Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-15
Commissioner Bryan and the Late
Board Of Public Works.
LETTER OF EX-GOVERNOR SHEPHERD IN DI
FENCE OF THE BOARD.

FENCE OF THE BOARD.
The following letter has been sent by ex-
Governor Shepherd to the Hon: A. s. Williams,
reference to the recent communication of Com
missioner Bryan to the Senate Committee on
WASHINGTON. April l3, 1873
Hon. A s. Williams Chairman OF Committee
on the District OF Columbia:
SIR: My attention has been called to letter
addressed to the Senate Committee on the Dis
trlct OF Columbia OF a recent date, signed by
Thomas B. Bryan, Commissioner District Co
!umbia, which contains numerous charges of
fraud and mlSmanagement against the late
Board of Public Works, which charges have
no foundation in facts, as will appear from the
following analysis, which respectfully submit
for your consideration:
Charge first. to use Mr.. Bryan's own language,
is as follows:
Like enormties are found as the revision
progresses for instance, where, besides a large
allowance for digging, grading an additional
payment was made to the contractor of about
three times the cost of the grading for the mere
and hauling, 81, $50"
Now the facts are these: In the improve
ment of Massachusetts avenue, from 18th
street west to Boundary, there were eXcavated,
in round numbers 4S,0G0 cubic yards of earth,
which, under the contract providing for haul
of 200 feet, would cost Sl4,95l.9O This dirt was
hauled to the old canal and used in filling up
that ceSSpOOl, distance OF 200 feet in excess
of the 200 feet stipulated in the contract, and
this cost is about ninety cents per cubic yard.
is twenty-five miles, as established by the
engineers text books, or 1l6,l l60 feet. Calcu-
lating 900 feet going and 1920 feet returning
aggregateS i, 100 feet to the round trip. This
divided into tie twenty-five miles or ll6,l l6D
feet would show eight round trips per day.
Computing three carloads to each cubic yard
will show that two and twO-third cubic yards
We're hauled per day, by each cart.
The price paid for horse, cart and driver per
day was $50 to s3 Estimating it at $50 the
lowest figure, shows the cost to be ninety
three cents per cubic yard, while the price
paid was but ninety cents.
1t may be proper to remark that the earth
was imperatively needed for the filling of the
canal, thereby abating the greatest nuisance
that ever afflicted this District and recaiming
to, the United States, Government ground
which, at the lowest valuation is worth 5000
COO SO much for the first charge.
Charge No. 2, TO again use Mr.. Bryan'S own
language, states that:
The present experimental revision OF the
assessments OF the late board of public works
disclOses an astounding amount of reckless
ness and fraud, such as double payments 10
contractors, false measurements, estimates
and allowances, as we'll as egregi0us mScaIcu-
latiOns, SO that we find in a single assessment
over $lUOCU ofeXceSSive charges
To answer this properly will say that the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
changed the rules governing the assessments
established by the board OF public works in
very many particulars, as will appear by refer
ence to &c l42 OF their report to Congress for
1877. By reference TO page l45 of the same re-
port, it will be found that the statement that
an utter falsehood. No such double payment
was made. By a clerical error S9,l0O was
charged twice to the Improvement OF the street,
The contractors received only the amounts
due them. The other items which MIR. B.
charges as egreglOuS miScacuatiOnS arise
from the new rules established by the Commits
SlOnerS Tor revision OF the assessments. as ref
erence to their report will show. The amount
deducted from the assessment on private prop
erty by the Commissioners in this one assess
ment, and charged either to the general fund
or to the United States government, aggre
gates the $l0O,000 about which MI. B. prateS SO
glibly. (See PIP. ll5 li6, li7)
MIR. Bryan'S charge that many of these con
tracts were, obtained by the liberal use of
corruption fund is utterly untrue. The sew
| eral Investigations by select and joint com
mtteeS of Congress failed to establish any
| thing of the kind on the part of any official
| connected with the board of public works
The charge that millions of dollars were
| Squandered upon worthless wooden pave
| ments is also untrue. The total cost of all the
wooden paVementS laid in the District was
less than s., ,OOO0 coo, and the bulk of these were
laid upon the petition of prOperty-Owners who
protested against any other k ind of pave
| ment. The records oi the two Investigations
establish this fact beyond controversy.
! 1t is but natural that the hue and cry of
fraud and corruption against the board of
| public works, which was started by interested
persons for political ends should poison the
minds OF those uninformed, as to the grand
objects and great results accomplis he'd by that
body; but that an executive officer OF this
District who has access to all the records and
| could have thoroughly informed himself as to
| the facts, should so far forget himself as to
make such an exhibition of ignorance and
malice is lamentable and pitiable, 1t is much
to be regretted that the vast interests at stake
should be thus jeopardzed. 1t is to be hoped
That Congress will soon do justice to the
| National Capital and its citizens. Very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant,
! AJEX X SHFPUFRD