Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-25
THE BAD TUNNEL WORK.
fCbnti,sued from First Pu9e.l

I
lowed to be employed. The cement was to be
| fresh, and not allowed to become wet The
last tests were conducted toward the close of
the work by special man at the head Of the
shaft, at first by the sub-inspectors.
| There were no checks upon the amount of
cement that went into the mortar until the
latter part of the work, when it began to be
suspected that bad work was being done. Then
special inspector was appointed.
THE VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT
were based on measurements made in the tun-
mel by an assistant engineer Latterly the
chief inspector also made reports for this pur-
pose. When the work was closed under the
first contract Maj. Lydecker and Lieut.. Town
send spent two days in the tunnel. inspecting,
and the payment was made on that basis No
special tests or soundings were applied to de-
termine the character of the work done.
| BAD WORK.
| The witness said that he had discovered
number of pieces of bad work, some had
been found by the chief inspector,
and others by the sub-inspectors
About the LIST of last July a bad piece was
found. about 40 feet of dry packing and cavi-
ties. The sub-inspector was discharged and
| change made in the force of
men. short time prior to this there had been
reorganization of the inspection force by
placing two subs in each heading instead of
| one.
| by those superior to the inspectors at differ
ent times, such an examination as could be
made in passing through the tunnel There
was nothing to indicate bad work. Then the
witness did not know of special tests
| as to soundness. but since the discovery of the
New York frauds the sounding process had
come to his knowledge. The textbooks offered
no suggestions as to means of discovery of bad
work behind lining. and this sounding was a
new art.
THE EXTENT OF MAJOR LYDEcKER's SUPER
| VISION.
| What was the extent of the supervision of
the work exercised by Major Lydecker?" asked
Major Davis.
He made himself familiar with the details.
examined the reports, and made personal in
| spectiOns."
TO what extent did he devote himself to
| the work of Inspection"
He went through the tunnel with me several
times when first reported and afterward on
| several occasions"
| Did he have any stated intervals of visiting
| the tunnel?'
| No"
How long a time have you known to elapse
| without visit from Major Lydecker?"
| Il have known two months to go by
| THE KENDALL BROTHERS DISCLOSURES
Lieut.. Townsend then detailed the story OF
| the Kendall brothers letters and disclosures
and the manner in which the matter was
brought to the attention of Major Lydecker
Il had no idea" said the witness, that there
existed anything of this kind: The possibility
OF fraud had always been in my mind, and the
| absolute impossibility to catch bad work
II the sub-inspectors were crooked l thought
| that the ub-inspectors were honest, capable
men, and could see no evidence that bad work
| had been done on our tunnel"
THE DISCLOSURE OF BAD WORD IN NEW YORK
had aroused his suspicion as to the integrity Of
the inspectors, but nothing had pointed
this doubt. The only thing he
could do was to make the time of visits ir-
regular. No especial orders were given to
kIrlin to be unusually active in his supervision.
The discovery of the bad work last July
caused the discharge of the sub-inspector, but
! that was the only thing resulting. The mere
act OF packing was not difficult of itself,
| but the circumstances were such that
| there was little chance to discover bad work.
There is large part of the work where cavities
| exist, other parts where the packing is
utterly dry; and other parts where the pack
ing is in layers, good and bad.
SMALL SUM TO LINE THE TUNNEL.
| 1t should require a comparatively small sum
to line the tunnel-about 800, 00O-much less
than has been expended.
There are portions of the tunnel of which
witness would be afraid, but on the whole he
| ton, would carry water.
This ended the direct examination. and Gov.
| Boutwell, took the witness in hand.
CAPT. sYMoNs CONSTRAINED.
| His questions related mostly to details of the
| work of packing.
| He elected the fact that Lieut.. Townsend re-
ported to Major Lydecker every morning at the
| aqueduct Office.
| ADJOURNED.
| At o'clock the court adjourned to meet at
| 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. This will here
after be the regular hour of meeting.
| COURT NOTES.
| Gen. Schofeld escorted Gen. Crook to the
court ROOM and when he entered. exclaimed
| that it was the best court-martal room he had
ever seen.
There were several ladies present this morn
| ing, who seemed very much bored by the legal
| lore which the judge-advocate read. They re-
| tired while the contracts were being read to
| the consulting room.
| Mr.. Maurice Pechin, Of the War department,
| who acted in the same capacity for the tunnel
court of inquiry, served to-day as stenographer.
Gen. Crook is not such an elderly man as a
| major-general is supposed to be. He has light
brown hair, without any particular lock, and
| long brown side whiskers. He has rather
| kind face, and his hands soft and white.
Altogether the general does not present any
| such formidable appearance as his reputation
| as an Indian fighter would pre-suppose.
| Col. Black is more elderly-looking man,
| with long gray beard and slightly bald head.
| He looks like prosperous merchant rather
| than a soldier, and somewhat resembles in APP
| pearance Gen. Duane, who recently retired
| from active duty as the chief of engineers.
| Col. Dodge looks little like Col. Black ex-
| cept that he has more hair and shorter beard.
Col. Townsend has a short, sqyare-cut gray
| beard, and a keen shrewd look. He looks like
lawyer or politician.
Col. Poe is one of the most soldierly-looking
men on the court. He wears moustache and
| imperial. iron-gray.
Col Comstock looks like the newspaper cuts
| of Attorney General Miller.
Col. Mendenhall has long white beard. and
deserves the rank of the patriarch of the court.
Lieut.-Col. Flagler rivals Col. Dodge in size.
He has a short-clipped, pointed beard, La
Boulanger, just turning gray.
Col. Piper is a small man, with a very white
beard and watchful quick manner. During
the readings this morning he was somewhat
nervous, and followed the words of the Judge
advocate with various mods of his head.
Col. Gillespie has a somewhat ministerial
look, with short English side-whiskers and a
clipped moustache.
There is not a decidedly bald head in the
court although Coils Black, Comstock. Menden-
hall, and Gillespie have slight claims in that
direction.
Col Whittemore is the youngest looking man
on the court.
Mr.. John F. Swift, who acts with Gov Bout
we'll as counsel for Major Lydecker, is a good
looking young man and affords a contrast for