Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-15
GEORGETOWN ADVERT'MTS
Gas Tax i'm GEORGETOWN.

The Board of Common Council of Georpetoyvn
G, have directed one publication in the
Committee on Grievances:
The committee to whom was referred the De.
tition of Knowles and Moore for relief from pay-
inert OF gas tax beg leave to report that they have
had the same under consideration, and in looking
into the authorities bearing upon the subject thew
find that by the act of Congress approved March
80, 1855, the Corporation of Georgetown d. C.
was, among other enactments, by the second sec
ton OF that act, authorised as follows: "And be
it further enacted, That the said Corporation shall
have fuu power and authority to Introduce into
SAID town supply Of water for the use of the
Inhabitants thereof, and to cause the streets lanes
and alleys, or any OF them, or any portion Of any
OF them, to be lighted by gas or otherwise and to
provide FOR the expense Of any such works or i'm
provements either by special tax or out Of it's
Corporation funds annually, or both at its dis.
cretion.n Under this authority by an ordinance
approved November 18th, 1856 the Corporotion
appointed committee to contract with the
Georgetown Gas I.ig ht Company for the erection
OF lamp posts on the streets of the town. and light
the same with gas, and levied tax of seven cents
on the hundred dollars on the assessment of the
town to meet the expense of lighting. Under that
ordinance the committee had put up and ligL ted
seventy-four posts, and the following summer in.
creased the posts to ninety-eight and in 1858
fortT-tw additional lamps were lighted and the
tax increased to ten cents on the hundred dollars
and In 1859 fOrty-two additional lamps Were
lighted, making the number one hundred and
eighty-two, and the tax still remaining at ten
cents; this left large balance for gas light I'M
provided for. In view of this state Of things the
committee Of ways and means, In 1850 recon-
mended a reduction of the expense of lighting the
town, and under that recommendation the CGrpo-
ration subseq uently entered into a contract with
the Gas Company to light, extiDguish and clean
public lamps and furnish gas at fixed price Der
post per annum greatly reducing the expense
and levied the present tax Of fifteen cents ON the
hundred dollars, which, by a calculation then
made, will in three vears-say 1860, '6l and '62-
1.-THE tax is continued and collected paw the yearly
expenses Of lighting, and extinguishing the old
gas debt so that by the end of the year oG2 the
TAX can be brought down to about eleven cents
Your committee have shown the authorities on
which the gas tax has been levied, and the neces-
sity for It's continuance at the present rates for
Limited time; II only remains for them to report
on the petitions referred to them; to the author
ity, there can be no question; the CORPORATION
have the right to levy tae gas at their dscrp-
tlon. In lighting up the town at the least DOS.
slbie expense, they have endesvored to bestow
1.-THE greatest good to the greatest number, - and
II any citizen Of the town, by reason Of his local
lily, has not lamp post at his door, he has never
ness or pleasure, the enjoyment OF light shed on
his pathway on all the public thor0ughfares of
the town, and he might with as much propriety,
OBJECT To the tax on his property for any Of the
outside expenses Of the town, the expense for the
crossings of the streets, and the opening or inn
proving the channel in the river. because his
property does not connect with, or is not bounded
by such Improvements. Your committee there
fore, cannot recommend any action of the Corpo-
ration on the petitions referred to them, and ask
TO be discharged from any further consideration
of the same. All Of which is respectfully sub.
United. JOSEPH IIBBEY, -
IL Il A NEIIMAN