The Portland daily press., 1897-10-25

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Inc city, but had been un able to do it.
MI. Staples knew the witness had teams
TO let. The witnesses teams were better
than some Of those that Mr.. Staples had
hired.
10 you know of any granite blocks
That went from Congress street to Larch
street3" asked Mr.. Rounds.
sd rather be excused I'm getting
to be an old man and don't want to be
here now anyway"
Alderman Rounds tried to get the wit
ness to answer some questions about this
rock, but he evidently did not want to
answer, and didn't.
A. M. Morgan Of Yarmouth, whose
business is granite quarrying, said he
could furnish New York sizes of granite
blocks at $42 a thousand, about 90 cents
a yard. The granite of the Maine and
New Hampshire company is now in use
in the city. Two samples of granite were
exhibited, one from the New Hampshire
company and the other from Yarmouth,
The Yarmouth granite is trife hard
or and better ifssanything. The Yarmouth
granite has been laid in this city by the
Portland & Cape Elizabeth electric road
and this granite has been accepted by the
city. The city pays the New Hampshire
granite company 81. Is per yard
Mr.. Leighton asked the witness if he
had put in a bid to furnish granite
blocks, and he said he hadn't for eight
! years.
The witness said he could furnish gran
ite for the crusher at 20 cents ton. The
witness pays Sl5 a thousand for cutting
and 81 a ton for quarrying of granite
i blocks. Witness had heard that some
curbing that was not up to the standard
was put into this city and some of it was
laid here that had been rejected in other
cities.
G. Fl. Knights Of Yarmouth, granite
quarter, had bid twice on furnishing
lpaving and grout for the crusher. His
bids were several hundred dollars lower
than the bids of the person who got the
contract. He asked Mr. Fernald why his
bid was rejected and was told the city
wanted Conway stone. He had bid 81 .16
in 1894, but didn't know what the city
had paid. The Maine and New Hamp-
shire company got this contract. This
discouraged the witness from bidding
again.
4 Gen. Mattocks claimed that the calling
of the Yarmouth men to bid for this
granite work was farce and their bids
were rejected, although they were lower
than those that were accepted.
Alderman Rounds said that since this
agitation was began the city had been
getting granite for 80 cents thousand.
i DR.. Lord, veterinary surgeon, was
called and said he had given a tablespoon
full of saltpetre to horses in their feed.
He did not think it was good sense to
give any we'll horse saltpetre on Satur-
day night. Some authorities recommend
the giving of saltpetre to horses, but the
doctor said he did not agree with these
authorities. 1t would not kill the horse
If he was given saltpetre every Saturday
night, but it might injure him.
John Trefethen. grain dealer, had sent
in bids to furnish the city with grain.
Some of his bids had been accepted and
Others were refused. He said he had not
got his fair share Of the city business,
but whether 1t was because others had
under bid him or not, he could not say.
Alderman Leighton had told how the
bids for grain were awarded. The sam
pies were poured out on the table and
the best lot of grain selected from among
the samples. Alderman Rounds said the
grain bids were not considered in this
way now.
The city messenger said he had sum-
moned John Staples. the son of George
Staples, but he was not present.
Thomas Flaherty said that when he
was employed by the city he had worked
for George Staples at Phinney's farm
near the Reform school. The city paid
the witness while he was at work on
private property. He was at work on
the Phinney place three months. This
was during Mr.. Staples's term as street
commissioner eight years ago or so.
This is ancient history" said Alder
man Leighton.
II claim that if q man allowed the city
TO pay for work that was being done for
MIN on private property he is not fit
man to hold a public office, whether he
did this eight years or eight days ago,
said Gen. Mattocks
Leighton. ~ ''- ~
Then If you agree to this, that this
man is doing crooked work, or has done
crooked work, see no use of continuing
this investigation, said Alderman
Rounds.
=, l.. FL. Embark, linesman for the Postal
Telegraph company, has been setting
telegraph poles along Portland street,
and George Staples's teams have been
hauling the poles and hauling away the
Charles T. Fairfield, city teamster.
testified that he had hauled away some
OF the material dug out of the holes for
the telegraph poles one night and this
was done by the orders of the night boss.
Feter p. Gallagher, another city driv
sr, was called and said he did haul some
art which had been dug out of these tele
Gfsph pole holes on Portland street, but