Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-19

one would contend that 10 Is desirable to order
for any duty 70 which they choose to assign
them They are
SENT HERR FOR KNaryHfRrxo DUTY
and are to assist the Engineer Commissioner
in whatever duties he 10 assigned The Engi-
neer Commissioner is q supervising engineer
and is not expected TO take the immediate
charge OF the engineer works; this is done by
these two engineer assistants. These engineers
are Of sufficient experience to have had charge
OF works OF river and harbor improve
meuts under supervising engineer,
and 10 seems to me that il is the evil
dent design of present legislation to place them
in similar position here. II the Engineer
Commissioner were to take the duties OF the
engineers in charge Of the works themselves
then 1t would be impraoticable for him TO be q
Commissioner. The reference made by the
majority OF the Commissioners in their letter
to Congress to their being bonded to
the extent Of $4,000 ignores the fact that
the three engineer officers combined have a
larger bond than that, but can sympathize
with those gentlemen in their dislike Of being
held responsible for financial disbursements
that are managed mainly by persons not Sc
iected by them. do not think that the bill
proposed would relieve them one bit from the
difficulty. yet a bill can be prepared
THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
One way would be to make the appropriations
lumbia just as the appropriations are made for
the improvement OF the Potomac or for the
care OF public buildings and grounds SO that
the Commissioners would not be responsible at
all for the disbursements of those funds
she liability resting entirely upon the en-
glneer officer detailed for that purpose. In
this case Congress, or practically the District
committees, would constitute the city council
and would decide upon the amount to be APP
propriated and the objects for which the sppro-
priation would be made for city improvements.
The Engineer Commissioner. or whatever you
choose to entitle him, would then be an
engineer and not ono Of the governors
OF the District He would be responsible for
the disbursements of those funds, just the
same as the officer in charge of the improve
ment of the Potomac flats is now responsible
for those funds, and the District Commission
with it. That would reliye theta Of all
responsibility for the action of
these engineer officers who have the immedi-
ate charge OF street improvements, construc-
ton of sewers, &c. On the other hand this
would relieve the Engineer Commissioner of
all connection with the District government
THERE Is ANOTHER WAY.
not 80 good that think would relieve these
gentleman of the responsibility for the work
being done under the engineer officers, that il
to leave the Engineer Commissioner Just as he
Is now, but to make the appropriations
for the District improve ments Of an engi-
neer class, so as to be expended by the Engi-
neer Commissioner, SO that he alone would be
financially responsible. This would leave the
Engineer Commissioner, however, still as a
Commissioner Of the District, and would there
fore make him responsible for the action of
the District Commissioners and consequently
he could not evade the duty OF acquaiuting
himself with all branches OF the District
government sufficiently to be able TO act intel
ligently upon the various questions brought
before the board OF Commissioners. The posi-
ton / have taken from the beginning has been
that man is responsible for the use of his
signature, and that no man can be
called upon to use it where he has
no right to investigate as to
the propriety OF SO using it. l regret very
much that any Of these questions got into the
newspapers. do not hold Mr.. Hine RESPONSE
BILE for statements in the newspapers purpOrt-
ing to be made by him any more than / would
like to be held responsible for newspaper
statements as to what have said and done. /
know that many of these statements we're mis-
represented.
PUBLISHED STATEMENTS DENIED.
While not attempting to correct the mis-
takes in the newspapers deem il best to deny
the following statements purporting to come
from me:
What have done with the testimony gath
cred by me?'
Il have had ii burned / would have been
willing to 70 upon the stand and produce it so
far as l was concerned, and thought OF doing
so, but concluded finally to destroy it. have
the stenographc notes, however, in my posses
sion"
'The entire testimony taken by me in he
investigation Of the police caseJ on trial was
turned over by the Commissioners to the die
tricts attorney some time before the trial COM
menced, and suppos- that the paper. are still.
In that office. l certainly have not seen them
for over month. The papers are not in any
way under my control"