Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-11
WORK IN THE TUNNEL.
10 Will Have 20 be Suspended Unles
Congress Provides for t.


STILL WRITING HIS REroRT-rALKs WITH WORKING
MEN WHO KNOW TIE CONDITION OF TIE LINING.
The First Controller has addressed letter to
the Chief OF Engineers Of the Army giving his de-
cision upon question presented by Major @. J.
Lydecker to General Casey, whether the officers OF
the Treasury will audit any accounts for expenses
In prosecuting the work on the aQueduct extern
sion after November !, 1883 The Controller de-
cides that Congress having limited the time to
November l, In which this work must be completed,
the accounting Officers OF the Treasury are not
authorized to audit any accounts for material fur
nished or work done on the aQueduct after Octo-
Der 81, 1883, unless Congress shall extend the
time for the completion OF the work. The act
contained a provision that no payment for work
done or material furnished after the LIST or No
esteDdea Sne ta maze an. snUu 10
shall then determine that the time for completion
under the articles OF agreement may be extended,
to DE made In the usual manner The controller
is OF the opinion that Notwithstanding this pro-
vision tn me- Of War is not authorized TO
eAUeno the Time unless Congress shall SO PROVIDE.
LIEUT. TowNsENps REPORT.
Lieut.. Townsend, amidst his other duties, was
struggling to-day toward the end OF the report he
Is TO make TO Major Lydeckef concerning the con-
port this evening" The lieutenant is waiting some
what anxiousy Tor the congressional inquiry 10
pegin. He said to STAR reporter to-day that he
SNoSSNh~SS
gan and the relations that the different persons
implicated bore one to the other. He thinks that
the truth OF the matter can only be learned by an
inquiry where witnesses can be called to TESTIFY.
PACKER JONES' STRANGE STORY.
Henry Jones was one OF the colored packers in
the tunnel 81 spec des some pretty opin work
In dot tunnel" he said to a STAR reporter last
night ''Leas'wise it's dot way whar was
wOrkin'." He Is not an educated colored man ap-
parently; but he has a rather intelligent counte-
nance and seems TO know what he Is talking Of
hl ha yvnF ltrfy an
the ROCK Greek shaft Some very bad work was
done, by direction, he claims, or Sub-Inspector
OBrien. Quite length OF arch was keyed with
out any packing above The work was rushed
ahead so rapidly one night as to cause suspicion.
On the following day Inspector Briggs went TO
lCok at the work. and, seeing how much had been
done, he ordered the wall to be torn down.
This exposed the cavity, and it took
three days TO put the packing in properly.
work, and though he protested that Mr.. O'Brien
ordered the work so done, and was sitting near
watching It's progress he was put through the pro-
charged and put out OF tue SHAFT. Sucn was the
pubic expression and Indignation at the packers
neglect" But as a matter OF fact, Jones says. ne
Was not discharged at all, bu. Was merely trans
rerred 10 another part or the tunnel
The story told ny him is this:
he last worked In The Champlain avenue shaft,
where very bad work-or open work, as he putsit-
Was done. The work was rushed there, and by or
ders from the inspectors, great holes were left
to the Rock Greek shaft, and had worked
only a short time there when The
discovery OF detective work was made. Jones In
sists that Sub-inspector O'BrIen ordered nim to
leave The open section there aud TO put In
"Duik head"-''aS ives calls um"-at The end and
-, 49,, OBrien sat there and saw the work done.
When the discovery was made O'Brlen made pre-
Leu.v ~ III Charge Jones, tut, d matter of fact,
me.eiy transferred bun TO the Howaru University
shaft, where, for The rest OF the week, he acted
merely an assistant TO the masons, and then, ON
the Monday following his alleged discharge, he
was again put " packing he continued this
and doing The same character OF "Open worn" he
had been dong before. He was finally discharged,
or quiz work, on account OF q row with Sub
lns .ector O'Brien, who, he says, ''cus,ed Inc Tor
not rushing de work more" This was about i've
weeks after II was supposed he has been dismissed
iOr Dad work 10 ,he kOck Creek Suaft.
