Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-24
District Affairs in Congress.
DRAINING AND PAYING srRRRr,

DRAINING AND PAVING STREETS.
streets, which passed the House yesterday, and
will become law when signed by the Presi.
dent:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rspre.
sentatires Of the United States of america in Con-
gress assembled, That the act, approved May 5,
1864, entitled San act to amend an act to incor-
porate the inhabitants of the city Of Washing.
ton, passed May Is, 1920" be amended so as to
read as follows That the said corporation shall
have full power and authority to lay taxes on
particular wards, parts, or sections OF the city,
for their particular local impro yements, and to
cause the curt stones to be set the foot and car
riage ways, or so much thereof as the may deem
best, to be graded and paved to introduce the
necessary sewerage and drainage facilities un-
der and upon the whole or any portion of any
street. or alley; to cause the same to be
to be erected therein, and to light tf tles
to pay the cost thereof. the corporation OF w ash
iugton is hereby authorized to lay and collect
q tax upon all property bordering upon each
street or alley that may be paved, severed,
lighted, cleansed, or watered by said corpora
Iion in accordance with the provisions OF this
ulIaneously with the grading or paving of any
avenue, street, or alley in which main water
pipe or main gas-pipe or main sewer may have
been laid water or gas service pipes or lateral
house drains, from such water or gas main or
main sewer to one foot within the curb line in
front Of every lot, subdivisonal part OF lot,
which may bound on such avenue, street,
alley, and to which gas or water service pipe
or house drain may not have been already laid,
and to pay the cost thereof, shall have
full power and authority to lay and collect
special tax ON every such lot or subdivisional
part of q lot.
Whereas Congress, by an act Of the 5th of
May, 1864, entitled "An act to amend an act to
incorporate the inhabitants OF Washington"
&C., confeTring certain specific powers upon
the corporation thereof; that for the purpose
OF explaining the true intent and meaning of
said act
BIT it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatires of the United States of Amertca in Con-
greSS assembled, That so much OF said act as
invests the said corporation with "power and
authority to lay taxes on particular wards,
parts sections of the city, for their partic Gu
lar local improvements and so forth, be, and
the same is hereby, construed to authorize the
said corporation to assess the cost of any such
local improvements upon the property 'front.'
ing on or benefited thereby; and the expense
thereof shall be borne by the property SO as
sessed.
THE POTOMAC BRIDGE-CENTER MARKET.
The following act passed the House on We'd
nesday:
AN ACT concerning the Potomac Bridge and
the Center Market.
Be ii enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
SentdtireSOf the United States of America in Con-
greSS assembled, That the Secretary of W ar be,
and he is hereby, required to cause the iron
rails now used for q railroad track across the
Potomac bridge to be removed therefrom as
soon as possible after the passage of this act,
and to be laid down on the railroad bridge
recently erected across the Potomac river near
the Potomac bridge; and, as soon as said rails
are removed, the care of the said Potomac
bridge shall revert to the Commissioner OF
Public Buildings, in whose custody it is by
law placed, who shall appoint the number OF
draw keepers for the same heretofore author
lied by law; and the sum of five thousand dol
lars, or so much thereof as may be necessary,
according to the principles OF thfs ACT, is nere0y
appropriated, payable out of any money In tne
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, Ior the
repair Of said Potomac bridge. And the Corpo-
ration of Washington is hereby required to pay
a like sum to aid IN said repairs. ana the SAID
appropriation, made by this act, snali not be
expended until the said nVe tnousand dollars
to be furnished by the Corporation, or so much
thereof as shall be estimated to be necessary, is
place to the credit OF the commissioner of Pub
lie Buildings.
Sec. q And be it further enacted, That the
building known as the Centre market house,
and also other membranes now on the
ground laid down on the plats Of the city of
Washington as appropriation number seven,"
be removed by the corporation of Washington
from said act And the grounds known as
preservation number two" on which the
Smithsonian Institution building now stands
are hereby extended over said "appropriation
NUMBER seven," and the same shall be known
as portion Of reservation number two and
shan be taken charge Of by the Commissioner
OF Public Buildings, as such. And the corpo-
rate authorities Of the city Of Washington, with
the consent Of the President are hereby au.
thorized to select site upon the public
grounds, in the city of Washington, for a
market house, upon which they shall erect one
OF such dimensions and character as the Presi
dent shall approve. The grounds to be selected
and approved shall be Of reasonable extent 70
the purpose, and plan OF the buildings and
Improvements proposed to be placed upon ia
shall be first approved by the President, and
shall be occupied solely for public market.
ana snail be dedicated to such sole use, so
long as the city shall elect to occupy IL for thai
purpose. "'
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That power