Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-05-11
Reconstruction in the District.
THE BILL TAKING AWAY THE CHAR.
TERs OF THE DISTRICT CITIES.

TERS OF The OiSIHlCI ClT1Es.
This bill, which was introduced in the Sem
ate By Mr.. morrill,, was reported back from
The District Committee on Wednesday with
amendments. The bill as amended enacts that
the several acts Incorporating the cities Of
Washington and Geor getown, and amendaeory
Of and in addition thereto, are hereby repealed;
and the legislative powers delegated 10 said
critics are hereby resumed, and, till otherwise
proyided by law. shall be exercised exclu-
The executive officers of said District shall
be three commissioners; private secretary Of
solicitor of the District of Columbia; an as
SCISSOR of taxes; q collector OF taxes; a treas
urer, q comptroller of the treasury; clerk of
the commissioners; an engineer or surveyor;
IA board of health, consisting of the commits
sioners and four doctors Of medicine, one of
whom shall be principal physician in ordinary
10 the board OF health and the other three con-
sulting physicians; a board of education, to
consist Of the commissioners, the private Sec
Tetary OF me President for the District OF 90
strucuon;II NOte.-The above paragraphs in
brackets, providing for a board OF health and
board Of education are marked in the amend
ments stricken out of the bill by the COM
mIttee; but as the subsequent sections OF the
bill defining the duties of the board of health
and board of education are not stricken out, il
seems TO be in doubt what the action of the
committee really was upon these points
Editor Star. Ia superintendent Of weights and
measures; board Of police, consisting of the
commissioners and six citizens of the District;
apolice clerk superintendent Of police; ten
sergeants OF police; police patrolmen, as many
as the commissioners deem necessary, not eX-
ceeding $50; local patrolmen: special patrol
men; superintendent of streets and highways;
supervisors of streets and highways; fire de-
partment, consisting of chief engineer; neces-
saTy hre companies, each 10 consist of FORE
man. engineer, one fireman, one hostler and
six extra men; one hook and ladder company,
TO consist of foreman. hOstler, tillerman, six
extra men. supernumeraries, as many as the
comm issioners deem necessary: fire alarm and
police telegraph, consisting of superintendent,
assistant superintendent, and three operators;
a water department. consisting OF the commis-
sioners, superintendent and draughtsman.
The President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate shall appoint the three
commissioners the private secretary of the
President for the District of Colmubia the
solicitor; assessor of taxes; collsctor; treasurer
comptroller engineer or surveyor; supern-
tendent Of police; superintendent of weights
and measures: superintendent Of streets and
highways; chief engineer of the fire depart
ment: superintendent of the water department.
and all these shall hold their offfces for the
term of four years unless sooner removed, at
executive officers shall be appointed by the
commissioners, and shall hold their offices at
the pleasure of the commissioners.
The commissioners must be citizens must be
citizens of the United States. domiciled i'm the
District OF Columbia, and not under twenty
hye years OF age. The private secretary of the
President for the District of Columbia must be
citizen OF the United states and not under
twenty one years Of age. The solicitor must be
member of the bar of the Supreme Court Of the
United States and Of Supreme Court of the Dis.
trict- The assessor, collector, treas urer, COMP
troller, and engineer or surveyor must be citi-
Zens of the United States, domiciled in the
District. The medical members of the board
of health must be physicians, who have prac-
ueed at least one year in the District. The su-
perintendent of weights and measures must be
citizen Of the United States. at least twenty
one years Of age, and must. before he can Be
appointed, produce 4 certificate of his compe-
tency from the Superintendent OF the U. S.
Coast Survey. The board of police shall con-
sist Of the three commits sioners, Of three citi-
zens Of the city Of Washington, one citizen Of
the city of Georgetown, and a citizen of the
county quarter Of the District. No person
shall be appointed 70, or hold office in the po-
lice force. who cannot read and write the Eng
hsh language, or who is not a citizen Of the
United States, or who shall ever have been in
dicted and convicted Of crime, and who shall
not have the qualifications prescribed or adopt.
of streets and highways must be citizen Of
the United Safes, domiciled in the District.
The chief engineer Of the fire department, the
FIRE engine foremen and engineers must be
domiciled IN the District, and practical and
skilful steam engineers.
Section S of the bill sets forth the form of the
bond and oaths TO be taken by officers in the
District.
Sections and : refer 70 forms of commits.
sions and modes of filling vacancies.
The following salaries shall be allowed to
the officers, respectively, payable from the
treasury OF the District quarterly, upon the
comptroller's warrant:-To each commission.
II.
ident for the District, $4,000: TO the attorney
and marshal of the United States for the Dis
trict, each 5000, as prescribed by the acts of
collector of taxes, one-half of one per centun
on the amount collected; TO the treasurer,
Sl.s00; 70 the comptroller OF the treasury,
sl.S0O; 10 the engineer or surveyor, $1,000; TO
the clerk OF the commissioners, sl,2OO; TO the
superintendent OF weights and meas ures, -;
10 the ofacers and members of the police force,
the compensation allowed by existing laws; TO
snnPrintanQent W.
-; to the supervisors Of streets and high-
ways, each, =; to the officers and men OF the
IRE department, the compensation now al
lowed by law or ordinance.
The commissioners shall have power, and it
shall be their duty, 10 take measures To pre-
and for the preservation Of the health of the
District; 70 establish and erect hospitals or
pest-houses; TO prevent and remove nuisances;
the District, and protecting it against ares; to
designate the places AT which the fire compa-
nies shall be located; 10 regulate the manner Of
erecting private wharyes. and fix the rates OF
wharfage AT the same; TO regulate the station
ing, anchoring, and moorlng OF vessels 70
regulate and establish markets; TO open and
drains, and sewers, agreesbly TO the plan OF
said cities; TO take the care and charge Of all
the public roads and bridges in the district; TO
lay out, alter, repair, discontinue, and regulate
any OF the public roads and highways; to cause
ali necessary bridges TO be erected and re-
pslrse u lay " oSf al and ssa6li.n private roads
roaa @ and AT the time OF the ina uiry r. tsnt in
Scopdition required by the charter; and. b
DOT, to take legal proceedings to acquire pos.
session Of the same; to appoint yearly one ZEN
eral superintendent OF roads, and 10 ch 10 m her
ofsuperyisors or overseers as may be necessa.
~ 10 require from each oyerseer before the
enc OF each year q report OF the condition OF
the roaos and bridges In his district, and esti.
mates OF the probable amount required To keen
tne same in good repair for the ensuing wear:
20 remove the superintendent and oyerseers
neNer In their judgment, there Is suf-
nsfnt cause, or the public interest viii
go hereby; 10 require, when
ever tney snail deem IL expedient or
proper, reports or the rendition Of acconnts
rom tne oyerseers; 10 fix, from time 10 time
tne pay OF the superintendent and oyerssers !,
70 cause the land 10 be occupied by any road 10
be condemned in the manner prescribsd fa,.
taking private property for public use 10 c.nS.
material necessary for the con structon 81 r"sds :
and bridges, and the repair Of tina sama ~ -
condemned IN like manner to provide for m %
safe e-keeping of the standard weights ana
measures as fixed by Congress and for m =
regulation Of all weights and measures used in
the District; 10 assign 10 the superintendent of
weights and measures an Otti Ice IN the City Hall
ln'which he shall keep said standards; to regu.
late the sale lumbDr and O.her huiIdin 90