The STAR reporter asked him II, when he did the
"open work" he did not know 1t was fraud. he
repird thai he did not, and he supposed The other
packers uid not They were ordered TO do that
sort OF work; they were green hands, and they
knew nothing or the requirements OF the contract.
de said there were large holes, separated by bulk
heads, an through the work he did, and that Was
supposed to be the character or the work all
through the University shalt.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE OLD WORK.
Frank Bugden, brckiayer. who lives at No.
1O02 Pennsylvania avenue, was employed in the
tunnel, on what Is now known as the old work
about Two years ago. When asked ny a STAR re-
porter last nlgnL what he knew or tue work IA the
tunnel, he answered that ne knew a great deal
that he did not care to tell unless he was sum.
moned before a congressional investigating com.
nIlIUee. "ruen," he said, II Will tell all KNOW
Tue whole business was nothing but money
making scheme. So far as the crevices are con-
cerned there are plenty OF them. worked In the
tunnel for about month somewhere In the ueigh-
bornood OF l3tn street. There are as many crew
Ices below as there are above, and, OIL course when
the water hi $ In these lower crevlc Will Nil H. ST.
and the water will make its Way the upper cayi-
ties. Cav.LIes," he continued, "uave BEEN lett In
the tunnel from the start They have Ueen LETT
every time the worknen had chance to leave
tnen- Ihey were lett simply because the foul air
and smoke Was more Than the workmen could
stand when he went TO put in the packing The
Inspector would not care 70 stand 50 much OF the
foul air aud smoke as the wurkmen were obliged
TO stand. The packing, sucu DIS II was, was all
done by labOrers and there not a single stone.
mason at WORK while was there. know OIL many
places which were lert unpacked. 1he work was
done as well as II could be done, but advantage
was always taAen when the Inspector Was not
there. There was nothing TO Indicate That the In
spectOr and contractor stood la Win each other"
NOT ALLOWED TO PACK THE CAVITIES
When the congressional investigating committee
begins its work there will be considerable testi.
mony for IL 70 take besides that or the Kendall
Brothers, ex-lnopector Lucas and those whose
statements made the condition OF The tunnel pub
nc. STAR reporter was talking last night with
colored man, whose testimony will be somewhat
Interesting His lame is William Coates, and he
was employed last year and This year in The tunnel
as packer. He was engaged last IN the howard
University shalt, about TWO months ago. and all
MS WORK done THIS year was In the sections In
spected by OBrien. 81 had 10 do what was told
the Key to do the packing. The bricklayers would
have TO wait for me. Sometimes there would De a
place up there or 8 feet high. 10 pack
IL properly, as l understood, the contract
required, would take three or four days When
had been In there O'Brten would call: .Bll y,
are you through there? would say NO.
and he would say, well, you had better come out
and let the 0rlcKiayers 60 on Then would leave
the work. When the brickiayers had keyed up
the arch, OF course there was no chance 10 get III
there again and pack it." In this manner, Coales
SAID, the packers were obliged 10 leave the work
hall done. They were hurried out SO that tue
DrlcRlayers could go on. OBrten expected packer
TO pack Two centers day, aud this was more tuan
couiu DC done properly. zone day." Said Coates,
80 Brien went away and lett one OF the Kendalls
and me 10 do The work, ourselves. We did 1t Care
1uIy ana Well. When OBrlen came back, he was
dlspeased, because SO little had been done, and
said, Tomorrow more work will be done with less
men, Obrien, he said, appeared 70 he the "boss"
or foreman VI The Work, as well as inspector, and
Kept the time and discharged men.
Stables IN Alleys.
THE BUILDING REGULATIONS AMENDED.
The STAR yesterday referred to the application
Of w. 7. Thompson for permit TO erect brick
etable on square 2O7 The permit was issued to-day
Arsf M aac ,A.st