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


completing work under contracts with the
Board of Public Works might be led to be-
Heve from cursoTy reading of the recent
debate I'm the Senate in relation to this mat.
ter, that the Commissioners had not care
fully considered the subject of the contracts
as relates to their validity and their obliga-
ton TO execute them; or, If they had so
considered, that they had given no
lion to them, whereas the fact is, as
early as August, 1874, within a month
after they entered upon their Office the
Commissioners formally decided In favor of
the binding obligation of all the contracts OF
the Beard of Public Works not tainted with
fraud, and gave immediate publication of
lowing re- print from our files Of that month.
Pursuant to this decision, the Commission
ers reported in their first annual report to
Congress, December, 1874. that they had re-
cogniZed the validity OF ninety-nine OF the
contracts, sud had expended thereon up 10
that date S54S 3S3 %, pay able In IS bonds,
S172l boil would he required to COM
plete the said ninety nine contracts.
Thus it appears that the Commissioners
gave the fullest practicable publicity OF their
decision and policy in respect of these con-
tracts of the board o. public works aud the
further fact appears that with all this know
ledge before ii not member OF either
branch of Congress during the last se1.ion
excepted 10 the action of the Commissioners
in the premises. In view of all this the COM
munitywas hardly prepare for the criticisms
tion the Senators who took part in the
debate referred To.
"EvENISG STAR, August TO- 1874"
The New District Government
THE TAXPAYERS COMMITTEES INTERVIEW
WITH THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.
1t was stated in Saturdays STAR that n com
mistee of taxpayers waited upon the District
Commissioners in relation to certain contracts,
and that they presented a commune alton to
the Commissioners. The paper states that il is
not their purpose TO dictate officiously TO gem
of fSi Il lars
experience in public Office, but they simply
claim greater knowledge in regard to the spe-
cial matters with which they have of necessity
been intimately familiar for several years. For
this reason they trust that a frank exposition of
their views will be kindly received, and express
an earnest hope that this appeal to the cause of
justice OF impartial gentlemen will relieve the
taxpayers from the necessity of appealing to a
judicial tribunal to settle differences of opinion
hnro silly entertained. But in the discharge CT
Their duty they ask TO he permitted TO enter
their earnest protest against the continuance
Of any of the contracts Tor Improvements made
with the Board of Public Works, and in support
OF their protest they submit the following rea-
SCI that to them seem to be conclusive:
1st. The estimated cost of the entire system
OF Improvements TO be made by the Board o
Public Works was ST 81 ,397. The said board
have expended and contracted to expend SIS,-
SI2 565 16.
ID. The law said that in no case shall the
said board enter INTO a contract for any work
or Improvement, the cost of which shall exceed
the amount estimated therefor IN its afor aid
plan, less 20 per cent OF said estimates
Sd. That said Board OF Public Works shall
have no power TO make contracts to bind said
District to the payment of any sum of money
except in pursuance of appropriations made by
law, and not until such appropriations shall
have been made.
n. The law further provided that the spp-e-
gate debt of the District should not exceed i've
per centum OF the valuation of the property
oneTeon, unless the proposition should first re-
celve the sanct on of the people by popular
vote, and in no event shall the aggreaa ate debt
exceed SIC, 100000
These contracts that your honorable body is
asked TO continue are described by the select
committee on pages of the report. Tae Board
adopted an erroneous, and in its results VII
ci0us method OF letting contracts for their work,
viz, without competition open to the public,
aud that the method adopted resulted in the
payment OF an increased price over and aC ove
Hhat would have been paid if open, fair and
free competition had been invited.'
They conclude by saving: ave trust that Won
will avoid the vicious system inaugurated by
the late District government and let the WORK
70 the lowest bidder after proper notice."
. Today at II o'c'Ock, beng the time set for a
hearing the same committee appeared prompt.
y at the looms of the Commissioners; Lieut..
Blrney, attorney, with Controller Taylor being
also present.
After an interchange of courtesies Governor
Denhlson said Gentlemen, we have read your
paper carefully; have you anything further to
say lu relation 10 the subject under considera-
tiop?''
hr. Wilson replied that there was rothing
more; the resolutions and the memorial con-
taired afUtl exposition of the views OF the asso-
citation.
Mir. Dennison continued, saying that their
paper had been carefully drawn. He reminded
them that they must assume that a question of
so much gravity as the contracts of the Board
OF Public Works could not escape the Commits
sioners 1t was the contracts of the Board of
Public Works that led to Ire investigation be-
fore Congress; ii would, the .efore, have been
strange II they would not have given this sub
ject their most careful consideration. TIL, ma
mentioned in Orde- to say that ths.v nsd hsen In
10 haste in arriving at the del nera.e and
unanimous Conclusions that they had. Your
paper sets forth that there have been a large
number or uni" wful contracts let by the Board
Oh PUBIC Wor' z, and in summing up you say
that all OF them are unlawful. You will OBJ
serve, also, that you have asked that all the
contracts be annulled on the ground that they
are illegal, and ought not to be recognized by
the Commissioners, that the prices are in ex-
cess OF those which should prevail, and that
they should be Rewarded to the lowest bid
ders. No contracts have been awarded and no
contracts will be by the Commissioners. When
the Commissioners entered upon the discharge
OF their duties they fOurd a large number of
contracts outstanding, they had no knowledge
OF them nor'of the contractors. They had ON
the start a designated and competent engineer
designated by Congress, and appointed by the
President OF the United States. This engineer
and the condition of the work, and for this pur-
pose they had suspended them all in order to !
come to the proper conclusions as to which to
proceed with and which to reject under tie pro-
visions Of TIE law. The engineer had made a !
report that the re were III of them, aud that /
alter an examination he recommended the |
revocation OF the suspension on 81 of the |
number, leaving so yet under the ban of |
suspension; also, that each contract in the !
meantime should be specifically exam |
ined, and report made thereon separately. |
The Commiss 'Oners decided that the sewer |
contracts should be completed, as they had no |
authority to revoke them, and thus incur Iiti- |
cation for TIE District. The District needs |
these sewers to relieve it from foul miasma,
anu so lar as these cont Facts are concerned the
decision Of the Comm'ss IOners il irreyocabIe
Ihey have Rewarded no contracts and the |
legal status of each of them staJ DIS precisely IA
1t did when they were made. Tney had revoked !
% Of them by temporary suspension, which has
however, been removed, and the work which /
mad been done and is to be done upon them
must 90 before the hoard of audit in accord |
Gnce with law, and contractors must take the
BONDS provided by Congress in payment. Should |
they adopt the suggestions as set forth in the 1
resolutions, of forwarding these contracts
they would have to pay the money in place OF |
re bonds, thereby imposing a heavier tax on |
the people of the District: IL would thus be |
seen that the Commissioners are better friends /
to the taxpayers than the association which |
they (the committee) represent. liz had been |
grave question with the Commissioners l
when they assumed their Offices how they cnuid |!