Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-05
CLAIMS AGAINST THE DISTRICT.
Rates Paid by the Board of Public
Works to lie Allowed.

The House today passed the Senate bill
providing that in the adjudication of claims
brought under the provisions of the act
entitled AN act to provide for the settle
ment of all outstanding claims against the
District of Columbia, and comforting juris-
diction on the Court of Claims to hear the
same. and for other purposes" approved
he 10th Of June, 1850 CTwenty-frst Statutes
at Large page 2S4), the Court of Claims
shall allow the rates established and paid
by the board of public works; and when
ever said rates have not been allowed the
claimant or his personal representative
shall be entitled, on motion made within
sixty days after the passage of this act, to
a new trial of sucn cause.
History of the Claims.
The history of these claims is substan-
TALLY as follows: The board Of public
works was charged with the entire control
of municipal improvements in the Dis
tric:. The execution Of these improvements
was done under contracts with the board
of public works, and at prices fixed by it.
Several months after the commencement Of
the works the board Ieadjusted the con-
tract price The revised prices were tech
nically called board rates" In most cases
where board rates" were allowed the mod
ification of the contract so made was em-
in others by written or oral orders or cor
respondence, which, through clerical mad
vertence or other causes not affecting the
intention of the contracting parties in the
premises, had not reached the stage of a
formal contract. Upon the abolition of the
board of public works nearly all Of the
work in progress under contracts with that
board at the time was suspended. Suisse
uuently most Of this unfinished work was
recommended and completed at board rates
under new contracts denominated "eXten-
sions' of the suspended contracts, made
with the board of Commissioners, which
succ eeded the board of public works. The
claims under consideration We're mainly for
compensation for work done under these
so-caIled extensions.
The Amount Involved.
The amount involved in thus carrying
into effect the true intent of both parties
to the contracts will not exceed from $780,,
600 to $4,000, it appearing that nearly all
parties have received these rates, and those
who have failed to receive them have failed
from clerical omissions on the part of the
District officials tC whom was intrusted
the preparation of the contracts. The pro-
posed legislation does not extend to any
claims other than those already filed, and
does not permit the institution of new
suits. 1t is further shown that these rates
We're made the basis of assessments
against the property abutting the improve
ments, and have been collected from the
property owners in all cases No addi-
tional appropriation is needed to carry this
law into effect. Legislation on this subject
has been pending for many years and has
been favorably reported from time to time
to both houses of Congress, and has uni
versally received favorable recommended
tions from the Commissioners of the Dis
trict.
Having passed both houses, the bill now
goes to the President for his signature.