Evening star., 1898-11-30

after in reporting upon others of its ilk
l be required Only te-show briefly the re-
sembiance they bear to their prototype, a
copy Of which -:xih he found in the ap-
pendix.
Northern Liberty Market Claims.
The auditor ofFthe Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia, who was specially au-
thorized by the Iact Of January 26, 1897. to
examine and audit forgsettlement all claims
for property taken, injured or destroyed,
September 3, 1871, in the forctble removal
by the board of public works of the North
ern Liberty Market to- make room FOR street
improvements. has completed his labors,
and reports thatthe sum total of allowance
is $12s57s.5o. The aggregate amount or
these claims without interest, as shown In
the report of the Commissioners to the Sen
ate in answer to resolution OF inquiry,
June 20, 1897, Senate document No. 164,
Fifty fifth Congress, first session, was ss9Z,-
21J.OO. Appalled, by the gross extravaganza
of these demands, as originally presented
under the act of January % 1881, siren
uouSly opposed their allowance ana adNo-
Gated an amendment to that act which was
adopted July 49, 1897, restricting the pos
sible awards to reasonable limits IN ac-
cordance with which the final audit mas
now been submitted
l am advised by Auditor Payne tnat ne
has made exhaustive eXaminatoh III
every case, giving ample tliHe anu oppoi
tunity to claimants and their attorneys Tor
the production of proofs of loss, ana that
in his opinion the sum awarded IN every
case is a fair and just allowance for the
injury sustained.
This result is the outcome of months of
careful effort on the part of faithtul ana
thoroughly competent ohclal, "fose tash
was invested with difficulties not apprecla-
bic except by those who are familiar with
the circumstances of the investigation, ana
! have the honor therefore, to recommend
that an appropriation be promptly mace 10
meet the payment of the amounts found TO
be due
Protection of LabOrers and Subcon-
tractors.
1t has been customary for many years TO
include among the stipuations of contracts
made by the District of Columbia the fol-
lowing provision:
Contractors will, from time TO
time, and often as may he required py
the Commissioners, furnish satisfactory
evidence that all persons VINO nave zone
work or furnished materials have been PAID
as herein required; and if such evidence IS
not furnished, sue. sum or sums as may pe
necessary for such payment may, IN the
discretion of the Commissioners. be retain
ed until such claims shall be 1uiy satls-
fed"
The enforcement of this requirement
against contractors who are either ulapie
or unwilling to meet their obhSatons 10
those who have furnished them with lapor
or materials in connection with the work
under their contracts, has long been
fruitful source of annoyance, besides IN
volving the office in several Vexauous la"
suits. Recognizing, however, the lact that
a mechanics lien will not lie against
building erected for the District govern
ment, and that mechanics or iaborers VINO
work thereon. or dealers VINO supply ma
teriai for its construction, are at the mercy
of a failing or unprincipled contractor, |
have cheertully accepted the onerous and
often exceedingly disagreeable duty ini-
posed by this stipulation, and eXacted com
pliance with its terms in every case thdt
has been brought to my attention.
While these efforts have been instru-
mental in securing prompt settlement OF
the claims of many laborers and dealers,
it has also frequently occurred that be-
cause the terms of this restriction author
iZe the retention of the money only, and not
its disbursements no settlement could be
reached save through the use of legal pro-
ceSSeS.
In consequence of the difficulties attend
ant upon the eXecu..on of this stipulation
and its failure to provide a complete rem
edy for the shortcomings of dishonest or
impecunious contractors, its use has been
discontinued and it Is now omitted from
all contracts of the District of Columbia.
Application of Law of August I3. 1894.
l would suggest, however, as a safeguard
for the rights of the icass for which this
abandoned proviso was originally adopted,
that the act of lAugtlst u, 1894, for the
protection of persons furnishing materials
and labor for the completion of public
works for the Emitted States, be made ap-
plicable to the District of Columbia. This
law solves the problem of protection TO
laborers anu dealers by requiring contrac-
tors to give bonds with ample security for
the payment of all obligations incurred by
them in the execution of their contracts
Purchase OF Hospital Supplies.
When the clause III the current District
appropriation act relating to charities was
under consideration by the subcommittee on
appropriations of the House of Representa-
tiN es, the question of responsibility for the
purchase of supplies by hospitals and other
institutions not directly controlled by the
Commissioners N-as discussed. In response
to the inquiry of member of the commit
tee | stated that | considered myself, UNI
der the law merely medium for the trans
mission of the accounts of these institutions
to the Treasury Department, with
thority to object to expenditures shown
therein which L might consider eXtraVa-
CANT or improper.
This statement led to a protracted discus
sion at the conclusion of which it was de-
cided to require the auditing of these ac-
counts by the auditor for the District of
Columbia, and a provision to that effect
was inserted, together with further di~
rection, incidental and necessary thereto,
that in preparing proposals for annual con-
tracts for general supplies for the District,
hospitals and charitable institutions should
be included and their officers instructed to
purchase of District contractors. When the
bill was finally put upon its passage how
ever the requirement to auditing
adopted but that governing the purchase
of supplies was rejected.
situation Unchanged.
The effect of this action is to leave the sit
| uation practically unchanged as 1t would be
| futile for me to disalow purchases by these
! institutions at prices In excess of our con-
| tract rates unless at the same time l could
arrange to supply them through our own
| contractors. This, however l might be un-
| able to do, since, in the absence of legal
requirement, no instructions were issued to
bidders to include the furnishing of the
hospitals in their proposals, and consequent
| " only the usual kinds and quantities Of sup
| plies for institutions Immediately controlled
| by the Commissioners were embraced in the
| lettings.
| The superintendent of charities has called
my attention several times to the fact thai
| prices paid by some of the hospitals and
other institutions not under our direct con-
| troll were often 100 per cent higher than
| those paid for similar articles under our
general contracts. For instance. our con-
| tract price for fresh beefsteak sirloin, best
quality, and porterhouse, best quality, is