The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-19
FOR FREEDOM OF CHOICE
Judge Wilson's Plea Against
an Exclusive Contract.
DISTRICT CEMENT WORK
People Who Pay Half the Expense
should Chose. Their own Contractor.
Annual Report of the Washington
Asylum-Estimates for the Ensuing
Fiscal Year.

In his argument before the Commission
ers yesterday, against granting an ex-
elusive contract 10 Kemp Son, the 10 west
bidders, for Districo cement work, as noted
IN the Evening Times, Judge Jere Wilson
contended that the citizen had the right,
since lie paid haIr OF the expense, to Sc
lect whom ne pleased to lay lns sidewalks.
He was advocating the interests ~ pc
Crawford Paving Company.
he laying oI side waiNs, ne said, Is not
grouped, but, On the contrary, the work
Is scattered all over the ,iIy, ana is not
all done ut the same time, and the :, IN
Inissioners are not Obliged TO adv cruise 1t.
I'm other Words" inquired Commissioner
Ross, the organic act reiative to pave
ments does not include s1ew;iliis.'
10 Tins Judge wilson assenOed. The pro-
vision requiring work exceeding 81 900 in
cost to be advertised does not apply, lie
said.
He thought the Comm issioners should
thus year do as was done III the fiscal
year ls9l-S2, when there were several
contractors recognized Tor each Class OF
the work to be done, and he cited the
TACT that Capt. Fiebeger mad at that tine
approved Ut the mcunod.
s.nce he paid hait uI the expense, to ST.
iect whom he pleased to lay his sidewalks.
NOTHING TO FORBID.
Commissioner Powell inquired if Judge
Wilson had discovered amy provision Of
law which iorDid the advertiser. eDu OF pave
ment work and letting it 10y contract. lie
answered III the negative, but saIu there
was nothing to requireit.
hen, auueu A.aJur Powell, ''iher'. y
discretion still left to tie Con mis- siuLcrs."
Il doubt that returned the attorney
1T is contracting for work in advance of
any knowledge mat it will ever lie zone"
Major Powell again dissented Congress
makes an appropriation oI SloO Coo Tor Il
specific WORK. We know al tie feeinBing
whatwearetodo. Acknowledgements I-.' -
a certain portion of the water mains should
be treated likewise
Judge Wilson again asked that the method
of bidding that prevailed i'll ls91-S2 be now
adopted. That was definitely explained
to be that If a property holder desired
a firm, not tue lowest bidder. To DO his
work, he should have the right to employ
that firm, himself paying the difference
in the price eXacted by the private Con-
tract and the cost, al it would have been
if done by the lowest bidder.
That is the way we used 10 bid, said a
representative of the Crawford Company.
Yes, and as matter of expectancy it
was changed" returned Major fowen.
The Engineer Commissioner further sa id
that, in his Judgment, the matter was one
method is the better one, he thought, for
the people, since lower prices prevailed
than if the work should be divided up.
Judge Wilson said that depended upon
who did the work.
The Commissioners will further Cons ider
the subject.
WASHINGTON ASYLUM AFFAIRS.
A report Just made by the Washington
A sylum officials To the Commiss toner's for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1886, in
cludes estimates ior the year 1878, as
follows:
For contingent expenses, $50 500; for
of heating station. 81 800; for
furnishings for hospital and almshouse,
ST. 900; general repairs, $500; for cree
ton OF receiving vault II potter's field.
5000; for the erection Of /, building for the
care of aged colored women of The aims
house, 81 600.
The salary list foots up $1S,o6S
The intendaut says the building asked
for to accommodate the aged colored women
is very much needed, as during the winter
months the present building is badly crowd
ed As many as seven beds are sometimes
placed in one room.
The new items IN tie Official estimate
are: For compensation OF driver for the
dead wagon, which service is no paid for
from the contingent fund; for second
male keeper at the female workhouse, al
legged as an absolute necessity: 81 500 for
completion of the heating plant, 81, zoe
having been already appropriated; $40
for the services of an engineer FOR the
hospital department, made necessary by
the Introduction of the new steam heating
plant, and the sum required for the pot
ter's field receiving vault.
The number OF deaths during the year
Of -QS IF sinh iectS
were buried i'll potter's field.
DR.. Bovee, visiting physician, recon-
mended an improvement OF the hospital
service, which the intendant approves.
The average number OF persons main
tanned in the institution last year was sos,
q considerable decrease over the previous
year
THE sanitary condition of the aims house,
workhouse and hospital is reported as
having been satisfactory, and discipline
and good order have Eeen maintained.
All uneXpendcd balance Of 1897 L 3 from
the appropriation of $4,000 for main-
tcnance is reported.
The report of the medical department
shows thai g / patients have been treated
in the hospital and probably 2,Go0 in the
wor khouse and alnshouse.
HosPITALsERvICEI IMP ROvEMENTs.
Dr. Bovee's suggestion for the improve
nent of the hospital service is the same
as has been previously made, but for
which no appropriation has ever been al
lowed, and is i'll respect to the pay of
nurses, in order that better service may be
commanded. Six ordinary nurses at
salary each of $50 per month are asked
for. beside the usual appropriation for the
of nurses.
The report is addressed to the superin-
tendent of charities.
The annual report of the Washington
Hospital for Foundiings. just made pub
lie. shows that for the year ended June
80. 1896, n total of &C inmates were re-
received. making los cared for during
that year.
The appropriation of Sc 900, as made
for each of the previous two years, is
asked for to maintain the institution for
the year 1923. The report has the
approval of the superintendent of charities.
-sS -
American Miners rate In Peru.
About n month ago the American consul
at Callao. Peru, reported rumor TO the
State Department that an American ex-
plorer Named Cooper had been killed by
savages in the interior of Peru. A supple
mentary report just received declares that
the man was drowned swimming the In
lm5ari river, and the earlier false report
was spread by miners to deter Americans
from taking charge of pa wing mine they
had bought.
Q
ctut nj hn (.s,1h