The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-03

Mrs refers Explains tne Jumping VI Coi-
tain Neutrality-suspicious. for the Solici-
tor-Mr. Rounds Fears the Money
Power of Wards Six and Seven.
The investigation into the management
of the commissioner of public works be-
gan in the rooms of the board of alder
men yesterday afternoon. Alderman
Edgar E. Rounds presided as chairman
and his two associates, Aldermen Nc
Donald and Leighton, were present. Mr..
Charles W. Small acted as stenographer.
The meeting opened with spirited de-
bate as to whether the meeting should be
public or behind closed doors. Mr..
Rounds strongly favored that the doors
be closed in order that the witnesses
might be protected. His two associates
believed that in SO important a matter as
the conduct of a city, department the hear
ing should be public. 1t was finally voted
that the meeting be public, Alderman
Rounds only voting in favor of secrecy.
Then Alderman Rounds proposed that a
lawyer be employed to ask questions of
the witnesses. 70 this his two associates
replied that the city solicitor was already
employed by the city to do just such
things. MIR. Rounds thought the city
solicitor was not sufficiently in sympathy
with the investigation. Mr.. Rounds
further declared that in this fight the
money power of Wards Six and Seven"
was opposing the interests of his con-
stituents.
Both Messrs. Mcdonald and Leighton
strongly denied that there was any dis
elimination against the wards in Mr..
Rounds's part of the city. Mr.. Mcdonald
said that on the contrary he had found it
impossible to get the street authorities to
do needed work in Ward 6. The inyesti-
cation then began.
Mrs. Huff of AZ Hanover street was the
first witness. Mrs. Huff said that she had
a chimney repaired sometime ago. She
asked Mr.. Staples for some sand and he
gave her some. She had previously asked
someone in the street department if she
could have some sand. She was told that
probably she could not. But later she
asked Mr.. Staples, and he, after saying
that they did not usually give sand away,
sent her a small quantity, enough to
build the chimney. Mrs. Huff describes
the subsequent proceedings as follows:
said, 'tWhat is there to pay?' and he
said, Nothing" And I said, ga
thousand times obliged
Mrs. Huff was cross questioned. She
was asked what made Mr.. Staples give
the sand to her. She said that really she
didn't know. In old times it used to be
the custom to ask the.street commissioner
for small quantities Of sand.
The amount given was very small,
about barrel She did not know how
much it was worth.
Mr. Rounds began to question as to the
amount, implying that it was a whole
load. Mrs. Huff very emphaticaliy
stated that it was only little pile. not
nearly load. She had been advised by a
neighbor to ask Mr.. Staples for the sand.
Mr.. Leighton-So, apparently, the city
has suffered to the extent of barrel of
sand by some ones error.
Mrs. Huff (feelingly)-Yes, and it is
too bad.
Mr.. Rounds-I don't know as it is
necessary to make comment. We shall
show lot of little things
Mrs. Huff am willing to pay for the
barrel of sand. don't want Mr.. Staples
to have any trouble on account of me.
Alderman Leighton said he did not of
course as a matter of principle believe in
giving away any city property but the
offense seemed after all trivial.
Mr.. Rounds said this was workhouse
sand which was of the best quality.
Mr.. Henry B. Peters, manager of the
Portland Beef Company was next sworn.
He was asked by Mr. Rounds if he did
not have some crushed rock hauled into
believed that the city teams did haul
something into the yard next to his store
at the same time material was put onto
the street in front of his store. But there
was some controversy as to whether a
portion of the land by his building was a
street or private property.
Mr.. Peters explained that the city teams
had been hauling sweepings onto the pas
sageway between his lot and Dyer's. This
passageway is the land in dispute, the
city claiming that it is a street and the
Brown heirs that it is their property. Mr..
Peters objected to the deposit of the
sweepings there and they were removed,
some at his expense and some by the city.
Mr.. Peters does not own this land, which
is either public way as claimed by the
city Or private way. Mr.. Peters merely
has the use of it. After the sweepings had
been removed the city had deposited
some material there.
Mr.. Rounds said that the statement as
to the deposit of material in the place
next to Mr.. Peters store was not the
whole of the matter. This material, he
believed, had been charged up to Com
mercial street.
Then there was an investigation of
maps to sec whether the land next to Mr..
Peters store, where the material was
dumped, was considered city property.
Supt. George S. Staples was called and