The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-07-18
Lighting tho streets and Avenues.


The following bill has been introduced into
Congress. 1t ought 10 pasai =
Joint resolution relsiivs 70 lighting the streets
Of whshington, District OF Colamhia, redue- |
Ing the espsnses, and for Other purposes
city Of warrington have failed to carry out
the arrangements FOR lighting the streem o.
said city, In accordance with the provisions OF
an act entitled IAN act making approprih-
tions for sundry civil expenses Of the Govern.
ment, approved July Is, 1880: Therefore
gs fSiGssa Gs s" aes a Gases
City Uouneiis Of the city Of washington be,
to lazy and collect ( tax from the property.
to defrsy the expenses OF lighting the avenue
burners twenty1one nights ia each month,
from dark until daylight, and keep said lamps
81 See y md b. Il further resolved, That the
Secretary OF the Interior for the government
| OF the United States, and the Mayor anu
oity Councils q the city Of wshh,ngoS1 ,os
directed, Immediately upon the passage Of this
Joint resolution, severally to contract with
e eoe aSsii agree theretoj for the term OF
| nfteen Years for the United States Govern
ment, and for the city for such term, not
S spon, iof ali the illuminating gas reSSiIsd
| In the city OF Warrington by the United
States, and for the avenue and street lamp.
Washing Wa gton, in seeordsnce with the proyis.
ions OF this Joint resolution, At the reduced
price Of three dollars net per Thousand ieet;
under said contract shall at no time within
said term OF fifteen years exceed the price
charged by said company to the citizens o.
Illuminating gas shall not be less than fifteen
candle. standard; And Prorided further, That
the right is reserved to the United States and
to the Mayor and City Councils OF Washing
ton to annul the contracts authorized hereby
at any time after ten years, by giving two
Sec. 5. And be q further resolved, That the
Mayor and City Councils OF the city Of
Washington be and they are hereby, author
lied and directed to increase, from time to time,
street lamps on any Of the streets, lanes, al:
leys, public ways, and grounds in the city Of
e Ss %s II az Of ey to
levy and collect tax from the property
event OF the failure OF the Mayor and City
Councils to levy and collect the tax herein
authorized. or TO light the said city as herein
and he Il hereby, authorized and directed 70
levy q tax upon the property Of said city and
to collect the same, sufficient to light said
to year, In case Of such failure OF said Mayor
and City Councils to light as herein directed,
and to fully execute the provisions Of this Join;
resolution In the place and stead OF the said
: Mayor and City Councils.
Sec o; And be q further resolved, That
, nothing herein contained shall be construed
! to relieve the said Washington Gas-ltght Com
7 pany from paying the internal revenue tax In
posed by law.
The above bill, when It shall have become a
, law, will operate equally In all parts OF the
city, and will place this question OF lighting
the streets and avenues upon equitable and
just grounds.
For twenty years past Pennsylvania avenue
has been lighted at the expense OF the General
Government, while In other portions OF the
city, especially, the streets have been lighted
at the expense OF the property FOLDERS and tax.
payers. There is no justice nor fairness in
such laws. In order to give Satisfaction taxa
ton for such purposes must Be equalized SO
that all burdens, so far as possible, may
be removed. There Is no justice In taxing
the property-holders on + street for lighting
that thoroughfarc while the property holders
on Pennsylvania avenue go scot free The
above bill Is designed to make things equal
in this regard all over the city, and there can
be no good reason why It should not at once
| become a law. Indeed there are many and
, eogent reasons why 1t should be passed.
7 1t will be seen that this bill provides tina.
Y the Government reservations, buildings
q | squares, &C., shall be lighted at Governmen
I expense, as It would In no sense be just to tai
the citizens for this expense, which propcrl.
;. belongs TO the oeneisi Government 10 pro
d vide for.
t There is one important advantage in thi
plan which all will see, and that Is, 1t will Civ
y uniformity In all parts and portions of tn
/. city, desidcrdium we have long felt Wal
a needed. Strangers Visiting Washington hav
n noticed and remarked upon the singular praC
tice which has obtained here under our prcsen
II system, or rather, perhaps we should SAL
e want OF system. Some streets and avenue
Is have been lighted, while others equally o
p even more populous, have been left Il
4. utter darkness. 1t is an anomaly which can
g not be found In any other city on the globe.
IT has grown out of the divided jurisdiction b.
which this city has been goyeraed In referenc
to this and many other equally important ma
tiers. We are glad to see Congress moving |
t. this matter, and we trust the day Is not far di
lie tant when we shall have uniformity In thi
d. and In all other respects, so far as the govern
l. ment OF this city 10 concerned.
What we want especially now Is, light In q
ID the streets and avenues OF the city. Light
T. | great preventive to crime. 1t 10 the cheal
est kind Of police. Criminals and wicked me
Ie Glove darkness rather than light because thei
" deeds are evil" Let the city be thorough
4, lighted, and burglars, thieves, and midnigh
1t providers, and all sorts Of mischievous ind
y yidusls will be cautious how they ventur
4 abroad to commit their dspredatIons and deed
r OF vIllainy. We trust that this bill will 500
e become a law, and that we shall shortly rs
= = joiee In having city which will not ever
: night be found In the region and shadow @
darkness but will be In the Hight, 70 that a
our citizens, whether at home or abroad, wi
s. feel In comparative security, and that such
IT our people as are obliged to be abroad or fro
n | homp In the nlRht time will not faal hal 4