2d Session. No. 47. THOMAS MORRIS. [To accompany bill H. R. No. 700.] JANUARY 30, 1855. Mr. EDDY, from the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, made the following REPORT. The Committee on Revolutionary Claims, to whom was referred the petition of the heirs of Thomas Morris, report: That the records of the Third Auditor's office, as evidenced by the letter of Peter Hagner, esq., auditor thereof, and herewith attached, show that Thomas Morris was captain of artillery in the Georgia line, and, from the final settlement certificate issued in his favor, he ceased to be an officer in 1781; but whether he died in service, or resigned, is not learned from anything on file in that office. The depositions of John Christian and Holder Heragin, whose characters for respectability and truth are sufficiently attested, prove to the satisfaction of the committee that Captain Thomas Morris died of smallpox, in Mathew county, Virginia, during the year 1781, and while in service. The petitioners ask for commutation pay in right of their ancestor; but, from the brief statement of the case here given, it is very evident that it is not covered by the resolutions of the 22d March, 1783. As neither the widow nor children of Captain Morris have had the benefit of any of the pension laws, the committee think the heirs are entitled to the provisions of the resolution of the 24th August, 1780, and therefore report a bill for the payment of the seven years' half-pay to such heirs. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Third Auditor's Office, December 10, 1836. SIR: The petition which accompanied your letter of the 9th instant is herewith returned; and, in reply to your inquiries, I have to state, that it appears from the revolutionary records on file in this office, that Thomas Morris was a captain of artillery in the Georgia line, and, judging from the final settlement certificates issued in his favor, he ceased to be an officer some time during the year 1781. Whether he died in service, or whether he resigned, is not ascertainable from the records in this office; nor do they show that the seven years' half-pay promised by the resolution of Congress of the 24th of August, 1780, has been paid to Captain Morris's widow or children. It is proper, however, to remark, that the records in this office furnish very little information in regard to payments made under that resolution. By the resolution it was recommended to the several States to make the payments and charge the same to the United States, and the accounts of the States which would show such payments were never entered upon the records which now are on file in this office. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Mr. FRANCIS A. DICKINS, Washington City, D. C. PETER HAGNER, Auditor. 2d Session. No. 48. WILLIAM HAGERTY. [To accompany bill H. R. No. 702.] JANUARY 30, 1855. Mr. EDGERTON, from the Committee of Claims, made the following REPORT. The Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the claim of William Hagerty, report: That this claim is for additional work done on a contract for grading the street around the Capitol enclosure, and, being sustained, the committee recommend its allowance. Appended hereto will be found the papers developing the nature and extent of the claim, and the committec report herewith a bill for the relief of the claimant. To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: The memorial of William Hagerty respectfully shows, that some time in the year 1850 he entered into a verbal contract with Ignatius Mudd, then Commissioner of Public Buildings, for the performance of certain work mentioned and described in the advertisement hereto annnexed as part of this memorial; that during the progress of this work the said Commissioner required of your memorialist to do and perform the extra work mentioned and specified in the bill, also hereto annexed; that your memorialist did do and perform said extra work, relying with confidence for his payment upon the Commissioner who ordered it to be so done. Your memorialist further states, that shortly after the completion of this work the said Commissioner died, and, though your nemorialist desired to have a settlement during the lifetime of said Commissioner, yet in fact such settlement was never had, and your memorialist has not to this day received any payment on account of the said extra work, but the same is still due and unpaid. Your memorialist therefore prays your honorable bodies, to whom alone he can now apply for relief, to pass a bill granting to your memorialist the payment of the said sum of $964 80-the amount of his said bill. WILLIAM HAGERTY. Subscribed and sworn to this 29th day of April, 1854, before the subscriber, one of the justices of the peace in and for the county of Washington, D. C. WM. J. McCORMICK, J. P. OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, I have examined the foregoing petition of Mr. Wm. Hagerty, together with the certificate of H. W. Ball, esq., accompanying the same, and from that certificate and what I can learn of the work done by Mr. Hagerty, I have no doubt that he has a just claim against the United States. B. B. FRENCH, Commissioner of Public Buildings. WASHINGTON, D. C., February 22, 1852. THE UNITED STATES, TO WILLIAM HAGERTY.... ..DR. To extra work in grading the public grounds west of the Capitol; to filling over the culvert through the public grounds north of the Capitol; to grading Pennsylvania avenue, between First and Second streets east, in the year 1850-the whole amount being 8,040 yards, at 12 cents per yard... $964 80 SURVEYOR'S OFFICE, April 26, 1854. I was appointed engineer in charge of the work referred to in the memorial of Wm. Hagerty, hereto annexed. There was no written contract between Mr. Mudd, the Commissioner of Public Buildings, and Mr. Hagerty. Mr. Hagerty executed his part of the contract (an exceedingly hard one on his part) with the strictest fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of myself and the Commissioner. Besides the faithful execution of his contract, he performed certain extra work, for which he has charged in the bill accompanying his memorial. I have examined this bill, and, from my knowledge of the extra work which was performed and done by him under the order and direction of the Commissioner, I believe that the said bill is just and fair, and ought to be paid. H. W. BALL. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 5th day of May, 1854. [L. S.] OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, May 20, 1850. Separate sealed proposals will be received at this office until the 27th instant, inclusive, for the following described labor and materialsthat is to say, for excavating and removing the surplus earth from the street around the Capitol enclosure, the depth of cutting to be determined by an engineer, and will probably be from twelve to eighteen inches. It will be removed to the adjacent low grounds either north, south, or west of the Capitol. It will be required that the work shall be commenced at an early period after the terms are accepted, and continued with such force as may be deemed necessary for the progress of paving; also for delivering and spreading gravel for the bed of the pavement and for after-covering-the quality of the gravel and the manner of spreading and grading it must be under the directions and approval of a superintendent appointed for that service; and also for the delivery of round paving stones sufficient to pave about 35,000 superficial yards-a specimen of the kind and quality of which may be seen in this office, which is similar to those used in paving Pennsylvania avenue. Bids will be considered for all or any portion thereof. The bids will state the price per cubic yard for the excavation and for the gravelling-to be measured and computed by the engineer or superintendent. |