Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-08-23

quoted, "so lay taxes on particular wards,
| perts, or sections Of the CITY," to defray the
expenses thereof, the first section of this act is
| wholly useless and futile II they had not such
power ti TINS section In the plainest terms gives
| power and authority" to clay taxes on partic-
uiar wards, parts, or sections Of the city for
are the very words Of the act 18th NAV. s9 issa'I
sand to cause the curbstones to be set the foot
and carriage.ways to be graded and pared,
facilities to be introduced" &c, dc, and to
pay the cost thereof out Of tie funds Of the sUard in
! which such Improvements shall be mode. Then the
Ss 0a ao sa ana
| previously exist. II 80, 1t was a questionable
| power. This act removes all doubt. The
powers ARE are given yer in the most unmistakable
distinct terms than the fund out Of which the
| expenses are to be paid is defined. They are
sto pay the cost thereof out Of the funds OF the
| ward in which such improvements shall be
subject, and to show that this is the grant Of a
OF the Corporation, for the general good OF the
| corporators, and to be paid for as the grading
OF the street, and not for the benefit of private
parties, and to be paid for by them, they imne.
diately add, "This provision shall not be con.
strued as repeating, but as auxiliary to, the
power they already possess to make local i'm
property benefited thereby" The one is q
power to be exercised for the general good at
the discretion Of the Councils, and to be paid
for out Of the public fund Of tie ward; the
other is power which they must exercise on
proper application, the expenses to be paid by
those benefited thereby.
be executed unless upon the application Of the
owners of more than half the property fronting
on the street to be improved.
return herewith the COPY of the law sent
by you to me, with my opinion that under the
act of Congress aforementioned, the Corpo.
ration has not power to assess the expense Of
mr. i'm mt fho
owners, whose property is benefited thereby
With great respect,
Attorney for Corporation Of Of washington. t,
Also enclosing the correspondence in refer
ence to stoppage Of works on the new Centre
Market, ordered to be printed.
Also communication from the Register,
stating in reply to the remarks Of Mr.. Moore
at the last meeting, that he had not received
any communication calling for Information
The following were presented and referred:
BY Mr. Owen-Petitlon of John Brown. BY
Mr.. Larner-Bill approprlating $4,000 for the
erection OF a school building In the northern
part OF the I'd District, above New York ave-
nue. and west OF 9TH street, making an appro.
priatien to supply deficiency for grading and
graveliing street north, from 9th to 9TH street.
BY Mr. Ferguson-To increase the salaries of
the Secretaries and Messengers of the two
Boards; to increase the salaries Of certain
office
The following were introduced and passed:
BY Mr.. Larner, bill making appropriation for
the repair and painting the roof Of the Asylum;
east
10th street, from New York avenue to K
street; resolution requesting Secretary to have
the journal OF the 6lst Council printed in the
, is being printed.
Mr.. Larner reported bill to improve alley
in square ass, passed.
Mr.. Pettibone from the committee on elections
reported that they had examined the credentials
of the mem bers and also the tax books and found
that the names of two Of the members, Msssrs
Marche and Dudley, did not appear on the tax
books. The whole subject was recon nitted in
order that the committee might make some rec
ommendation relative to the subject.
MIR. Stevens (police committee) reported the
bill introduced some time since by Mr.. Wilson,
requiring persons to have privies attached to
their dwelling houses: Passed.
Also, adversely on the petition of James Ful.
la!ove Committee discharged.
Mr. Moore, from the committee on schools,
Of the 81 60 the
schools instead OF one primary and one sec.
ondary school. Passed. Also, a substitute |
in the school house at the corner of Sd street |
west and D street south, which authorizes the |
erection OF q school house on the site, of two |
stories, appropriatng S2,5O0, besides such sums |
as shall be realized by the sale Of materials in
the building. Passed.
Mr.. Swain, from the committee on the canal, |
reported back the annual report of the COM
missioner, which states the amount received |
during the year, ending June 1. 1864, from |
wharfage and rents, to be S555,445.
The special order, the bill amending the act |
establishing the steam paid fire department, |
was taken up, when Mr.. Larner offered a sub. |
stitute amending thea original bill, BY pro- |
viding that there be four steam fire engines
one Of which shall be located in the Northern |
Liberties
Mr.. Wright thought the amendment unjust,
and asked if the Council was to locate the |
engines why not dispense with the commits |
sioners!
Mr. Larner thought the commissioners had
ignored the larger portion of the city.
Mr.. Peugh thought that the commissioners
had not located the engines judiciously-one |
on Capitol Hill, another near 18th street, and |
the other in the First Ward when it was |
we'll. known fact that on Pennsylvania avenue,
between the Treasury and the Capitol, the |
plugs were amply sufficient. He thought that |
one was needed on the Island.
MIR. Wright stated that there was no water |
on the Island, and that it would not be long |
before the Government would have an engine |
at the Arsenal.
Mr.. Peugh thought then that one engine in
the lower part Of the city should be removed |
to the northern part of the city.
Mr.. Moore endorsed Mr.. Peugh, and stated |
that at the recent fire on 7th street the Govern
ment steamers were on the ground within ten |
minutes from the alarm.
The motion to place one Of the engines in the |
northern section Of the city was adopted-yeas
IL, nays5
The bill was then referred to a special com.
mittee, composed of Messrs Ferguson, Wilson
and Marche. Adjourned.
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