Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-01
EFFICIENCY BUREAU
TO CONTINUE PROBE
OF SIGNAL Scandal.
Gibson AbandonS Plan 10
Have Subcommittee Act
After Congress Ends.
COMMISSIONERS REFUSE
TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
Moller, in Conference With Mem
bers Of Committee, Said to Have
Given No New Evidence.


Representative Gibson Of Vermont
has abandoned his purpose of secur-
ing authority from Congress to con-
tinue the investigation by his subconl-
mittee into the administration of the
District government throughout the
Summer. when Congress will not be in
session.
Mr.. Gibson said today that The In
vestigation will be continued by rep.
resentatives of the Bureau of Eff
cheney with members of the Gibson
subcommittee sitting informally from
time to time.
Hearing Due Tomorrow
Mr.. Gibson will probably" call his
subcommittee together for another
hearing tomorrow night. ii was stated.
He did not know today when Col ]
{. Moeller. assistant traffic director,
would be called before the subcoIn-
mittee.
The Grouse Kinds Co. which sold
the electric traffic signal lights to the
District and the General Electric Co,
have asked for hearings, Mr.. Gibson
Sdi i'd.
In the meantime. another COM
plication arose when move by Traf.
fic Director NJ. O. Eldridge to place
on the Commissioners responsibility
for awarding the new contract for
$50 additional traffic signals for
which bids were opened February IL
was checked today by the board.
Specifications Submitted.
AS result of the irregularities n
the purchase and installation of the
traffic signals. Mr.. Eldridge submitted
to Engineer Commissioner Bell all
of the specifications, bid sheets ard
drawings in connection with the new
contract. with n request that some
one in the electrical or engineering de-
partments be designated to examiDs
these documents and ascertain
whether the specifications ARE res-
sonable and proper and whether.
they are subject TO open competitive
bids by any legitimate manufacturer
of traffic signals; and second, IL these
facts are found TO be true, 1.-THE bids
be tabulated and the fact be ascer-
tained as to which concern the con-
tract should be let
1T is highly important that this
work proceed without very great de-
lay" said MIR. Eldridge. las the life
of the appropriation is limited and it
will take some time to place the order
and secure the material especially for
cable
Commissioner Bell submitted the
traffic directors proposal to the Board
OF Commissioners at the semi-weekly
meeting. and after careful considers-
ton it was rejected today on motion of
the Engineer Commissioner
Papers Ordered Returned.
All the papers were ordered re.
%NrV@ 1..G.1
tionS that he have an engineer at the
Bureau of Standards assist him in
making check on the specifications,
bid sheets. ETC., accepted.
Col. Bells motion follows:
To comply with the attached re-
quest of the director of traffic requires
a great deal of work by an engineer
familiar with traffic signals. My prin-
cipal assistants are already heavily
ourdened with their proper duties and
are not traffic signal experts.
THE Office of the director of traffic
was created to handle matters of this
kind: in fact. this would appear to be
the prime duty of the director HIM
self and of the traffic engineer"
Seven traffic light manufacturers
submitted bids for the new contract
and the quotations were being studied
by Traffic Engineer I. c. Moller ar
the time of his suspension. Col. Mol
Ter had been assigned to determine
the successful bidder. ~
The Commissioners gave some CON
sideration to the so-called traffic light
scandal at their board meeting. but
took no further action In the case.
in keeping with their previous an
nouncement that they would await the
completion of the investigation of the
Gibson subcommittee of the House
District committee and then fix re-
sponsibility.
All Signals Being Checked.
While physical check up on every
piece of traffic signal lighting material
in the city was being made by invest.
gators OF the Bureau of Efficiency -
cooperation with an expert from e.
Bureau of Standards today, memhAtA
of the Gibson subcommittee were cen.
tering their attention on details OF the
high school addition, with q view to
probing the wisdom of a cost plus
expenditure in the above amount, APP
proximating $4,000.
Accompanied by attorneys, Col. L. G.
Moller, suspended traffic engineer or
the District, was in conference for the
greater part of two hours yesterday
afternoon with investigators of the
Bureau of Efficiency. during which
time, 1t was announced at the bureau
today, he disclosed little new material
OF Importance and advanced virtually
no evidence involving in any way
other officials Of the District govern.
ment with relation to irregularities in
the purchase or installment of the
signal light equipment now operating
on Washington streets.
A proposal made by Col. Moller
through his attorneys to the subcom-
mittee yesterday that he be allowed
opportunity for further testimony was
accepted pending the check-up initi.
ated today.
The investigators at work on the
check-up include r. j. Wilson, a mem
Der of the intelligence unit of the
Bureau of Internal Revenue. lent by
that unit. to work Independently with
the Bureau of Efficiency to assist the
Gibson subcommittee; M. Kerlin. in.
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