Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-11
CALLED ON TO EXPLAIN.
Supervising Architect Freret's Exami-
nation by the Senate Sub Committee.

In the course of his examination yesterday
afternoon before the subcommittee of the Sem
ate committee on public buildings and grounds
investigating the affairs of the supervising
architects Office, Col Freret said in further ex-
PLANTATION of his letting the work of the drawing
of plans outby contract, without advertisement,
that he had put this work in the hands of his
chief draughtsman, Mr.. Van Erta, and told him
to make the contracts. He had heard that the
subordinates of the contractors were men COM
petent to do the work.
Senator Spooner wanted to know of the wit
ness in how many cases plans for public build
ngs were not completed when he assumed
office.
This. the witness said. he could not exactly
remember. When he went into Office there
were about fifteen buildings requiring extern
sive repairs, on hand, eight others requiring
various repairs. and Congress had made appro-
prations for about thirty at the last session.
He said that under the present plan he was
getting work done for three-quarters of one
per cent ON the cost of the building, while I'M
der the method of having it done in localities
where the building was to be located, the cost
sometimes reached as high as five per cent.
In answer to question from SenatoEMorrill
the witness said that persons OUTSIDE of the
office did not have free run Of the office, but
he said that he should not deny them access to
He did not know whether any of the tracings
of mouldings, cOrnices, &C., of the Office had
been copied or initiated by outsiders.
IN REFERENCE TO CERTAIN LITHoGRAPHIo WORK
for the annual report of the office, the witness
said it was given out by contract and it had
resulted in a great saving to the office.
Senator Spooner desired to read some ex-
tracts from a report of commission appointed
by the Secretary of the Treasury in regard to
public buildings and to ask the witness why
he differed from some of the statements
therein contained.
WOULD RATHER NOT ANSWER.
The witness asked to be excused from answer
ing these questions, as he said he would rather
not talk about matters between persons of
the same profession, and that he would prefer
to refrain from ventilating his opinions at the
present time. Col Freret said he had been to
see the President, who had told him to conduct
his office on business principles, and he had
tried to do so.
Senator Morrill, asked the witness why it
would not be better to have all the business of
the architects office done by outsiders.
The witness, replying. said that the archi-
tectural associations of the country had sent
representatives to Congress and asked that
this be done. He did not approve, however, of
the project, but when the ofiice-work was be-
hind it was best to go ahead and get outsiders
to assist. Witness was asked why he did not
make more speed before the Otl OF November
last than he did after that time.
Col. Freret proceeded to explain that he had
made efforts to do SO by getting more clerks.
Just THE TROUBLE"
Senator Morrill, suggested that it would have
been necessary for the new clerks to pass
civil-service examination.
THAT is Just the trouble" said witness.
One of the committee said to witness that
the civil-service examination for positions in
the Office 80 extraordinary that it would
have been most severe task to pass it.
In his reply witness said that the then Com
missioner Oberly had come to the office and
said none of the draughtsmen could pass the
examination. Thereupon he took the questions
and presented them to several clerks who said
that that was the same work they were then
doing and had been doing all along. He sub
mitted long list of persons connected with
the Office who he said could answer the ques-
tions.
COL. FRERET's SON.
In reply to a query by Senator Spooner, as to
whether he had placed his son in the office,
Col. Freret said that he took his son from col
lege some months ago and put him to work in
| the Office without pay. and while there he had
drawn the plans for the government building
| at Ottumwa. ILL.,, which did not cost the gov
] eminent a cent. Assistant Secretary Thomp-
son had since appointed him confidential
| clerk at $500 year. The only appointment
which he (witness) had made since his induc-
| ton into Office was that of q messenger. In
regard to what private arrangements had been
entered into by persons inside the Office with
those doing work by contract
| WITNESS COULD NOT REPLY.
So long as the work was satisfactorily per-
formed he would not care who got the employ
ment, no matter whether his clerks assisted in
doing it or not.
Some questions we're asked about public
| buildings now in course of erection, which re-
suited in the committee asking for all corre-
| spondence now on file in the Office concerning
the erection of public buildings at Binghamp-
ton, N. Y, Lowell, Mass, Detroit, Mich, and
| Brooklyn, N. Y.
The committee then adjourned subjectto the
call of the chairman.