Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-30

and bad packing, but 1t was at last discovered
that good packing meant stones carefully laid
eoidly IN cement, while bad packing consisted
In putting In stones loosely without any effort
70 set them Witness keyed up no work under
Lucas. While he was working under O'Brien
he frequently saw spaces left on the top of the
arch, over the keying, left without packing.
one OF these spaces was 20 feet long, from to
feet high, and to feet wide. There were
vacant spaces left every one Of the NIGHTS while
he was with O'Brien. No directions whatever
were given to witness as to the manner in which
ne was TO work, except that O'Brien told
long) to key up at one time. Moth
ing was said about the manner of
laying the packing. Stones of all sizes we're
put In by hand While the packing was being
gone e witness was at work near BY; from 8 to 5
feet away, on the opposite side. The inspector
often got up on the platform TO see how the
work was being done, and was perfectly cogni-
zant of the state Of things Kendall has seen
bad work done in O'Brien's presence. but never
IN Lucas; He stopped work in September last
because there was no work to do, as the brick
work had caught up to the excavators.
LIEUT.. TOWNSEND EXAMINES THE WITNESS.
Lieut.. Townsend then tried his hand and
discovered that the witness first made COM
plant that bad work was done in September,
but had made no statement to that effect pre-
viously to any person in the Government EN-
ploy. Upon direct question he said that
he had received letter from Lieut.. Town.
ssaai s shI,hn, he read The letter was
dali to point out to the writer the bad
spots in the lining of the tunnel. To this let
ter he had replied, through his attorney, that
he would make such q statement to any
strictly disinterested party appointed to inves-
tigate the work. Witness never received any
directions from either the contractors or the
sub-contractors as to the way work had been
done. The contractors had no forman, in fact
there seemed to be no one taking any particu-
lar interest in the work The sub-contractor
himself was the only man there to oversee the
work. Witness was supposed to do a certain
amount OF work in a day, but during the
absence Of the sub-contractor he could loaf.
UNDER LUCAS INSPECTION.
Under the preceding contract vacant spaces
were left over the key Of the arch in the
Champlain avenue shaft under Lucas in
spection. O'Brien generally sat ON the
plan Rssssn at moI the ., tb Psng,ns line and
stantly. witness was in Topeka just before
coming here, and came at the urgent summons
OF Palmer, the sub-contractor, who sent letter
and a telegram.
HOW THE ENGINEERS WERE HOODWINKED.
On redirect examination the witness testified
that there were some cavities over the arch 10
feet high. The bad work was concealed
whenever the engineer came. The work
ueu were uOtlutQ tnat the engineer was
coming by the inspector, who was told by
Kirlin. Fully two hours notice was given.
Holes were left in almost every other arch,
sometimes being left on each one in
succession. Such hole as that he previously
described-20 feet long-could not be
covered up in two hours. As soon as Kendall
received word Of the engineers approach he
continued work as before. The only time that
O'Brien told the packers to do good
work was when Lieut.. Townsend was COM
ing, then each stone was laid in
cement. Witness never assisted in concealing
any bad work from the engineers
The chief inspector got on the platform but
once or twice. He could have discovered the
cavities if he wanted to. There was
no effort to conceal the bad work
from him under the present contract; greater
activity was shown under the preceding con-
tract. No brick masonry or bulkheads were
ever built above the arch.
LUCAS RECALLED.
Inspector Lucas was recalled. He did not
know how bad work could have been done I'M
der his inspection except during his
absence. 1t was not possible for the
packers to omit any considerable
number of centers without Lucas knowledge.
He he did not know of any spaces
m Dses bad left work to Ss soDpp possible IDa for
that bad work was being done,
but he was not altogether sure.
He sometimes detected workingmen try
ing to cover little holes when the engi-
neer came, but did not think the matter
important enough to speak to Lieut. Townsend
about
Have l ever ordered any work done under
you to be torn DOWN" asked Lieut. Townsend.
mo, sir" was the reply.
Have l ever objected to any work under
you?"
Il don't remember that you have"
Have l ever called your attention to any
bad work?"
mo, / don't remember of such a case"
At 2:l5 the court adjourned to meet at II
O'Clock tomorrow, when the contracts and
specifications will be examined
Among the spectators during the day were
Major Lydecker, Gen. Rucker, and Gen. Mac
feely.