Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-15
WILL BE INVESTIGATED.
The Purchase of Building Sites In the
District of Columbia.

WILL De INV kS1t1AfED.
The Purchase of Building Sites in the
District Of Columbia.
NIB. TAULBEE's RESOLUTION FOR AN INvHsT1aA-
TON OF THE SUBJECT ADOPTED By THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES IN LIEU OF rHI TOWN.
sHENp RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY.
The House late yesterday afternoon adopted
Mr.. Taulbee's resolution for an investigation
into the methods followed by the District
Commissioners in the purchase of sites for
school and other buildings.
1t was very late in the afternoon before the
District business was reached. Two or three
small bills were passed, and then Mr.. Hemp
hill called up Mr.. Townshend's resolution,
which merely asked the Commissioners for an
explanation of the transactions.
MIR. HEMPHILL EXPLAINS.
In explanation Of the proposition to pass this
instead Of the Taulbee resolution at that time,
MIR. Hemphill said that the object of the reso-
luton OF the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr.
Taulbee), which was referred to the committee
on the District OF Columbia, was an investiga-
ton OF the purchase of certain sites for public
institutions made by the Commissioners of the
District The District committee considered
the subject and reported the resolution favora-
bly, to the House. Subsequently. however, the
gentleman from Illinois MIR. Townshend) sub
mitted another resolution calling upon the
Commissioners for all the information they
had with reference to the purchase of these
sites. The District committee considered the
matter and concluded that it was but fair and
just to the Commissioners to allow them to
make their statement to the House, as en-
bodied in the resolution of the gentleman from
Illinois, before action was taken looking to an
rod
asking for that information. will ask mani
nous consent that the resolution offered by
the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Taulbee)
stand upon the calendar in its present order so
that it may be passed by the House at the next
District day in case the response of the Com
missloners is not satisfactory.
MR. TAULBEE's OBJECT WAS TO RECOVER MONEY
ERRoNEoUsLY PAID.
Mr.. Taulbee said that his prime object in in
Producing his resolution was to recover what
ever money might have been erroneously paid
out OF funds belonging to the District of CO.
lumbla. The Townshend resolution, he said
furnished no information whatever upon which
proceedings could be brought to recover the
money. He said that he believed the adoption
OF the Townshend resolution would defer the
consideration of the subject until such time as
| the House would be unable to pass any meas
ure whatever looking to the reimbursement of
the District funds.
'Now, believe" he said. 'if we need any in
formation at all, 1t will be such will enable
US to understand how much money, if any. has
been wrongfully expended, and who have been
the bene6ciaries Of the transaction: and then
presume we will be able to determine what
proceedings will be proper looking to the re-
covery of the money"
MIR. Hemphill explained that he proposed to
pass the resolution of inquiry first, and if the
answer was not satisfactory then to order the
| investigation.
Mr.. Buchanan asked if the matter had not
ALREADY BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE COMMITTEE
/ Mr.. Hemphill replied that the District com
mittee had heard some statements from the
District Commissioners on the subject, but that
they were not in writing and there was no
| record Of them.
''Does not this statement" asked Mr.. Buch
anan show that in some cases the owners OF
real estate had been paid a sum larger than the
asked price?"
Mr.. Hemphill replied that it was shown that
| certain persons engaged by the Commissioner
as agents bought property at one price and sold
1t at higher price. He went on to say thai
they wanted to get full statement from the
Commissioners, and after that, if necessary
the House could incur the expense of an in.
| vestigation.
| Mr.. MISUNDERSTANDING the session ex.
pires."
| POINT OF ORDER WAS MADE,
and the Speaker ruled that the resolution Of
inquiry was an original proposition, and thai
the Taulbee resolution could come up as a sub
stitute.
Mr.. TauIbee then offered his resolution as 8
substitute.
MR.. TAULBEE SPEAKS IN BEHALF OF THE TAX
| PAYERS.
| 'ln regard to this proposed investigation,
he said, II have the further fact to state thai
until the introduction into this House of the
resolution offered by the gentleman from Hi
! nols had heard but little said among citizen:
| OF the District with reference to the proposed
| investigation, but when that resolution of in.
| qulry was introduced a meeting was held OF
citizens representing many thousands of dollars
OF tax-paying property in the District, and
they appointed a delegation who waited upon
me and furnished me with copy OF resolu.
lions which they had adopted. expressing the
belief that the resolution of inquiry could effect
nothing except to side-track the matter and
avoid such an investigation as nv resolution
| looked to. The taxpayers of this
District have rights. / pay some taxes in the
| District myself. and. believe, with due re-
| gard to all the public officials connected with
| this business, that the reports printed in the
newspapers and the documents read by mem
Der OF this House during the consideration OF
| the District appropriation bill; were and are
sufficient to authorize the House to proceed to
the investigation in a proper and orderly
manner-in manner that will bring out the
| facts.
MORE THAN TWENTY CASES.
Il have in my possession the statement of q
citizen Of this District. who has taken some
pains to inquire into the facts, and who is a re.
liable gentleman, to the effect that in more
| than twenty instances of the purchase of sites
relatives of the Commissioners of the District
| have been employed as middlemen to purchase
| property OF the owners, and they have sold il
| to the Commissioners for much greater prices
| than were advertised on the bulletin boards of
| the real estate men who had the property for
| sale. believe that such will be found to be
the fact, but cannot hope that these facts will
| be reached by an ex parte statement from the
Commissioners, even if their statement before
| the District committee was such as to Justify
that committee in recommending the passage
| of my resolution"
Mr.. Hemphill made point of order against
| Mr.. Taulbees motion, but the point was over
| ruled by the Speaker.
Mr. Hemphill then said that as far as proof
was developed in the District committee went,
| there was not particle of foundation for the
| statement that relatives of the Commissioners
| had been engaged as middlemen in making
! purchases of sites.
| MR.. COMPTON THOUGHT IT THE DUTY OF THE
HOUSE TO INVESTIGATE.
MIR. Compton supported the Taulbee resolu-
ton. "As member of the committee on the