National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-06-02
THE DISTRICT RING.
CONTRACTORS TRriNG TO BRE<k TINE
CALLING CHAIN

Legal Counsel Consulted and TIE Aid Of the
Cesrts 10 be Is,ehes,--speedsns the RE-
paving Of the streets = More Had Work
being Dese-Qus-h Jobs ssa Large Profits
Quiet reirned supreme on four-and- u half
street yesterday, especially in that locality
where the District government Offices arc
located. Even on the hrst door. where, for the
past few days, the collectors office has proven
| Q lively place by the presence Of many tax
payers settling their assessments, there did
mot seem 10 he the usual animation shown.
The collections were slow. and the employees
did not weary ofthcir labors, as has been the
case previously. II IS evident that tho
property holders do not desire to encourage
the sauandcring Of the public funds as the
therefore many Of them will refnin from max
ing their payments until the final limitation
ut the Discount DAYS arrives In their hearts
they entertained hope, fed. Il IL true by weak
promises that judicial action will Intervene
TO check in some manner the execution Of the
work given TO the hNorite contractors under
the recent outrageous awards. Is ..
Among thorc who called yesterday 10 pay
the PERSONAL tar was Mr.. Archibald Campbell,
which be did, aud then departed. An exani-
nation of the books Of the assessor failed 10
discover any real property set down TO tho
name Of Mr.. Campbell and subject to taxation.
This adds another to tho ra-ons already Of.
for the eommsioncrship which is now open
TO applicants. The cause is now apparent why
Mr.. Campbell has never i,i.utit,d himself with
any Of the movements Of the property holders
against the jobberies Of tho ring. II ho had
no property TO be taxed he, Of course, could
not feel the sting Of imposition that the real
estate owners wns smarting under. Up Stair
in the District Commissioner Office matters
remained in stats qso, and evidently little
was being done. Commissioner ketcham was
| on hand, rs usual, notwithstanding II was UNI
derstood that his resignation was TO take effect
on that day; still his successor not la wing been
DESIGNATED, he will rrs',Rh'y cmain in the
POSITION until that appointment Is made.
10 was fully expStrd that IL would be an
ncunced during the day, sSt.id many inquiries
were made in rcpsrl 10 the matter. When no
information could be obtained, with the ex-
eeption that General Eetchnn was. still at his
post, some gave vent to their disaipfoyal in
expressions Of disappointment, while Others
think that the resignation was only o blind Ia
deceive the people, and that he would continue
q commissioner until next pctobcr when Con-
grcss Will assemble. destinations were strung
| that = commissioncrship was too good a thing
to gave up, and that there were plenty Of per.
quisites connected with this Office extending
| tempting inducements to u man not to yield
such place SO hing as he cpuld retain IT,
| Other intimztions Were made Of the attractions
that surround the Positions but their rpccti-
ton u Is unnecessary to give.
Commissioner Dcnnisnn still remains away
aud evidently has had his love for the Buck-
\ eye State rckin,llcd. Probably he docs not de-
| sire to return until the wrath of an injured
people that he has helped to arouse shall have
s.itsided and their words OF condemnation for
the trio's unwarrantrd and uniustifablc action
| have ceased to be heard. Should he tarry ut
Columbus until then he has the prospect Of u
most protraeted stay, rs the time for forgive
ness for such conduct is far distant. Several
| consultations have been held between the con.
| tractors who were the lowest bidders for the
work, their counsel and u number Of promi.
nent property -hoklcrs as 10 the best course to
pursne under the existing circumstances.
They believe that the law is on their side, and
IL the Commissioners arc persistent in their
refusal to review the awards and deal with the
bidders according to honor aud justice they
will invoke Its aid. They are satisfied that
when tho covering Is raised from OF this mys-
FERROUS awarding there will be exposed the
bottom facts that actuated the Commissioners
to take the course they pursued, and show how
the ring favorites manipulated all the concrete
work into their own hands.
In day or two these consultations will o.
sumo some defaite shape, and IL the disahected
Contractors, who certainly have right TO dc
muir, stand firm TO their resolution, suits will
be fled in court to test the legality Of the
Commissioner aetion, and discover to what
extent their arbitrary authority can 20. :
On the streets the work Is being hurried
forward with al speed. In many places the
old woodways have disappeared. the little
grading to be done finished, and the prepare
tory stone bed thrown In. A few streets arc
still further advanced than this, and while
the taxpayers stand of and look atthe pro-
srcss being made they simply say Il Is only
repetition Of the old style of business. They
hurry it through in order to ret the money,
and In little while 1t will he as bad "a II was
before they touched il. They know they
have got to pay for it, good, bad or mdifcr-
emit. While the District Commissioner hold
sway, taxes are collected and the ring con-
tractors remain in favor with the board.