The national Republican., 1868-12-08
LOCAL DEPAh WENT
COvN.lL PROCEEDINGS.
Board OF Aldermen.
MoxpAr, NOVEMBER :, 1858.

CONGREGATIONS,
The MAYOR transmitted communication
from = II Bond, water register, giving the
following summary statement OF the receipts
OF his office during the month OF November;
Receipts on account Of water tax, tl 1905
receipts on account Of water rents, s2Te.52; re-
ceipts on account Of taps and permits, t3s5; to-
Also, transmitted a communication from the
Hon. Chas. ID. welch, Mayor of Georgetown,
incloslng the resolutions adopted by the
Georgetown Councils for the appointment OF
a committee to confer with the corporate au-
thorities of Washington city, or such commit
tee thereof :. they may dsssnsts, E. on y, % all mat,
interestto both eities, and asking that the cor. .
poration OF Washington take similar action. |
Mr.. Richards moved to refer to special
committee Of three.
Mr.. Moore did no. know that this would
produce good results As to railroad interests
he had known the two cities to be opposed to
each other. He would not be bound BY what
seommittee OF three Would be too small, as
the Georgetown committee OF would over
sisugh the committee Of this corporation.
MIR. Morsell entertained = similar opinion.
Mr.. Richards offered 8 joint resolution ap:
pointing a committee eth Of three ,e 9t this % Bos,d
and Ave Of shS lower aaS,s' SSsfd' with powers TO
Also. Transmitted a communlca ion stating
that he had not approved OF the lease BY Mr..
Henry Somers, canal commissioner, to Mr..
VIM. Barnard of a portion OF wharfage on the
canal. Referred TO the Committee on FL
nance.
ant OF the Asylum for November. Referred.
Also, by the Chair, the following commuEi-
cation from NJ; ST1,aTSs W% rSrsytphc; 3 Dee 7,ss
To the Board y Aidsrmsna -
ceedings Of the 3Oth ultimo, that the present
superintendent of sewers has called into qu es-
tion the accuracy OF my assessment OF certain
sewers recently constructed In the First
ward" in order to sustain an inaccurate as
sessmcnt made by himself of single section
of the said sewerage, respectfully reathrHf
he. nl m
the closest scrutiny thereof In regard to the
statement of the said superintendent, that
erenee to previous assessments" and "hence
the necessity Of his making separate, indie
pendenm assessment for this single section,
have to say that tho rate Of my assessment
was of record in the Registers Office (the
proper place for IT, and the elements on which
VIZ .hs Ps0Pss,y ss Ssis0sf s.O o
books and surveyors books Of the corpora.
tion. His error, In adopting = higher rate OF
assessment than is authorized by the law and
the contract, has arisen from his neglect to
consult these authentic records Ny assess.
10 2s5l per square foot, Will yield q sufficient
sum to pay the contractor according to the
terms oil his engagement. The whole length
OF the sewerage, by Mr.. Donegan's measure
ment, is 5,t92 lineal feet, (which at si.G5 per
foot would amount to t25S5 so; to cover said
amount, hXed the rate per square foot at
sO.2s5, which, on OOl,C ,C92 square feet Of private
property, would amount to tl7,lis Is, to which
Ss the sun DS OF II pss Sy ise wTieS
that there is \ balance OF Ss0I6 paid the con.
tractor over his measurement by my estimate.
"Why Mr.. Donegan should ignore the just rate
OF assessment, which was Of record, and sub.
stitute therefor new rate, cannot imagine"
he estimates an area OF sz!lES :, square Ieet ~
assessment OF the same area would be 220,s9l
square feet y ~ 2sj pc square foot, amount
ing to s0,205 81, aud showing that the com
tractor would receive the difference (ts2O so
over his contract, and which the owners on
that part assessed by Mr.. Doncgan would
have TO pay over the lawful amount. All that
the contractor requires 10 the full amount OF
his contract, add that have given him.
The accompanying tabular statement"
i,most respectfully submitted TO the Board,
and which hope will receive thorough In.
vestigation in Justice to myself and the prop.
