Evening star., 1897-02-04
DlsTRlcTlN CONGRESS
Hearing by the Houae Oonmittee on the
Contractor Claims Bill.
Mr.. HempAfll Makes q Protest Against
Repeating the Law-0ther
Mattcrs.

1
were present.
| Prior to the hearing there was an inter-
change Of views among the members of the
| committee in which it was developed that
| the opinion prevails among some of the
| committeeman that the action Of the House
| yesterday in taking this matter out of the
| committees hands, while 1t was still under
consideration, was a direct affront to the
1 District committee. There was a good deal
| of feeling among the members upon this
| point in view of the fact that the persons
| WHO were responsible for yesterdays ac-
| tion in the House were advised that the
| District committee had the matter in hand.
The opinion was freely expressed that the
proposed rider to the appropriation bill
| would not be accepted by the Senate, and
that ii would be necessary finally to have
1 recourse to the resolution now pending be-
/ fore the District committee.
Commissioner Truesdell took occasion to
| explain that his appearance before the
| committee on rules yesterday was by re-
own motion
Mr. HemphilPs Plea.
Mr.. John J. Hemphill in behalf of the
| claimants said that his clients have never
| attempted to take advantage of the gov
| ernment or any else. These claims
| arc Sc under the old board of public works.
Over 600 Of these contracts were in blank,
| with an informal agreement as to rates.
| and the contractors went ahead with the
| work, with the understanding that the
| work was to be paid for at board rates."
| as 1t was called.
1 I'VE are perfectly willing to have this
| thing sifted from top 10 bottom" said Mr..
| HeDaphil, but We do object to be cut of
| In the ruthless and nasty manner proposed
| by the rider to the appropriation bill and
| to have it go into history that Congress
repealed the law because Of attempted
| frauds by the claimants
After the abolishment of the board of
public works, continued Mr.. Hemphrl, all
the claims arising under the contracts were
referred to the board Of audit that was
established for that purpose. The board of
audit was abolished, however, before all
1 the claims were adjudicated.
As an instance of the way some Of these
cases were adtIdicated Mr.. Z. emplrill cited
the case of contractor who was worth
$i9o000 He had some contracts upon
which he was working. with the under
standing that he would be paid board rates.
He bought his material and paid his la
borers upon that bass. He was paid in
stallments from time % time. and when
his accounts were settled the adjudicaioTs
not only refused to pay him the balance
: due him under board rates. but took away
from him every cent he had, reducing him
| to poverty.
And that man has peen working ever
| siEce for $3.50 a day." said Mr.. Hemp
| hill. And yet 1t is proposed 10 cut off this
man from all recourse 10 the courts to
get justice"
Mr.. Hemphil said that If the District
government should pay these claimants
| every cent they ask. they would only be
| paid what is due them. what was promised
them, and what the government has col
| leeted from the citizens to pay them.
| 1T would be monstrous. said Mr. Hemp
| hill, Ito come down on these people as that
| appropriation rider proposes to do, and say
| to these people. We have passed law to
| pay you, but We must repeal II because we
L
| These contracts were not paid for in
cash. but in 3.65 bonds which were worth
about 50 cents on the dollar Every man
1 who was concerned in the contracts
| brought misfortune and loss upon himself.
A Different Dill.
Mr. Richardson called attention to the
insinuation which had been made upon the
floor of the House that the bill which
passed Congress providing for the settle
ment of these claims. ostensibly with the
| Commissioners Endorsement, was not the
I bill reported by them.
Commissioner Truesden thereupon stated
to the committee the facts in this matter
, | He said that June IA, 1894, the Commits
, sioners sent to the Senate a substitute for
. the pending bill, which was introduced as
Senate bill 2165, and they submitted a IA
| vorable report upon 1t. Subsequently the
| Senate committee reported and passed an
| entirely different bill. accompanying it with
a report including a letter purporting to
| be the Commissioners Endorsement of the
| bill. The letter, however, was but q Dor
tien of a communication. not sent to the
) Senate. but to the House, and there was
t tute bill
Would you favor that substitute bill
} new: asked Chairman Babcock
f ! had the thing to do over again.
| accumulation of these claims and the dis
J | position of the claimants to exagserate
their claims. l would hesitate to report
/ favorably on that BILL
Mr.. Robert A. Howard assistant attorney
| ior the Court Of Claims, cited a case where
] the government had suffered Injustice un-
der the operations of this hill. A contractor
1 Who had built wall at S a perch, and had
| teen settled with and paid upon that basis
to his er tire satisfaction, came into cour1
later. under this bill. and sued for board
| awarded the difference by the court
t Mr.. Abbott of the committee said that
| when the bill was under consideration two
| years ago it was the understanding thai
| the bill was to cover those contracts signed
IN blank and not the outstanding written
, | contracts.
At this point the committee took a recess
| until O'Clock.
Proposed Amendments
In the Senate this afternoon Mr. Mcmillan
: | gave notice of the following amendments
which he will propose to the District O,
Columbia appropriation bill
! For grading and graveling 22d and oath
! | streets, Langdon. $1,000.
: | For grading and regulating Clifton Roa.
noke, Irving. Yale, Bismarck, Princeton
Harvard, Columbia Steuben Kenesaw ! nd
| Wailach streets, $4,000
$4,000 ~' ''''S ''"e' man avenue
, For grading and improving G street frou
| lst to 4th streets east 5000
LQfayet4e Poafsa pon~A xs>.sv
Lafayette Post, No. ~ G. A. R., gave .