Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-28
OFFICIAL
Lavs Rnssed By the Sfxty-Seventh
Council Of Wask.ns.eu City, ID. q.


JOINT Resolution Of request TO the Congress
of the United States of America.
Be 81 resotred BY the Board Of Alderman and Board
Of Common Council Of The Cityof Wdssin9soH. That
the following communication be laid before the
two Houses Of Congress:
To he Senate and House Of Representatives. Of t1s
CRsfed States Of America.
We, the Board Of Aldermen and Board OF
Common Council Of the city of Washington,
deem IL our duty, as the representatives OF the
citizens Of washington to call the attention OF
Congress to several important measures OF pub
lie interest TO the people of this city, which, We
trust, VIII receive your early and favorable con-
STREETS AND AVENUES.
The rough and imperfect condition Of the
pavement on Pennsylvania avenue renders the
repaying Of il necessary, and we earnestly urge
the passage Of a bill authorizing a wooden
pavement TO be laid, the expense 70 be equita-
bly, borne by the general government, the own
ers of property bordering on the avenue, and
the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Com
pany.
The Corporation Of Washington expends a
large amount annually for grading, crawling.
and improving the streets Of the city. The gem
eral government has done but little of late in
improving the avenues, which are under its iu-
risdiction. IL is but just that the general gov
eminent should bear such a proportion of the
expense Of grading and graveiing the streets
and avenues OF the city as the value of the prop
erty bears 10 the assessed real estate within ia
corporation taxed for this purpose and we hope
this matter will receive the attention IL de-
serves, and that Congress will make provision
for the expenditure Of a sum annually for this
purpose by the general government proportion
ate to the amount expended by the city as the
property OF the general government bears 70 the
assessed value Of real estate in the city.
RAILROADS.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
obstructs many of the streets in the immediate
vicinity of the Capitol by its depot and ears.
The company refuses to conform the bed of
n All hal of
traversed and crossed by it, thereby preventing
the opening and grading of these streets. TO the
great inconvenience of the public and damage
TO public and private property. We therefore
request your honorable bodies TO cause the
depot to be removed to some point nearer the
limits Of the city.
The people of this city, in common with those
OF the whole country, justly demand that the
capital Of the nation should be better supplied
with railroad communication with the different
sections OF the country than exist at present.
Our citizens suffer much Inconvenience by hav-
ing but one line of railroad connecting us with
the North, East, and West, and but one with
the South; but are powerless to remedy the evil
and are compelled to submit To such charges for
freight and passengers as the roads exact. We,
therefore, urgently petition TO your honorable
bodies to grant charters for the building of rail-
roads from the national capital, to connect with
such points OF railroad communications as will
make the accessibility Of the capital easy TO all
the citizens of the country, and TO authorize
this Corporation TO subscribe to the capital stock
ton as the corporate authorities may deem prop
er: Pr0rided That in the charter of each and
every railroad entering the city, such charter
snail require any such road or roads to conform
to the established grades OF the city and such
altered grades as may be made by this Corpo-
ration.
HARBoR.
The Long Bridge over the Potomac river, as
now constructed, causes the river channel and
harbor to I'LL up; and il the bridge is allowed to
remain in its present condition the commercial
int Mt fh0 artx Sr.<4a
continual Milling up of the river channel; and
we beg leave to call the attention of your hon
orable bodies to this subject, and urge upon You
the necessity OF having the bridge 50 construct
The channel and harbor needs Improvement
and the construction of a sea-wan along the
river channel is an absolute necessity. This
Corporation Is not able to bear the whole ex-
pense Of the work, and as Congress has fire.
quently given aid TO States for the Improvement
of harbors for commercial purposes, We trust
Congress will extend aid for like improvements
in this District.
CsURY LAWS.
The usury laws now in force in this District
citizens. Loans cannot be negotiated AT Sly
per cent. when the government is paving a
higher rate Of interest upon its bonds and the
borrower is compelled to pay a high premiu Al
to persons who loan money at usarious ates,
while those who would willingly lend at a rea-
sonable rate are deferred from doing SO on &C
count Of the existence of these laws.
1t is gratifying to learn that the project OF
building jail in this District has been revived
in Congress: The necessity for early action in
this matter is apparent to any one that has any
knowledge of the present insecure and badly
ventilated building now used for that purpose
and in this regard we would, in view of the fact
that thls District must bear one-haf of the cost
OF the proposed jail erection, respectfully re-
quest OF your honorable bodies that the corpo-
ratons OF Washington and Georgetown and
the Levy Court unItedly, by their Representa-.
tives, have a voice in the selection Of site !,
adopting the plan for construction and som,
general supervision with the officers of the gen.
erai government selected for this purpose, am
no contract be entered into without the con.
District.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The urgent necessity for a larger number and
In many instances, more suitable buildings fol
our public schools prompts us to refer 10 the
TACT that while large grants of land for the en-
oowment OF schools and colleges have offer
been made by, and every State and Terrier
have received liberal aid from, the genera
government, this city, which is under the i'm
public schools a larger number ofchiidrenof non.
RESIDENTS than any other section of the country
and have never received any assistance what
soever for the promotion Of popular education
from the general government, and are now in
great need Of permanent relief We therefore
respectfully petition your honorable bodies. in
behalf Of our public schools, for a donation OF
may deem requisite, that, together with the
means provided by taxing the assessed property
in this city for school purposes, may place our
tai Of an advanced and enlightened nation. and
relieve our citizens, in part, of the very heavy
burdens entailed upon them to support these
institutions of learning
We would also respectfully petition Congress-
to have certain days set apart for the considera-
ton Of business pertaining to the District
OF columbia, 80 that 1t may receive proper
The people Of this city have to depend upon
Congress for all important matters of legisla-
ton, Is the powers conferred upon the CITY
councils by the charter are limited, and hence
the necessity Of Congress devoting more time TO
the business pertaining to this city and District
Approved, March Is, 1870