The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-20
THE INVESTIGATION BEGUN
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS BEFORE
 THE STREET COMMITTEE.
Four Hours If Questioning Elicits Little
 Information-Another Hearing Will Be

Four Hours If Questioning Elicits Little
 Information-Another Hearing Will Be
 Given.
 The members of the board of public works were before the committee on streets last evening to give evidence in the matter of the awarding of the con- tract for the paving of West Chapel, Trumbull and Orange streets with as- phalt to the Boston Asphalt company. The session was held in the aldermanic chamber and attended by many of the town fathers not members of the com mittee, and also by a large number If private citizens. Chairman Hamilton was in charge of the inquiry, Corpora tion Counsel William II. Ely being in attendance to settle any points of dts pute that might arise between the eX~ amining committee and the commits sioners. Nothing of this kind was in evidence and the entire investigation was free from acrimony or recrimina- tions.
 It would have been difficult task to tell which carried off the palm for good humor throughout the long and some- what tedious session of four hours and thirty minutes-the cheerful chairman of the committee or the urbane and placid president of the board of public works
 The inquiry began by motion from Alderman RattlesdOrfer to have the records of the board of public works read by Clerk Bassett, detailing the history of the doings of the board since it received the order from the court of common council to lay permanent pavements in the streets named in the contract. Clerk Bassett read from the book all that he had a record of, in cluding the report of the special com mittee in reference to the trip to Bos- ton, New York and Philadelphia.
 Commissioner Bishop was the first member called and he testified to his record in opposing the awarding of the contract to the Boston Asphalt com pany.
 It was patent early in the evening that the point the committee rested it's case most upon was that a firm had offered to lay Sicilian asphalt for the same price as it had bid for Trinidad, provided the voard concluded to have the Sicilian variety laid. This fact, failing to make its appearance by the records, Chairman Hamilton attempt ed to establish it by the testimony of MT. Bishop, but failed to do so.
 As to the commissioners views con- corning an order coming from the court of common councid, whether or not he considered that the board has diScre- tionary powers, the inquisitor was more successful and the witness an swered that he did consider that an order from the council meant just what it showed on it's face, and that it was the duty of the board to interpret it as such.
 The last question put to MT. Bishop was, Do you understand the law to mean the work is to be done under the direction of the court of common coun- cil?"
 T do, and so voted" was the an Dswer"
 Here appeared the other leg on which Chairman Hamilton and Alderman Rattlesdorfer hope to stand and knock out the board of public works, and nci- dentally save 5000 to the taxpayers of the city of New Haven.
 As City Engineer Kelly took the chair interest in the whole affair seemed to pick up Many more of the citizens faithful servants had by this time en- tered the chamber and had proceeded to put themselves in position to absorb all that there was to be taken in, for one of New Havens departments has not for several years been under the fire of an investigation. Much that was breezy was expected, but in this the audience was much disappointed.
 Chairman Hamilton put his questions to Engineer Kelly in the same calm and deliberate tone used to examine the preceding witnesses and MT. Kelly told a plain, unvarnished tale of the trip to the different cities. Witness thought himself competent to tell the difference in the kinds of asphalt used. He would not lay Trinidad asphalt because it was not as durable as Sicilian. There were too many ingredients it in. so many that it could not be laid twice alike in the same street
 Commissioner Grant was called
 Alderman Hamilton-Did you take the trip to Boston with the committed?
 Yes
 "On what streets did you see Sicilian asDhalt?"
 q could not tell the streets laid with Sicilian.
 T saw Trinidad on Harris and Co., Iumbus avenues. They were in bad shape. We went over some streets that were in good shape, HThe Sicilian as phalt was in good shape, with the ex- ception of where lager beer was pour ed. I had rather not have any asphalt pavement, but if I was putting down a pavement I would use the best.
 Tn my opinion the letting of the contract was all right. The highest bid will be the cheapest in the end. If I had been buying it I should have bought the highest price, for the best is none too good.
 q consider the order from the court of common council allowed the bid ders to bid on asphalt equal to Trini- dad.
 linen you would say the board of public works might make such con- tracts as they see fit said the alder man.
 '"They did in this case" replied Com missioner Grant.
 You can't make two patches of nor tar alike. If l have to pay for it I want the best, and have to pay for it