Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-26
THE COMMISSIONERS
A Hearing Given to the Federation
Committee.
ALLEGED DEFECTS IN 4 SCHOOL HOUSE
Plans for Providing a Contagious
Hospital.
OTHER DISTRICT DOINGS

OTHER DISTRICT DOM GS
The District Commissioners, in their ca
pacity as a secret organization, sat in
solemn conclave in their lodge rooms at
the District building today and managed
to get through with a large amount OF
routine business of interest to the taXpay-
ers of the District.
For once they broke through their rulings
and one of the most important matters OF
the day was considered in the broad, free
light of publicity, and all those who had
legitimate right to be present were admit
ted within the sacred precincts without re-
serve.
The occasion was a public hearing grant,
ed to a committee from the Federation OF
Labor. which for the past six weeks or
more has been having war by letter with
the building inspector over the manner in
which the new school building on E be-
tween 18th and 18th streets southeast Is
being put up. Some time ago charges, with
six specifications, were made by the fedora
ton against the contractor and super1n-
tendent. alleging that the walls are badly
made. with light colored brick, and not
solid, out of plumb and that the joiSts and
beams are of an inferior quality. so that.
it Is alleged, the building does not come up
to the specifications. The whole matter
has given rise to considerable correspon-
dence, which grew out of the fact, 1t Is
stated, that non-union men have been en-
p1oyed on the upper part OF the walls.
Building Inspector Brady some time ago
called upon the superintendent or conStruc-
which were forwarded to him. Oliver Cox,
the superintendent, denied all the charges,
and said that the building was well up to
the standard of construction IN all govern
ment work and was in accordance to the
specifications. Mr.. Brady also inspected
the building and reported favorabIy on 1t,
and in adopting the two reports the Com
missionerS practically disposed OF all the
charges with the exception of the one re-
ferring to the hollow walls. This was
matter that could only be investigated ny
plugging" as the walls have gone up
some fifteen feet beyond the points where
they are said to be badly made. The super
intendent, in fact, implies that If there
was any faulty construction, as charged by
the federation, 1t was in the part made by
union men.
In the course of the correspondence that
er sued Mr.. Brady made a proposition to
the federation that he stood ready at any
time to visit the building and plug the
walls at such points as the representatives,
of the federation might point OF t. although
there was some question as to how the
contractor was to be reimbursed in case
the charges were not sustained, ana the
walls were left in a damaged condition.
The federation showed no desire to accept
the invitation, as they seem to entertain
some feeling against the building inspec-
tor. and preferred to have the examination
n ade in the presence OF some outside and
disinterested parties. So the matter has
run along, until the Commissioners decided
to give hearing themselves 20 the fed
Grafton in an effort to clear up the whole
question at issue.
The Hearing Held.
The hearing was at II o'clock this morn
ing, and Messrs. Milford Spotn. George o.
Cook and VIM. McGahan were on hand as
the committee from the Federation Of
Labor. Mr.. Spohn acted as the chairman
and spokesman of the committee, and re-
viewed the whole matter from their point
of view from the beginning. The charges
were read over, and the various letters
and reports that followed. Mr.. Spohn said
II Mr.. Brady would go to the building with
some impartial witnesses. the Federation
of Labor would engage to prove all their
charges, and, If they failed, they would
promise to publish. over the seal of the
organization. statement that their
charges were unqualiiedly false, snd
would exonerate all the parties concerned
To Inspect.
The hearing was quite spirited one and
lasted for nearly an hour. In the course Of
it Mr.. Truesdell took occasion to refer to
the sighting manner in which the fedora
and ability of Mr.. Brady, saying that, in
his long connection with the office, the
Commissioners had found him not only
honorable to a degree, but thoroughly
&C mpetent, and it appeared that they were
quite ready to approve of his action in the
matter. They considered that his offer to
personally inspect the building in his Off
cial capacity and in the presence of those
who had made the charges should have
been regarded as ample. AS the Fedora
I.9h IA mi hot
however, and as the Commissioners
thought the matter one of considerable
Importance, apart from the attitude the
federation has taken, they agreed to make
a personal visit to the building, when the
plugging is to be done in their presence
and all the other matters contained in the
charges are to be investigated, under the
direction of Representatives from the fed
Grafton. After some little discussion, it
was decided that next Thursday would be
a convenient time for all concerned, and
2:3G was fixed upon as the hour when the
official investigation is to be made.
Other Matters Considered.
Apart from this little incident there was
not much TO break In upon the solemnity
with which the Mystic Order of Three see
fit to surround themselves. So far as the
official filter of the order and the beautiful
yellow calf-bound letter book went to show
the Commissioners have had a compare
lively easy time of it today, and after the
public hearing the board went into secret
session for the disposal of-who knows
what? Shortly after noon the secretary of
the board officially Informed the reporters
that the Commissioners had promoted De-
teetive Henry Lacy from class one to class
two. thereby giving him raise in salary of
So month.
The promotion was made on the recon-
mendation of the superintendent of police.
Lacy is colored man, who has for some
time past served as detective, and in
that capacity has shown himself well fit
ted for the work. In his letter Of recon-
menda ticn Major Moore spoke very highly
of Lacy's ability In ferreting out crime
and In recovering stolen property.
The Commissioners have opened bids for
two classes of curbing, straight and circu-
lar, SxS ard GX2O respectively. The Brandy
vine Granite Company's bid of SGD II per
hundred linear feet of straight curb, and
Francis Jones' bid Of 1854 for circular
curb were the lowest made, and contract
will lie awarded accordingly.
Contagious Hospitals.
There is one matter that has been &C.
casioning the Commissioners a good deal of
mental worry lately, and that Is the ques-
tion of establishing HOSPITALS or wards in