/ have the honor, gentlemen, to be your
i've omit the tabular statement.J
Mr.. Richards offered n Joint resolution pro
viding for a remeasurement and reassessment /
&c, OF the work referred to in Mr.. Forsyth't
MIR. Moore had no objection to the rcsolu-
tion. Mr.. Forsyth was Of opinion that 2.S5
cents was sufficient The present surveyor
placed II at about cents and mills. He (Mr
Moore) had given good deal of time to this
subject, and he found that the work was over
assessed TO the amount OF $500 or upwards
He reminded the Board that the corporation
WAS responsible for the mistakes or cirors ol
its officers. He did not believe that thos'
on the lower end OF the work should be
assessed over and above those at tn,
other end-an assessment Of az cents. II wa
asserted that the lower end only was suryeyc,
by Mir. Doncgan, with no regard to the OTHER
He did not like to sec the matter referred, an
thus delayed.
offered the resolution, but he was Informed |
was desired by both parties. lie believed
was agreed to construct The sewer In question
for o. Is per running foot. He presumed th
error In measurement arose from the fact tha
one person NAV have measured horizontally
and the other diagonally, thus making
difference He proposed the work be re
measured In the presence OF the contrscto
and all others concerned.
MIR. Moore contended that there was n,
difference in the length Of the sewer as meas
ured by the serveyors. 1t was unnecessary 4
have the work remeaSured.
Donegan to a MIR. Wilson, In the First ward
which went to show that he included In HI
measurement number Of Intersections, thu
making the difference.
After further discussion, Mr.. Richards res
olution was tabled by the following vote;
man, Lloyd Moore, Morsell and Talbert-S.
Nays-Messrs, Baker, CLARK, Fenwiek, Nc
CathTAn, Richards and the President-6.
Mr.. Moore moved TO take up the bill 10 cor
rect an excessive assessment Of sewers In the
First ward, which provides that the Nssess
that the deficiency due contractor be paid out
of the ward fund, Passed
MEMORIALS, rETiTIoSs, ETC.
BY Mr.. Cook: Petition Of J. II. GAdsby Aut
others, in relation to change Of grade o
Twenty-trst street, between Pennsylyani'
Moore, Richards and Clarke.
BY Mr.. Crockeri A Joint resolution author
i1inR the Mayor to employ competent engi
neef to prepare q plan TO reduce the canal "a
size suitable for sewerage only, and TO have
the sharp angles OF the same Strengthened
altO to have the canal arChed.
Mr., Moore thought he could see who was
the engineer at the bottom Of all this He was
opposed to any such plan. II the canal ahould
be dredged out annually, 1t would earn tho
revenue that would keep In order, II we
had an officer who would appropriate the
money to clean out the canal, II would be bet
ter than opening lots In the suburbs for the
benefit Of speoulAtors,
Mr.. MeCathran stated the Committee on tht
Washington Canal had nearly mAtuTed re
port on the canal subject, and would probably
be able to report at the next meeting.
The resolution was referred to the Commit
tee on the Washington Canal
By Mr. CTOeker A bill to reimburse tho
Register OF willis referred Bill TO cause the
laying OF wooden tTOughs across Tenth street
west, at X street north across Eleventh street
west at X and V streets nor'h, and across Yer.
mont avenue at q street north Passed
by Mr.. MOTselli A Joint resolution extend.
Ing the time for the Hbatement OF Der cent,
taxes to the 10th Of January, 1900.
Mr. Cook Obje ted, AB four months had
been allowed for that purpose already.
Mr. Moore thought the lst OF January
would be time long enough TO grant.
MT Cook stated that those who were the
smaller property holders were the most
prompt la payment,
lhe resolution was postponed.
by MT. MO0Tei A resolution ilQuiTlng OF
ihe cltY surveyor what progress he has m Ade
uhler Instructions Of resolution of this Board
OF July 1851. Adopted.
Dir, Moore offered the following IcAnlutIon
based on Information found 10 letters between n