Year: 1874

uninteresting session to-day. Some tesu"ony ""'
obtained showing the kind of contractors tnae woio
employed under the system of the Board OF fhpi'c
Works Of awarding work without inviting bids and
letting it out to the lowest Responsible pio-
der. Samuel Strong was the contractor 1or
building the R-st. main sewer, and Sawyer
was the special inspector OF the WORK
employed by the Board Both were on the stand TO-
day The terms of Strong's contract were, that he
should keep strict account Of the cost OF the laDor
and material used these being paid for by the Board
and that he should have fifteen per cent proht. Inc
manner in which the work was done was not satis-
factory to the Inspector and he repeatedly remon-
strated both with the foreman of the contractor
and with the Boards general superintendent but 10
no avail The excavation for the sewer
was nearly twice as large as was necessary
making the cost of the work greater and increasihg
the contractors profits. The contractor also reluseu
TO cause ro-call of his men, and the inspector was
obliged to take the time from the contractor DOCKS
When he went out upon the work and attempted 10
count the men, he could not find as many as were
reported; and mechanic was called later IN the
day who said that he was employed by Strong the
contractor to work on Judge Carriers houses
where Strong was also doing work. but that lie sa"
his name on the R-st. sewer pay-rolls.


In order that Strong might settle with the board


it was necessary to get the signature OF the inspector
approving the work. but he refused to give the neces
sary papers, and so Strong and some OF bis Hiends
conspred to get the inspector drunk and obtain MS
signature while he was in that condition. Ihey
were successful. When Sawyer walked up next
morning he found in his pocketbook $ll5
worth Of the certificates of the Boards auditor
issued to Strong, . but not indorsed. The
same day he ret the contractor who told him
tl,o . tha .ab
that he could not see them. Sawyer then lnclosed
the script to the Board with full statement OK the
matter and was complimented by the executive OIL
Ger of the Board. This was about the middle OF inc
month"; and, at the end, Sawyer was discharged the
alleged reason being mo work"


1t is alleged though not shown in the testimony
to-day that the Board in investigating Sawyer 3
charges, took only ahidavits of Strong and his
friends. Mr. Cotton, who was the general contractor
for putting up wooden fence in the city, brought his
books to the Committee to-day. They showed that
the actual cost of the 26l miles Of fence was
$23 352 50. The Board paid for it about S51OOo
The memorialists heldlthat the profits OF this con-
tractor were so great that at least $4,000 or Sl5OOo
could have been saved had the work been given ont
after advertisement for competitive bids. The same
remark will apply to almost every class Of contracts
given out by the Board.


IGEREHAE PRESS DePATCHI


In the District of Columbia investigation this
morning several witnesses were called to testify as
to the measurements of improvements made by the
Board of Public Works. Samuel Strong testified In
relation to his several contracts under the Board
particularly with reference to his sewers The wit
ness signed all his contracts before the work was
done, and was not yet settled with for his
work. Col. Ordway. Sergeant-at-Arms of the
House of Representatives, testified that he had
had sodding done at 25 cents yard
In reply 10 question by Mr.. Christie
counsel for the memorialists, the witness stated
that f. Smith, heretofore referred to in connection
with Colton's wood-fence contracts, had recently
told him that he was still connected with the House
of Representatives official reporter. In response
10 an inquiry by Mr.. Maltingly, counsel for the
Board of Public Works, the witness stated that he
is an officer Of the House of Representatives. and
has always been engaged in outside operations OF
considerable magnitude, and is now of the
directors of the Centre Market Company in this
city.


Capt. A. Grant was sworn for the memorinsts
and stated that he would prefer not to testify until
he had completed certain estimates and calculations
with reference to the operations of the Board OF
Public Works. Senator Allison Chairman, said he
did not think she Committee ought to wait for Capt
Grant TO make calculations, and the Committee
decided to 60 on with his testimony during the after
noon session. A recess was then taken.