Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-31
SCHOOL SIZE INQUIRY.



.Do you know Mr.: J. W. Sinclair, jr.?"
mo, sir, I do not
DO you know anybody who does know
u think Mr.. Coz soldm me that he knew him2"
Mr.. Cox said he had stated that he had met
Mr.: Sinclair day or two before this trans
action.
DR.. Pardon said he had been informed by Mr..
Morris that Mr.. Sinclair was
PAID $50 FOR THE USE OF HIS NAME.
DIR. Pardon was asked to go over the list Of
purchases and prices paid by the Commission
ers, and give his opinion. In the portions of
the city, with which he was acquainted; he
said he thought some Of the prices were rea-
sonable: He referred, he said, to the prices
received by the actual owners He had never
before known piece Of property to increase
or III per cent minute as appeared to have
occurred In some of these cases. DR.. Pardon
said it was hard to fix the price of piece Of
property without personally inspecting; so
many conditions were involved in such an
opinion.
Speaking of the price at which he had offered
the 23d and M street property. he said that the
price, 81 foot. was, according to custom,
time" price. As usual thing, property
could be bought
CHEAPER FOR CASH THAN ON TINE.
Uusually, he thought, property could be
bought from to 8 per cent cheaper for cash.
"Did you have any conversation with the
commissioners about the matter after the
Transaction" asked Mr.. Taulbee.
Il did sir; with Mr.. Wheatley," said the wit
ness.
''when was that2"
1T was when was pretty warm" said the
witness
He said he had asked the Commissioner why
he had been ignored in the matter and why
another person had been allowed to purchase
OF IA and oil fot he n,o
trict for SO cents. Mr.. Wheatley said he knew
nothing about the matter, and referred him to
MIR. Webb. He went to see Mr.. Webb. 81 was
very much provoked" he said, 'but Mr. Webb
looked 80 amiable that 1 said nothing to him
then"
In the meantime, DR.. Pardon said, Mr. Nor
ris, who was in the Treasury, and whose tenure
was precarious, asked him to say nothing about
it, as it might endanger his position II he raised
controversy. He therefore had said nothing
having learned the facts of the case elsewhere.
He had then told of the case. II have been
waiting" he said, 'for an answer to my letter
from that time and hope some time that 1 will
receive it."
In answer to questions by Mr.. Davis DR.. Far
don said that the interview in The STAR with
him was about as accurate as reporters gener-
ally got things when they did not take steno-
graphic twenty-five per cent of what you say
and seventy-fve per cent Of what the reporter
thinks you ought to say" In the main, how
ever,
THAT WAS PRETTY CORRECT.
He said he did not go down to the Commits
sioners' Office after sending his letter, for Mr..
Huyck came to his Office the next morning and
told him the Commissioners had purchased an
other site.
Mr.. Davis cross questioned Dr. Pardon con-
siderably as to what he said in his letter and
what he said in his conversation with a STAR
IT L
said that he believed he had written that il the
site suited the Commissioners he would en-
deavor to negotiate it for them at advantage
ous terms. He did not say, as he was reported,
that he could sell it at a less price. Mr.. Davis
then produced Mr.. Fardon's letter which
offered the property at 81 foot, without
further remark. DIR. Pardon said he believed
he had added the statement that he thought
he could negotiate 1t on satisfactory terms, for
that was his usual terms. This note he had
written in hurry at the suggestion Of the
building inspector. Mr. Pardon called atten-
ton to an ind orsement on his letter. as follows:
LET me know the dimensions of these lots.
w. B. W."
Dr. Pardon was examined as to his opinion
concerning the prices paid. He thought 10
cents foot for the site on B, between 18th and
18th northeast was too high, as property there
at that time was valued at II to IA cents. Other
prices, he spoke of, he thought were reason
able.
Mr.. Entwisle, the witness said told him that
as soon as his letter was received he was called
in and he told the Commissioners they had
better send for witness and see about the
price. The letter however, was turned over
to Mr.. Cox. The witness said he had nothing
to say against Mr.. Cox, but as a taxpayer he
was interested in knowing why the Commits
sioners had permitted transaction Of this
kind.
The committee then took a recess till 1:3O
p. m.