Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-06

tional capital in tho District Of Columbia,
the expenses incident 10 such support and
punishment have been paid BY the Govern
ment ofthe United States. II 10 worthy Of
serious consideration, therefore, whether
just proportion Of the expense OF the public
schools In this District should not be pro-
vidsd for from the same source; and II Is
believed that Congress will thus be able to
diminish the expenditures from the judicia-
~ fund far more than they will be expected to
augment the educational fund Of this District.
The propriety Of this provision is still fur.
ther shown by the consideration Of the fact
that large proportion Of the people of this
District are In the service Of the United
States, on small salaries, and regard them
selves rs transient inhabitants. Ifpossessed
of property, II is generally located elsewhere,
and the taxes levied upon II are applied to
the support Of the institutions Of those local
ities while their children live In this Dis rict,
and, IL educated at the public schools, swell
the tax to be levied on the property Of per-
manent citizens. The number Of transient
and non-tax- paying persons has been largely
+ increased during the war by the ingress Of
multitudes Of both white and oolored people
who have fed from its perils and desolations.
Justice as well as economy demands that pro-
vision be made from the national treasury for
the education Of the children Of these classes.
Tho canal leading from the Potomac river,
through the heart Of the capital, to the East
ern branch, has been made the receptacle Of
the filth and otfal from all the sewerage Of
the city. IL has thus become loathsoms
cesspooi, fruitful Of disease, and inviting pes
thence. The city authorities can exercise no
legal control over il, as II is bordered almost
exclusively by Government reservations.
These are detoriorating In value op account
Of this constantly increasing and almost in
sufferable nuisance. II is nearly useless for
navigation, by reason Of acoumulations
within It; and II should either be deepened
and improved for the passage Of shipping, or
at once abandoned as q canal. In the latter
alternative, 1t should be diminished in width
to suitable dimensions, arched over, and used
exclusively as q main sewer The proceeds
Of the land thus reclaimed, IL brought into
market, would defray q large proportion of
the expense occasioned by the change. This
nuisance lies almost at the threshold Of the
Capitol, the Executive Mansion, and other
costly public edihces. If Congress should
refuse to provide the requisite means for its
improvement in the mode which have sug.
gested, exclusive authority over it should be
conferred upon the city Of Washington.
The report Of the Commissioner Of Public
Buildings refers to the neglected condition of
many Of the triangular and circular public
reservations. Instead Of being abandoned to
the public, they should be neatly and sub
stantially enclosed, and planted with trees
and shrubbery. The reservation on East
Capitol street, between Eleventh and Thir-
teenth streets east, should be thus improved.
By the act approved May 20, 1882, the
Commissioner Of Public Buildings was au-
thoriEed to purchase a tract Of land sur
rounding large and never-failing spring of
L.. -, ~ -,
dividuals to its use, and to bring It in pipes,
a distance of about two miles, to the Capitol
at q cost of forty thousand dollars. From
that spring comes the flow Of water which
fill the fountains directly east and west of
the Capitol building and also the fow Of
the hydrant in front Of the arched entrance
to the basement Of the west front; and from
1t Is supplied all the drinking water used in
the Capitol. If the use of this water is to
be continued, so much Of the land on which
the spring is situated as belongs to the Uni
ted States should be properly secured by a
substantial fence.
METROPOLITAN POLICE.
The board Of police for this District, con.
stituted by an act approved August G, 1851,
employed during the last fiscal year, as
permanent force, one superintendent, six
detectives. ten sergeants, and one hundred
and fifty patrolmen.
The detectives made seven hundred and
seventeen arrests. Seven hundred and seven
robberies were reported at the detective Of
fee. Property to the value Of Sl70,659.09
was reported rs stolen, of which Sl22 800. 06
was recovered by the officers. Property val
ued at SO, s94. % was turned over to the prop
erty clerk, while the value Of that delivered
to claimants was Sll5 905. "a, and taken from
prisoners and returned to them 81, 942.l5
II. III e
actual work performed. The services of de-
tectiyes are often Of great value in the pre-
vention of crime by known offenders, who, on
their arrival, are placed under strict sur.
veillance, or are taken into custody before
they have an opportunity to accomplish their
evil designs.
The members Of the police constituting the
sanitary company have been efficiently en-
ployed in the abatement Of nuisances, and
in the discharge Of other duties specially
assigned to them.
The whole number Of arrests during the
year was twenty-six thousand four hundred
and seventy eight. OF the parties arrested,
eighteen thousand fve hundred and sixty
seven were charged with offences against the
person, and the remainder with offences
against property. The following disposition
was made Of them so far as the cases are re
ported: One thousand three hundred and
seventy-seyen committed to jail; seven hun
dred and six discharged on bail; one thou
sand four hundred and ffty-two turned over
to the military authorities; seven thousand
nine hundred and eighty -four dismissed; one
thousand nine hundred and thirty-two com
mitted to the workhouse, and eight hundred
and twenty y-eight released on security to
keep the peace. Fines were imposed in
eleven thousand four hundred and eighty
seven cases, amounting to $6l, 943. 92, and in
five hundred and thirty-one cases light pun
ishments were inflicted No report was re-
ceived in one hundred and thirty mine cases.
Two thousand three hundred and twenty -one
destitute persons were furnished with lodg-
ing, one hundred and fourteen lost children
restored to their parents, Snd one hundred
and fifty -four sick or disabled persons as
sisted or taken to the hospit4l.
The number of arrests during the year ex
ceeds by three thousand those mado during
any previous year and the increase in the
amount Of fines imposed is nearly one hun
dred per centum. The actual expense to the
cities of Washington and Georgetown, and tC
Washington county, of the present police sys
TEN is about forty-fvs thousand dollars. Fol
further details refer to report OF the Board
Tho utility Of the police telegraph hai
been fully demonstrated during the pas
year By its agency n large force can b'
speedily concentrated at any given poin
where an emergency requires its presence