Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-26

Government of the District of Columbia.
Mr.. MorrIll's bill repeating the acts of incor-
poraton Of Washington and GEORGETOWN and
placing its government under a commission
appointed by the President, is as follows in its
important features
Three commissioners, private secretary of
the President for the District of Coluuib bia
soiicltor, assessor, collector, treasurer, comp
troIler, surveyor, chief engineer of the fire
department. and superintendent respectively
of public instruction, police, weights and
measures, streets and highways, and of the
water department. These are 10 be appoin Ted
by the President for fcSI 'ears, with consent
of the Senate.
Besides, there are provided, as follows A
clerk OF the commissioners; a board of health,
consisting of the commission and four doctors
one physician in ordinary TO the board. the
others consulting physicians Il board of educa-
uon, consisting Of the commission, the private
secretary, and superintendent of public in
sruction; board OF police, con sisting of six
citizens. with the commission; police clerk
ten sergeants, $50 patrolmen, and local and
special patrolmen; supervisors OF streets and
highways. a fire department, with acting en-
glneer, and TO each company one foreman. en- =
gineer, fireman, and hostler each, and SIX extra
men, and one foreman, hostler tillerman, and
six extra men; a fire alarm and police tele-
graph, to consist of one superintendent one as
sistant and three operators; the water depart
ment TO be composed OF the commission, super
intendents and draughtsmen. These officers
TO be appointed and hold Office during the pleas
ure OF the commissioners.
Regarding qualifications, commissioner
must be a citizen of the United States d wears
OF age, and the private secretary 81 years Of
age; the solicitor a member of the bar of the
District and United States Supreme Court: the
sollcitor, collector, treasurer, comptroller, and
engineer must be domiciled in the District; the
medical officers must have practiced five years
In the District the superintendent of weights
mdorsed by the superintendent of the Coast
Survey; the superintendent OF schools not less
than rs, and $. friendly to the cause Of popular
education" the police force must be able to
read and write, and never indicted or con vieted
Of crime.
Every officer shall take the oath OF July 2,
1862.
Salaries: Commissioner, secretary, attorney.
5000 each: TO the officers the same as allowed
under existing laws.
The powers and duties OF the commissioners
and other officers are defined at great length
and minuteness.
The revenue is to be derived from taxes on
polls, Cd property, on conveyances of land,
and on licenses to sell merchandise, to exercise
certain callngs, and to use Potomac water: on
litigation, and from fines. The particulars of
these sources Of taxation are entered into. The
tax on polls and property are left in blank; on
sales of lots, fifty cents; on sales of merchan-
disc, half of one per cent. on invoice cost: A
pedler on foot Is taxed $40; OR horseback, $50:
in vehicle, $40; and $50 for each vehicle used:
are from $4,000 TO $4,000, $50; from $4,000 TO
S30.O00 SIS; and from $4,000 to S4O.OoO
500; and in like ratio for higher amonnts
A broker shall pay $780, real estate broker,
500; marine or life insurance. agency, one per
cent. upon premiums received; on banking
twenty five per cent on each hundred dollars:
on playing cards, twenty five cents per pack;
on street discounts, one per cent. on capital,
in no case less than five dollars: on a race
track, 500; on theaters, $50; on concerta for
profit, S. each, and the same on exhibitions
with license of $50 for iegerdemain exhibi.
tions; on confectionery establishment five
per cent. on capital. 30. -
Severe penalties for selling without license
are prOpOsed