Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-19

| o
that he knew Of several instances where
contractors had hoodwinked the inspect
ors and in the performance of their con-
| tracts had violated the specifications. He
referred particularly to the construction of
sewers and claimed that only so per cent of
the concrete called for by the specifications
had been used on the work. A secret investi-
CATION followed. The sewers referred to we're
| tapped in several places and the work care
fully measured by an engineer in the employ
| of the District.
In at least thirty cases sewers we're found
improperly constructed. Some of them had
| no concrete filing whatever, while others con-
tanned anywhere from one TO four inches None Of
those discovered improperly constructed con-
tanned more than four inches, although the
contract called for six inches, and, stated
| above, the minimum was none at all, the space
being filled either with gravel or dirt.
| In all contracts there is a clause known as the
retaining clause" whereby 10 per cent Of
the contract price is retained for five years to
| cover all costs of repairs.
When these sewers were discovered many Of
| them had been built for four wears. and in
several of them the time during which the re-
tainer could be held had about expired.
| 1t WAS decided, however, by the Com
missoners to apply this 10 per cent retainer
| to the reconstruction of the faulty sewers ac-
cordlng to contract. Some of the contractors
! objected TO this. claiming that the inspector in
charge of the work had passed the work at the
/ time. and the District had no right to go back
on his approval of the work. There were Others
| however. who were willing to repair the sewers
and bring them up to all requirements.
Capt. Derby, in charge of this matter, writes
| to the Engineer Commissioner today as follows:
In my judgment, the primary object of re-
| tanning for five years 10 per cent of the
amounts due under contracts is not to secure
the maintenance of the sewers. but to insure
| honest work on the part of the contractors. l
| think it important to establish the principal
that if a. contractor does not do his work
honestly according TO the specifications, even
| if he succeeds in hoodwiEking the inspector,
he must expect to have difficulty in getting
his 10 per cent if the facts come TO light any
time within five years, and think this matter
| is of importance less as punishment to the
man who did the bad work than a warning to
| contractors at all times
The contractors have all been notified 10
bring their work us to the specifications. and if
| thev fail to do SO the Commissioners will pro-
ceed to apply the 10 per cent retainer to the
| completion OF the work.
| AGAINST TWO SALOON LICENSES.
The trustees of Grace Baptist Church have
called the attention of the Commissioners to the
! existence Of two saloons, one a. $40 10th street
and the other at 400 9th street. both of which
are within 400 feet of the church. They urge
that license be withheld for these places.
| DANGEROUS POST.
| Mr.. A. Y. Noonan has requested the Comm:s-
sioners to remove the cedar post located inside
Of the Columbia car line at the intersection Of
! 18th street and New York avenue as it Is dam
gerous to life and limb.
| LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATIONS.
| foil la, l.
the excise board for bar room licenses: Chas
H. Dismer. No. 70S K street northwest; Edward
| L. McKenney, No. go l1th street southwest:
James Ray, No. 1905 d street northwest; Mrs
Maggie Roth & Son, No. $40 10th street south
| east; Louis Sherman, No. 1917 l4th street
northwest; Thos. A. Donoshue, No. 1904 Nor tn
Capitol street.
| TO UTILIZE THE CHAIN GANG.
| The market master of the Georgetown
market recently requested the Commissioners
to require the chain gang to collec: the sweep
inss from his market. This will be ordered
DESTROYING THE WORK THE DISTRICT.
The superintendent of streets has called the
| attention of the Commissioners to an OCCUPANT
of one of the alleys now being improved whose
stable is below grade, and who is tearing up the
cobble lately laid in order to allow surface
| drainage to flow from the stable into the alley
| He recommends that the premises be put under
I
police surveillance for the purpose of arresting
| any one who ATTEMPTS to DESTROY the work OF
| the District. 1t is this surface drainage from
stables, SAYS the superin tendent that makes
| the cost of repairs to alleys great, besides
| putting the alleys in an unsanitary condition.
| MISCELLANEOUS.
The Commissioners today appointed VIM. F.
Sullivan an inspector in the water department.
vice r. E. O'Brien, transferred.
| GARBAGE REMOVAL SUGGESTION
| Mr.. W. c. Dodge called upon the Commits
sioners this morning and called attention to the
article printed in last evenings STAR relative
| to the disposition of garbage in Detroit. He
said this article fully confirmed the statements
he made to Commissioners Douglassa and Parker
and there was no reason in the world why the
| city of Washington should not adopt a similar
| plan here The ex-nayor of Detroit was in the
| city about year ago, he said. and proposed to
establish a company and erect plant here for
| the same purpose, and he showed him at that
time a sworn statement of the secretary Of the
| Detroit company showing the whole amount of
| garbage treated and the profits derived
/ theretrom. There was no doubt it was n profit
able business. He said when the company first
began in Detroit the works were established in
the heart of the city, which was considered OBJ
JecuonaDle; and they were required 10 remove
| them. 1t appears from the statement in The
| STAR that their works had now been removed
| about twenty miles from the city, and he be-
| lieved that an arrangement could be made here
by which the company would defray the whole
| OR a large share of the cost of collection.
| SPEED OF THE CABLE CARS
Inspector Hickey of the engineer department
| called the attention OF the Commissioners YES
terday to the speed of the cable cars going east
descending the grade and turning into Pennsyl-
vania avenue from 18th street northwest. lie
| says: 81 have the honor to address YOU for
the purpose of calling your attention to the
high rate OF speed maintained by many of the
cable cars going east descending the grade and
turning into Pennsylvania avenue from 18th
| street northwest. | have had occasion TO
notice the speed of these cars on several occa-
| slons. and unless they slacken their speed in
making this curve fear there will be serious
| accident at this point
Engineer Commissioner Powell, in forward
| ing the paper, made the following Endorsement
thereon: ''Respectfully forwarded to the
superintendent of police, with request that he
have his force take such action as may be
proper in this matter
In this connection Lieut.. Amiss of the first
precinct, to whom the matter referred
notified the Commissioners today that he had
| instructed his officers TO take such action
against the offenders as the law directed
| IN BEHALF OF THE LIQUOR DEALERS.