The Portland daily press., 1883-08-10
TIE HILL INVESTIGATION.
Whnr the Committee as Likely TO Repor
nmd Ree0nsmemd

Whnt the Committee is likely 10 Report
and Recommend.
NEW YORK, Aug. 9.-A Washington des-
patch to the Tribune says the report of the
Hill Investigating Committee will be submit
ted to the Secretary of the Treasury on August
| 25. The briefs OF counsel have not vet been
received, but the members of the committee
are turning over the testimony in their minds
aud it is more than probable that they have
reached certain general conclusions already
Those persons who have assumed that the re-
port will be embarrassing" document will
be likely to discover their mistake after IL is
completed and made public. While 1t Is not
believed the report will show that the Super
vising Architect has been guilty OF corrupt
conduct, it win probably censure some of his
official acts and recommend radical changes in
the organization and methods of his office.
Mr.. Hill has been in office about seven years,
and during that period has been RESPONSE Bile
for the disbursement OF moro than $23,000 900
OF public money, in addition 10 his other
duties, which OF themselves were greater than
any one man could hope to perform satisfac-
torilv. 1t need surprise no one II the commit
tee shall cite such cases, for example, as that
of G, p. Newton, who was employed by Mr..
Hill to superintepd certain work upon the
service OF contractor TO accept this employ
ment, and after it ceased he returned to the
contractor, who re-employed him. 1t is under
stood that while in the government service
Mr.. Newton was employed in supervising
work done by the same contractor. Another
case TO which attention may be called is the
payment TO the same contractor of $4,000 for
the plans for heating four public buildings.
Still another is the payment to the same con-
tractor of large extra allowances for heating
apparatus for the New York post-office, por-
ton of which, it is understood, has been re-
paid to the government since the present in
vestlgation began.
If such things could happen under an honest
supervising architect, what might not be done
by one lacking in personal or official integrity?
For the present loose system Congress is
primarily responsible. It was not until 1875
that the law required that drawings and speci-
hcations with detailed estimates of cost should
be made by the Supervising Architect and
approved by the Secretaries OF the Treasury
and Interior aud tho Postmaster General be-
fore work could be begun on public building.
With that exception the duties of the Super
vising Architect have never been defined by
law. They have grown ike rolling snow
ball" IS q member OF the committee said to-
day. The lighthouse board, which has charge
Of the selection and purchase of sites, and the
construction, repair and maintenance of light
houses, ETC., consists of two officers of the
navy of high rank, two army engineers, two
civilians or high scientific attainments and
the Secretary OF the Treasury, who is ex-officio
president Of the board. The powers and duties
OF this board are defined and regulated by law.
1t would not be surprising If the inyestigat-
ing committee should recommend the estab-
OF the construction and repair of public build
fBoe