Washington District of Columbia


Second Session of the Forty - Second Congress
Furnished by : John Sharp ©

 

Attached is Michael Shiner's 1872 testimony before the House Committee which had over-sight of the District of Columbia's board of public works. After the Civil War the passage of the 13th,14th & 15th Amendments greatly expanded the political rights of newly enfranchised black citizens.

For the decade following the civil war Michael Shiner and other black citizens were real beneficiaries of these momentous political changes. Michael Shiner became an active member of the Republican Party and a leader in the District's 6th ward. He was also closely associated with Alexander Shepherd one of Washington , DC's more controversial mayors. Mayor Shepherd was an early member of the Republican Party and was a member of the member of District of Colombia city councils from 1866 to 1871, He was later elected Mayor of the City. During his time he was an important voice for the District and an early supporter of emancipation, then for black suffrage for the freed slaves. Frederick Douglass would later say of him, "acknowledge the "the fair way in which he treated the colored race when he was in a position to help them."

In 1872 Alexander Shepherd's opponents launched an inquiry into his contracting and procurement for his many projects to modernize the city. As part of that inquiry Michael Shiner was called to provide testimony regarding his contract to regrade and pave city streets.

In the end, the Congressional Committee brought no charges against Mayor Shepherd or Michael Shiner, but his testimony provides us a fascinating glimpse of Michael Shiner as freeman, businessman and his complicated relationship to the city's elite plus his own view of his business endeavors.

"I am a laboring man in the paint - shop in the Washington navy - yard."

 

Report of Committees of the House of Representatives
for the Second Session of the Forty - Second Congress
(pages 471-473)
 
Government Printing Office Washington DC 1872

Michael Shiner recalled
by Mr. Green 		           Washington D.C.
March 23, 1872
          

 

Question: Where do you live? Answer: In what is called the old Sixth ward.

Question: What is your occupation? Answer: I am a laboring man in the paint - shop in the Washington navy - yard.

Question: Have you any contract with the board of public works? Answer: Yes sir.

Question: What is it? Answer: Grading of Eleventh Street northwest from Pennsylvania Avenue to H Street.

Question: Have you been a contractor before? Answer: Never.

Question: By whose influence did you succeed in getting this contract? Answer: No influence at all. I asked for it and it was given to me by the board of public works.

Question: Are you doing the work now? Answer: No; sir. I am not now; the weather had been so bad that we could not work there.

Question: Have you been doing the work at all? Answer: Yes; sir I commenced on the 5th of October.

Question: Did you do the work yourself or transfer the contract? Answer: I got a gentleman to work it out for me.

Question: Who was he? Answer: Mr. James Fitzpatrick.

Question: You got the contract on your own merits entirely? Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Did you pay for it? Answer: I made application the same as the others and these gentleman gave to me.

Mr. Elridge:

Question: Have you the contract here? Answer: Yes, sit. [The contract was exhibited].

Question: Did you give Fitzpatrick any bonus? Answer: No sir, nor bread neither.

Question: You took him in as partner? Answer: Yes, sir.

Question: Have you been engaged in public works before this? Answer: I am working for them everyday; working for the Government?

Question: By contract? Answer: O; no not at all.

Question: How do you work for the General Government? Answer: By the day. I have a small sum I get $ 1.50 a day.

Question: You contract with Fitzpatrick is not filled up in all places? Answer: It is filled up as far as I want it, sir.

Question: Did you make any deposit for performance of that contract? Answer: I gave bond.

Question: Did you deposit $ 1, 000 when you made your bid? Answer: I am application the same as the other bidders to the board of public works and it was given to the lowest bidder. This was given to me without anyone being bought and sold.

Question: You still own the contract? Answer: I still own it.

By Mr. Elridge

Question: You took the contract at the board of public works prices after the bids had been opened which other persons had put? Answer: Yes; sir.

Question: You were not one of the original contractors? Answer: No; sir.

Question: How is this work, or this that job that you have taken to be done? Answer: It is to be done satisfactory to the board of public works. If it is not done so, of course we don't receive any compensation for it.

Question: Have you any intimate relation with the board of public works? Answer: I have known Mr. Cross's father before he was born; I knew Alex Shepherd, and his father before him.

Question: Was he an honest man? Answer: Certainly he was?

Question: Do you think Alex Shepherd an honest man? Answer: I think he is as much a gentleman as any in the city of Washington.

Question: Do you think he is honest as he was before he became a member of the board of public works? Answer: Just as honest, every person is not a Judas who has the handling of public money?

By Mr. Chandler

Question: Have you received any money under this contract? Answer: Yes; sir.

Question: How much? Answer: One thousand dollars, it has gone to pay expenses.

Question: Have there been any profits so far? Answer: No; sir.

Question: What proportion of the work has been done? Answer: About two squares have been done.

By Mr. Elridge

Question: Did you pay the board of public works any money in order to get this contract? Answer: I have not, no man can buy me.

Question: But the question is whether you have not bought the board of public works? Answer: No, not at all.

End

 

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