, please ex-
plain as 10 contract 13l, Joseph :. Weens,
and how Joseph SEnOlsnski succeeded 10 the
contract, which appears TO have been COM
pieted by Weems; also to contract No. go,
James A. Wilson. contractor; also as TO coa-
tIact No. 3SS, billiard II Morton, contractors.
9Th. State whether you made any new con-
tract or contracts for improving streets, ay-
enues, sidewalks, or building sewers; if 50,
STATE what contracts were so made, and the
name OF the contractor, the character OF the
Improvement aud cost, and where locate
- you answer hay, explain as TO contract
No. G9I, a. Gleason, contractor; also, con
tract ,0SI, Charles Stewart, contractor, ant
furnish copies Of the said contracts aud a!
extensions OF either or both. Please furDi,u
TO the committee the "Histories Of Con-
tracts, }" prepared at the engineers office, as
stated on page itG, of the Commissioner
report, and also those referred to in page sal.
tth. Have you made any contracts for the
purchase of materials for the Improvement
OF streets, avenues, alleys, bridges or sewers?
If yea, furnish an itemiZed statement OF all
such purchases, with copy OF bill showing
from whom purchased, what material Du.-
chased, for what purpose used; whether there
is any amount OF such material now on nand,
and, II so, the value thereof; state at>o
whether payment was made In cash or i'm
800 bonds. and whether at par or a. market
value. If the answer be nay, please explain
what is meant by the last statement on
pages as, 4l9, Commissioners report, 1875,
where il is stated that the "balance of mate
rial required for the contract work" now on
hand december, 1859 amounts TO $780,
1891.
Sth. State whether you have entered into
any contract whereby you have agreed To
make payment in 1865 bonds at the market
vaNe. If yea, state the nature of said col
tract, with whom made, what improvement
was contracted Tor, what and how much has
been paid thereon and what is still due. and
If anything has been paid In 3 50 bonds. al
what rate OF discount were said bonds taken
9Th. State what number of contracts OF the
Board of Public Works which you recog-
niZed as existing obligations of said board
at the passage OF the act OF June Goth, lol4,
were made or purpOrted TO be made between
tie LIST OF February and the 20th OF June, 1874.
and how many OF said contracts purported
10 be made between the 1st and the 10Th of
June, 1o74. Did said Commissioners, or
either OF them, make an examination OF said
contracts with the view of determ ming
whether the law governing the execution OF
said contracts by the Board OF Public Works
had been complied with? If neither OF said
Commissioners made said examination, TO
whom was referred the business OF ascertain
ing whether these contracts were valid ooil-
cations or not. Did you take the opinion of
the Attorney OF the District as to each OF The
contracts recognized by you. or did he give
bis opinion as 10 their validity or invalidity
in the lump? II yea, furnish the csmmite e
with copy. Did you refuse 10 recognize
any contract purpOrting to be made by the
Board OF Public Works as binding and valid?
If yea, state the number OF said contract,
date, name OF contractor, and the subject Of
said contract.
10th. Did not a number of the taxpayers
of said District call upon the said Com mis-
sioners and protest against your recognition
of many or all of these contracts recognized
by you, because they were illegal and uHau-
thOriZed, for the reason that they exceeded
the limit prescribed; that is to say, 81, 900 0O0
and because the said Board of Public Works
was prohibited in the organic act from max
ing contracts to bind the District TO the pay.
ment OF any sum of money except in pursu-
ance of appropriations made by law, and not
until such appropriation shall have been
made? After receiving this protest or at
any time did you obtain the opinion OF any
oisinterested and well-informed lawyer as
10 the validity OF these contracts? II yea,
state Who this attorney was and whether
bis opinion was In writing: and IL in writ.
ing, furnish copy? Are you not defending
In the courts of the District against suits
brought on some Of these contracts, on the
ground that they were made In the absence
OF any appropriation, and has not the de-
fence been so far successful? Is the attorney
who Is defending these suits the same per-
SON who advised you to recognize these and
kindred contracts as valid legal obligations
OF the Board of Public Works?
QUESTIONS AS TO REPAIR WORK.
question 11th requires statement in
detail OF the amount expended since July,
ls1i, in repairing pavements laid by the
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