The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-02-21
TWICHELL AND
COMMITTEE ON
ROADS TANGLE
Witness Has Busy Time on
Stand Explaining Rich
land County Project
GETS INTO JANGLES
Lawyer Makes Effort to Re-
strict Witness to Straight
Discussion

DlSCuSSlOU
Treadwell Twichell of Fargo, con-
tractor on the notorious Federal Aid
Project No. SO in Richland county,
which cost more than $4,000 for
14l2 miles of earth road, was on the
witness stand for the Highway Com
mission investigating, committee to-
day. ssf
Mr.. Twichell was a talkative wit
ness, and several tilts swere produced
during the inquiry. The witness had
at his elbows two attorneys, w. C.
Green of Fargo and L. l.. Twichell.
state representatives, brother and
attorney.
Both Mr.. Green and l.. l.. Twichell
offered interpretations at times, and
F. j. Graham, committee counsel,
had difficulty in attempting to keep
Treadwell Twichell down to the story
Of the facts, as he called them.
At one time f. A. Vogel, member
Of the committee, declared that 1--WE
are not going to have any squabbie
here. If these attorneys cant keep
quiet we'll tell them to sit back with
the spectators"
Corrects Testimony
Treadwell Twichell, on the wit
ness stand, defended w. G. Black,
chief engineer of the Highway Conf
mission with respect to the settle
ment on the road, but declared that
he wanted to correct Mr.. Blacks
testimony in few respects, espec-
tally with reference to the visits
Mr.. Black made to the job and his
conversations with Mr.. Black.
Mr.. Black had said he had gone
over the project once. Mr.. Twichell
declared he went over it three diff
ferent times during 1923. Mr.. Black
had said he believed that he confer
red with Mr.. Twichell in Fargo about
the matter, and Mr.. .Twichell related
two conferences, one in Twichell's
room in the Annex Hotel in Fargo
and another in the First National
Bank in Fargo with bank officers
and attorneys.
Mr.. Twichell began to detail his
experiences with the job, which con-
Ntlnued from 1920 to late in 1928
when the 14k miles Of road was
finally completed. Mr. Graham sought
to have Mr.. Twichell relate actual
conversation with regard to his
statements concerning the board of
county commissioners and Highway
Commission accepting changes in the
road, but Mr.. Twichell declared that
they accepted the work and that was
all there was to it, and that the con-
versations couldn't be repeated.
Details Conversations
Mr.. Twichell went into detail about
conversations with various engineers
and Mr.. Graham again sought to keep
him down to what he said we're ma
terial facts.
II can't understand how a conver-
sation with every Tom, Dick and
Harry would affect this" said MIR.
Graham.
Twichell said he charged a faulty
plan was made for the road. He
went ahead to tell Of the various
clay pits dug and abandoned. One
pit, he said, was abandoned by Mr..
Black in 1923. He said that Mr..
Black during a trip. to, the Job in
1923 ordered changes made on 1.lOO
feet of road, and a new top made.
So, he said, on Mr.. Blacks order, he
did the same thing over in 1928 that
he did in 1920. 9.<N =.
At various times the contractor
was asked to slow up for the stenog-
rapher and also to sit back so he
wouldn't jar the table at which the
reporter was working.
With respect to Jack Gavin, divi-.
sipn engineer on the job, whose fig
ufes were not accepted by Mr.. Black,
Twichell said that he and Gavin
were not friends, and that they work
ed together feeling hostile toward
one another.
!. Il saw Mr.. Black and said some
things to him about Mr.. Gavin which
he seemed to resent very much, and
he has never been on the job since,"
said Twichell.
Abandoned Figures
He said Black had said in the
First National Bank in Fargo that
he abandoned figures of Gavin's be-
cause they were not honest. Twi-
chell denied he had an understand
ing with Black about final settle
ment.
Twichell declared first information
about arbitration of, the contract
came from his brother, l.. L. Twic-
hell, his attorney and Aubrey Law
renee, attorney for the assignee, the
First National Bank Of Fargo. they
obtaining it from Black.
Three members Of board of arbi-
tration were appointed. He defended
Black against charges he said were
made that Black spoke for him, and
went on to tell about the board Of
arbitration.
"There isn't any use in you giving
US lecture on the law, we just
want the facts" interjected Judge
Graham.
Mr.. Twichell charged that there
was q plot against him in the High
way Commission UNDER the former
administration because he was chair
man of the I. v. A. central commit
tee.