Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-28
not permanent at least to continue during the
presentyear.
CHARITABLE AND RRPoRMAroRY 1Nsr1ru.

| nos per mdnent, al least TO continue during the
| presentyear
| CHARITABLE AND RBpoRMAroRy rNsTITJr,
We are woefully deficient In Charitable and
| reformatory institutions
| The establishment of at least house O!
| Tefuge and reformation for vicious and de
| praved youth in our midst is imperatively de-
| manded by the ordinary claims OF philan-
| tnropy.
| Many Of your fellow. citizens only await an
| opportunity to move with you In this enter
prise OF benevolehce l therefore ask your
! action in this matter in such manner as You
may think best for the general good and the
successful accomplishment OF the object.
| Our only institution of a benevolent charac-
| ter is the Aims House; with it is connected an
| institution OF Il reformatory character-tne
| Work House. Neither of these now answer
| the purpose for which they were intended.
| Inc great influx OF destitute persons into this
city, in consequence OF the rebellion, has filled
to overfiowing the Aims House, Eand greatly
increased the expense of maintaining Il. In
the w ork House there is palpable want of
| some system of remuneratve labor w hich will
| coBduce to the health Of the inmates and the
| support of the institution.
There is, however, just outside of the CITY
| limits an institution for the deaf and dumb,
founded by private charity, which 1 would
commend to you for any aid in your power to
afford. Great credit is due the intendant and
commissioners of our Asylum.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The action OF your predecessors in the last
Counchs In organizing the Fire department,
and the system known as a paid Fire Depart
| ment has been satisfactory and deserv vedly
gaining the confidence OF the community.
The orderly manner in which those compos.
Ing this departme Mt perform their duty, when
contrasted with the noise and confusion, and
often times tumult and riot, incident to the
old and abandoned volunteer system, elicits
general commendation and gives 10 the COM
munity reliet from the apprehension OF
danger and feeling Of greater security.
The matter of the accom- mods ton of the fire.
men who are now compelled to remain at
night and all night at the engine houses, and
who frequently risk life and limb in the dis
charge OF their duty, merits your attention.
The Fire Board were compelled for want
OF means to build new engine houses suit
able to the department under its new
ganization, to avail themselves of such OF the
old houses as were most conveniently located
and could be made most available. These
have been repaired and altered so as to afford
bunk room for the men and stabling tor the
horses.
In the First District, the old Union Engine
House being occupied by the Government.
they were obliged to erect a frame building
In this district particularly would urge you
to build Rew engine house.
The Department consists of three steam fire
engines, one hook and ladder truck and 81 men.
1t might be increased by at least an additional
steam fire engine to be located in the northern
section Of the city. 1t is very deficient in hose
and would suggest that 1t be Immediately
provided with at least four thousand feet more.
To the chief engineer and the gentlemen con.
stituting the Board Of Fire Comnaissioners
in advancing this interest of the Corporation.
AssRssMRNTs.
Dissatisfaction to great extent sxists 5 a ths tss
seRefsi @ and annual assessments OF the value of
property for taxation. 1t is proper you should
remedy this evil.
The value OF property is now fixed in the
several wards by the Assessors Of each in his
own ward. From the judgment of this single
Assessor party feeling aggrieved on account
OF an inordlnats assessment has a right to ap.
peal to Board, composed ofaIl the Assessors,
one OF whom must be the party tAssessor)
Ynyn IN hnS IT16D t1,n e. m
much care cannot be had to make assessments
OF property for taxation as accurate and eqait.
able as possible.
To this end, would respectfully suggest, If
no better way occurs to you, TO alter the law
so as TO make the assessors, instead OF boa-L
ofhnal appeal, q board TO equalize assessmeats,
annual assessments by ali the assessors setting
as board. to give to party feeling sggrIeved
a right OF appeal to another board 20 be COM
posed OF property owners not connected with
the Corporatlon and to be selected one from
each ward.
Numerous and well founded complaints are
too frequently made OF the imperfection OF the
registry Of votes on poll lists. To correct this
and make the poll lists at least more perfect
than heretofore, the Assessor should be COM
PEELED to register Annually an persons VINO
voted at the last preceding election, and all
persons assessed to property IN their several
Wards. The names OF those voting could be
obtained from the Register and Of those as
sessed to property from the Collector. The
Assessor would then have all who voted at
the last preceding election and all who were
assessed to property on the books OF the cor.
poration. TO these might readily be added
the names OF such others as might be found in
his Ward; and in this way the poll list would
embrace certainly all who voted and all who
paid taxes to the corporation.
STREETS.
The late act Of Congress empowering the
corporation to tax individual property border
already begun to be appreciated. Since the
passage Of that act the Councils have directed
street, from 5th to l4th streets west; street,
from the canal to the City Hall; 5th street, from
D to q streets north, and 9th street, from Mis-.
souri, avenue TO l. street TO be paved. Being
desirous to show Congress that we We're anx.
ious to have paved streets, and to 90 all IN our
long tie subject OF complaint, l advertised
all streets which were directed to be paved,
have now already three under contract and
expect TO commence the fourth in q few days
The manner Of paving adopted is similar to
that of Baltimore, and will add much to the
improvement and beauty OF the city. The
powers given TO the city by the act OF Congress
are very extended, and In the particular OF pa.
wing streets should be used with extreme eau
tor In NO events should you use that
power except at the instance of the property
owner, unless public convenience and neces-
sity demand it.
An impression prevails in the community
that because power is given TO the Corporation
to lay a tax on private property for paving
streets that such Improvement is solely at tne
cost of the property owner, and without cost
tn the CITY No street can be paved without
expense to the city, and great expense, too.
This occurs from the paving of the intersec.
tions, the flag tootways and cutters being al.
ways at the cost Of the city. The system that
we are now beginning in reference to our
streets will doubtless prove great blessing.
II the property owner would enter into
calculation, he will readily see that he pursues
nayed, even at his own cost, rather than grav.
eIed one day to be done again at short intervals
paying for it indirectly, as he does, through
taxation, three or four times the amount 1t
would cost If we'll paved at first, besides the
avoidance OF those perpetual anneyances-
mud one day and dust the next.
The good sense Of your constituents will in
time appreciate a thorough system Of pave.
ments as in the end the most economical that
can be adopted. The advantage of keeping
streets in repair under such system, instead
of, as in the old way, covering them with
gravel, more frequently mud, must be appa.
rent to all.
| In this connection would renew to you a