Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-03

WATER TAx.-Mayor Wallsch has sent
the following letter to Lieut.. Col simpson, o. 8,
A.. wAsH1Sgros, Dec. a, 1885.
btsstsnan Colonel ,. II. Simpson. United states
sIn; have the honor, In reply to your letter Of
yesterday, requesting information ss 10 he an u
thority whereby the Corporation OF washinqton
.s,.s., ~ water tax upon prOpsry fronting on
been laid ), he Un.d rs; err, ni ,s h.v:
the Corporation leyying this tar is passed in
pursuance o. the act Of Congress appro we'd March
ises entitled Gan act amendatoiy Of an act en-.
uied An aet 20 provide for the care and prsser.
yauoh pfthd works constructed By the un,tsd
states for bringing the Potomac water into tbs
cues Of Washington and osorgsto wn, 10 Ge.,
The nrst section Of the ameud story net IA 4,
these words THAT In addition to the powers
oonieIrea upon the Corporation by the second
n. sS sh'Id section: Of The s.t Of Congress- ap
power and authority are hereby given u tba
said Corporation to levy and collect 4 W.tsr ,s1
on All real property within the cooperate Imits
ta =, she CITY o. washington, which. binds on or
touones on any avenue, street, or alley In which
water pipe has been laid or may hereafter be
laid By the United States or By The Corporstion
Of washington, which water tax shalt be, As
nearly rs possible, equal and uniform, NAV be
levied on lots In proportion to their froptass ~
their area, as the said Corporation NAV ds,a W
niue, and may DO collected In not less than three
more man I'VE annual instslments, Of which
AZ tne rate OF ok per eeutum per annum, com.
meneing from the date at which the hrst lnstsi.
ment becomes due, but may, at the option Of The
charged In full al any lime sfteP Il NAL h JUS
been levied, :" &c. 'AAi' nave
The act Of Congress approved March a 1880 N
whicL the act above quoted from is amsndSiory,
gavsto the Corporation Of wAshington fall power
and authority to distribute water. and nrayiSsd
az the means whereby this should be done, tbst
me Corporation might borrow, not exceeding one
within period Of ten years out Of any psxsnne
60 be derived from water rents and tbni ths
Corporation should have authority 10 e.tabIi.b |
70, sss's o. annual rate, for the supply and use Of
the water, and TO collect such rates "from tbe |
owners and occupants OF all such building "a or
establishments respectively, who NAV use tha
water therein, and to stop the water supply on |
failure TO paw the water rent TRY va
The insuf ioiency Of these proyision. 10 s,oou.
pnsh the proposed end and the inea uAlity OF liza
operation Of the law, supposinR the proposed and
could be thereby accomplished, were perceived
~ the corporation, and At their request CopQre,.
passed the amendatory act giving The pover On
taxation Of real estate 1t Ia obyou, Ina sIso oSo
VIII DO bat small part Of the work OF distribu
acres, and tss isHssih cry v sS1,' are. !. SIN
streets $50 feet aud that II only ths vstar
rents were TO be looked 10 far the ation 81
ms wSik, after the expenditure Of the Sl6o, 900
presently become 90 oppressively high as 10
amouut to virtual prohibition Of The use Of ths
water IL obvious, too, that N in spIte Of tbsss
dimoultiss the work OF distribution should ava
be done and paid for by such sy.tem, a part oni,
Of the properly OF the city would hays bean msds
TO pay FOR the work which was for tbe sommon |
I s and the enhsneement OF the value Of all
the occupied ground whsre the water was moi
Of the debt. "' 'nAfe
The net which gave the Corporation thu rich,
~ w tne real property wherever the water
mains extended enabled the Corporation 10 ram.
edy these defects In tho original law. The Cor.
pota'on mas W It's ordinances Ayailed itself OF
me powers conferred by the "AmondAtoryII sat
aud the result 10 that 50 soon AZ ineoms x ali ~,
valuable from the water tax that Income will
,nord the means for extension OF the vork n,
ihtributon, and the annual water rent, instead
!, Dshs s.eAdiiy increased, will DO speedily al
The point made by the Mslsrs. Schneider. that
heir ground should be exempt from tag because ,
ne United States laid the main was espeoIaIIy
considered whom the Law was under diseus'ion
md the answer then made to II was this: "Tha
Ireat malns are laid by the United States for tbs
ommon benent, aud not for the especial b.paat 4
4 the property OF those particular ayep1as or
trsets, and II that property should be exempted.
WILL o. course. cause the tag to fall more heay
The Corporation, In lsyyiug the tag, elected to
AZ ~ area, and made the rate seven. sishths Of
ne per cent per square foot; no lot howeyer A
avs more than one tax, though It may be ,ur b
ounded by water mains. This tAx n aopsI 10 !.
ixty-seven cents per front foot on ali tina prIv.t y
roperty In this city. The aggregate yield. whep 4
very square loot Of private ground shall have Il
AID the tar. will DO 4, O69, 6s3. ~
very respectfully, RICHARD WALLACE, OIL