Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-14
ALLEGED FRAUDS IN PAVING.
Contractors and Inspectors Under q Cloud II
the District BaildinesL

II
the District Baiidines.
| MCDANIEL STREETS REPORTED TO III LACKING
IN sroSr-IsvEsrIGAIIoRs WHICH SHOWED IL
SOME CASTS SEVERAL INCHES LKss STONE THAN
THE SPECIFICATIONS CALLED roR-DESIALs-
About three months ago an inspector Of the
engineer department was dismissed. Before
he left the employ Of the District he made
statement to the effect that he had always done
his duty, which was great deal more than
some other inspectors could say who were re-
tanned. and he did not know Why it was he
should be dismissed
| His remarks reached Ii. ear of Can't. Rosseu.
| and he decided to investigate what was meant
by the assertion that other inspectors had not
done their duty. Information was not want
ing. and before long it was charged that GER
tain contractors had swindled the District by
NOS complying with the terms of their con-
| uacts The charge was that they had put in a
less amount Of stone in the construction of
maeaaam streets than WIGS called for In the
| contract.
TIE FIRST REPORT OF ALLEGED FRAUD.
On the 9th OF last May Capt. Rossen sub
United his first communication to the Engi-
neer Commissioner in relation to the investi-
i
! "lhe contract that was given TO Mr. John
| Uugsn Tor grading and regulating Saith street
between X and High streets some time since has
oeen reported as finished. Al the time and be-
Iore the maj measurement was made il
came TO my knowledge that the side
walks had not been laid according to speci-
ncations, as the gravel had been omitted
ana rotten stone put in its place. and very
little, II any, sand was used. On examining
| into this matter found that on other work
1 hn 81.
contractor had been permitted TO use the
rotten stone, and felt with this precedent
| mat the inspector was not much TO blame
ior having permitted it. 1 az once ordered
that the sidewalk be laid according TO the
specifications, and where it was finished i'm
properly the sidewalk should be removed and
| relald properly. 1 had considerable trouble in
getting this done aud Was obliged 10 change the
inspector. Payments were made upon this
WORK, out no final payment has as yet been
made. Finally, however. I succeeded in having
tne sidewalks laid according to the speciica-
| tions.
Having heard q rumor that the amount
| OF macadam put on this street was less than
WE'VE and half inches, required by the specifi-
cations, directed the acting general inspector
Mr.. NcMahon, to go to the street and cut the
macadam and measure the thickness of the same
MS report on this reached me yesterday and
| iheiose II TO show the result obtained. This
inuicates that the average thickness of mac
| ADAM was not more than seven inches. where 1t
| should have been twelve and half inches.
| ne samples of rotten stone that were used
| under the cutters and curbing 1 have in the
once ready to show you at any time. would
| respectfully ask directions as TO what course /
| should pursue in this matter.
| Il would say that on 18th street northeast
was informed that the contractor had not put
an Twelve inches OF stone in the maoadam road
| way. instructed General Inspector Beggs to
plug the street and measure the amount OF
| macadam. He reported TO me THAI lie had
made cuts in the street in the most travelled
portion and nowhere found less than ten inches
| II varying from ten to eleven and one-half
inches AS the street was subjected TO heavy
| travel, believe this indicates that the proper
amount Of stone was put in
! Colonel Robert carefully considered the
matter and directed Mr.. Nc Mahon, the acting
| inspector OF streets, to examine the macadam
| on the streets recently constructed.
CUTTING OTHER PAvEMENrs.
This was done, the inspector plugging. as
directed. On 3ith street from Il to High the
average depth Of macadam found was only nine
| inches when the contract called for twelve
| inches. On L street a cut was made and the
macadam found only measured five and a half
inches. A cut was made on s street next and
| the greatest thickness found was nine inches
winnie In some places 1t only measured seven
| inches.
Other cuts were made at the suggestion of
that an average depth of ll.33 inches of mac
adam was found on W. H. Mothers work on
street southeast between Sd and Sth. and the
same average on his work ON 10th street south
east between East Capitol aad ID streets
According TO Mr.. McMahon's report the
average depth of macadam found on the work
done by Contractor Andrew Gleeson was us
| follows:
On 18th street northeast between MARYLAND
avenue and III. 3 pa inches; Sth street north
| east between and X. 10 inches; q street north
east between 9th and 9TH streets, rs inches.
Having obtained the measurements Capt
| hossel ordered the inspectors who had the
direct supervision of the work TO make full re-
ports.
WHAT THE INSPECTORS SAID.
Inspector AnMurry had charge OF the work
on Sth street between and northeast. and
| In his report he says that he is satisfied in his
own mind and by the statement given to him
by MIR. Mohler, who furnished the stone. that
the full amount of stone required by the
terms Of the contract was put in. He saws that
| 1t was very wet weather when the work was
done and each layer rolled eight hours,
and, further, that he himself put fourteen
inches OF stone in the center.
Inspector Crawford's report covered the
construction of macadam streets on 18th street
and q streets northeast. He saws he was new
IN the business when these streets were con-
| structed and endeavored TO do his duty, and
tndt Us lar as ne knew no fauIt was found by
the general inspector. Inspector Howard re-
ported that while the work was going on under
him he WAS i'll and had to absent himself from
the work considerably.
CAPT. RossELLs CONCLUSIONS
All the reports being in Capt Rossell made
the following report to Col Robert
Il have the honor to inclose herewith re-
ports OF examinations of certain macadamized
| streets made by Acting General Inpector Nc
Mahon. The contractors on these streets were
Messrs. Dugan Mohler and Gleeson, the in
spectors Messrs. Howard, McMurry, Crawford
and Clagett.
I'm no case was the amount, or rather the
thickness OF macadam, found equal to that
called for by the specifications, viz, twelve
inches. However, the thickness found on the
| streets constructed by Contractor Mohler the
thickness WAS nowhere less than ten inches. and
in some places twelve and one-half inches 1
believe on these streets the proper amount
OF stone was put, but that it has beaten
down to what is found. On the work
of Contractor Dugan the thickness is about six
and one-half inches. The inspector on this
work was Mr.. Howard. l sent for the inspector.
who is not now employed by the District OF
this insuficiercy Of macadam was caused by
bad during the progress Of the work.
MIR. Howard has been an inspector for many
years and bears most excellent reputation.
On the streets made by Contractor Gieeson,
where the insuficiency Of macadam was found,