Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-06-07
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, MARCH, IS, 1894.

IT,. =
trict of Columbia, made the following report;
The Committee for the District of Columbia,
TO which the memorial of the corporate author
tiles of Washington was referred, having fair
w examined the grounds upon which the me-
Inorialists rest their prayer to Congress, for
aid to sustain them under their present enor-
nous load of debt and taxation, beg leave TO
submit the following report
The committee have neglected no means of
information within their reach to ascertain and
rightly estimate the origin, progress, and prob
able consequences of the pecuniary embarras-
ments which are paralyzing the energies of this
infant city. The result to which the minds of
this committee have been brought by the facts
collected in the course of a diligent inquiry is,
that the resources of the city OF washington
are inadequate to sustain it under It's present
weight of debt and of necessary corporate eX-
penses, much more to propel il onward in the
career Of Improvement SO auspiciously begun
and hitherto so successfully prosecuted, without
temporary aid, at least, from the Congress oil
the United States. The committee are persua-
ded that it must appear the part of wise leg
islative providence to avert the CalamitouS con-
sequences which must follow an omission to
afford a measure of relief at least commensu-
rate with that provided by the accompanying
bill. 1t cannot be reconGiled to any just idea of
q paternal Government, or to any sound views
of public policy, to suffer whole community,
Ship to sink under peCunlary dlthcultleS and
embarrassment, which very limited exercise
of its benefcence would avert The alterna-
tive presented to Congress, as it would seem to
this committee is whether the city of Washing
ton is to be arrested in its growth and crippled
in all its useful energies, or restored to capa-
city of renewed enterprise and selfimprOve-
ment temporary relief will impart a recu-
peratve vgor to all her springs of prosperity,
and enable her to rise elastic from her present
depression. If three years relief be afforded, II
is believed her own resources Will be adequate
to maintain her in a steady course OF advance
lnent To Justify these impressions and con-
firm these differences, the committee will briefly
detail some Of the most prominent facts which
have operated upon their minds.
The aggregate of debts due by this corpora
ton is $1,7l9,S14 ~. OF this vast amount of
obligations, it appears the sum Sl,35O,OOO was
incurred in mun6cent enterprises to advance
the prosperity of the city; works in which the
whole Union may be regarded as having
common interest, because they extend and ia
cilitate commercial intercourse, and economize
national defence. The corporation of Wash
ington stands on an equal ground with the Go
vernment ofthe United States in its contribution
TO the great and magnificent projet Of uniting the
waters ofthe Ohio and the Chesapeake. Her pre-
sent embarrassments and intoerable burdens
had their origin mainly in the public spirited and
uncalculating zeal with which she entered into
= this measure, and pledged all her means towards
its accomplishment. Causes which neither her sa
gacity could anticipate, nor prudence prevent,in-
tervened to delay the progress of this work, and
to postpone the receipts of any profits from the
investments Hence the reasonable eXpeCta-
ton of relief from this source has been frustra-
ted.
Superadded to the debts just mentioned is
another which has arisen, in measure, from
the plan adopted by the Government in laying
out the city. Its magnitude, and the extraordi-
nary width of the Streets have imposed upon
the citizens a necessity to eXpend money and
labor much beyond what ordinarily attaches TO
the establishment OF new city. Some est-
mate may be formed OF the expense incurred,
from the fact that there are forty miles of
streets and avenues to graduate and pave and
many of these nearly, and in some cases more
than, three times the width of the streets in
other cities Of the Union" The fiscal ability
of the city was unequal to the task, without OPP
preston to its inhabitants; and hence, debt
was contracted by the several wards, to the
amount of $l69, S44 A. to accomplish these OBJ
jects.
There is one other debt which the committee
regard as the offspring of imprOvidence and
mismanagement, and but little fitted 10 awaken
public sympathy: it is lottery debt OF $500, 900.
Ii is an old acquaintance OF Congress, and no.
thing more need be said oft.
The interest on the debts Of this corporation
is equivalent to the sum of S96, 100. The ordi-
nary and necessary expenditures of the corpo
ration amount annually to $40, 965; making an
aggregate expenditure of III, 165 dollars.
To meet this large expenditure, the income of
the city, arising from all its various modes of
contribution, and burdened, as it unquestiona-
bly, is with most onerous system of taxation !
is 500, 800 Is; leaving an excess Of expenses
over receipts of S23, 1874 S.
This Committee cannot discern how this de- |
ficiency is to be supplied out of the means of
people already sinking under load of taxes too
heavy to be borne by them. To enlarge the re-
venue of this corporation to the extent ofits ne
cessities is to involve their constituents in i'm
mediate ruin. "The rate Of taxation is l dollar
and 10 cents in every hundred dollars worth of
property, and laid, too, agreeably to an assess
ment made five years ago, when property in
certain portions of this city was four times its
present value; and, of course, of those portions,
the citizen is burdened with an unprecedented
tax of four dollars and forty cents on each hum
dred dollars worth of property he may possess"
The Committee have not been able TO learn that,
In the more prosperous sections of the city, pro-