The Washington herald., 1908-05-13

was concerned. his case was closed. but
that il the Commissioners desired to
probe the matter thoroughly. and not
make a farce OF IT, he could furnish them
some mighty interesting witnesses"
The hearing was called TO order at 10
o'clock by Commissioner Macfarland. who
said Il had been arranged so the BTen-
nan Company could formally present
their charges and the Commissioners
could see that justice would be done TO
all concerned. he then referred to the
FernaId case briefly. and said:
III there is any reason for separating
any one else from the District service,
the Commissioners want TO know II, and
whatever the facts may be, they want
them brought out publicly, and viii take
appropriate action"
G. l. Baker, Of counsel for the COM
Dlainant made a brief address, in which
he said il was his purpose 70 show that
favoritism had been shown the Crawford
Company IN the award OF contracts, and
that the best interests Of the District had
not been subserved. He cited a contract
for the resurfacing and repairing Of
streets for a period Of four years. and
from July !. 1907 said that the Brennan
Company had been the lowest bidder on
the whole by 500. but that the work had
been divided, and the Brennan Company
had been given the standard work, On
which Il was the lowest bidder, while
the Crawford Company had been given
the work where brick guttering was used,
on zhioh 1t was the lowest bidder.
The First Witness.
Harold Davis vice president and gem
eral manager Of the Brennan company.
was the first witness. He testified that
while the original contract only called
for about s7S.0o0 worth OF work. that since
then the Commissioners had ordered ap-
proximately s25O00 worth OF work and
that about 10000 had been given the
Crawford company.
Mr.. Davis testimony consumed the en-
tire morning session. and was largely Of
a technical nature.
The f3rst witness In the afternoon was
Edward B. johnson. a superintendent OF
the Brennan company. He testified IS TO
remarks made by Fernald about the
company not getting work because it
was too "chinehy,' aud also along the
line of bids made BY the Brennan COM
pany
He was followed by NJ Bell. of the
Bell Construction Company He was
asked If he had ever heard OF one con-
tractor being awarded the brick work
for guttering ana another the contract
| for asphalting the same street, and said
be had not
Mr.. Brennan then took the stand. He
was followed by Capt Markham, OF the
engineers Office. The latter read a
lenthy statement in which he denied that
favoritism was shown. He said the en-
gineers had deemed it advisable to divide
the work, so as 20 keep the Crawford
Company in operation, and thus afford
competition in the District. He also fur
nished several pages or figures, which.
he said, would prove conclusively that In
every instance where a bid had been
awarded the Crawford Company they
were the lowest bidders. Attorney Doug
las, for the complainant. announced he
would like 20 look over the statement
and figures before opening the cross-ex-
animation Of Capt. Markham. An adjourn
ment was then taken until Friday morn
Ing.
The list Of witnesses which Brennan de-
sires called viii be furnished the Com
nissioners this morning, and subpoenas
will be issued for them. There are only
three outside OF the engineers Office. and
thsir names were not divulged.
AIiege No Competition.
The allegations OF the Brennan Com
pany are to the effect that large por-
ton Of street work, which. under CON-
petitive bid. should have fallen to them
as the lowest bidder, was awarded to the
Crawford Company; that the latter COM
pany has been awarded work without
competition and that, altogether the
Brennan company has been Disseminated
against, much to the detriment of the in
terestss Of the company.
Charles Fernald Is at present sick in
bed. but the Commissioners hope he will
be sufleiently well 70 appear az the hear