Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-21
The New Departure for the District.

u
The plan proposed by the Board OF Public
Works Cor general system Of improvements
for the District naturally excites much comment
and considerable diversity ofopinion. Generally
IL may re said to be favored by those dissatisfied
with the kap-hazard, disjOinted, patchwork
style Of"imprOvements" carried on under munf-
ciQai Iulc. and who want TO make ga new
departure" from that thriftless, brainless, and
enormously expensive system-Or rather mo-
system.
The question Is in a nutshell: Shall we 20
On III the old way, shall We, in entering
upon our new Territorial career, adopt some
general, systematic, permanent plan OF improve
ments and carry it steadily out? Unless this is
done in the start the case Is hopeless. We shall
inevitably DRIFT back into the patchwork profii-
gaey Of the past, when jObbing Improvement
bills were rushed through Councils ut the
rate OF half a million of dollars a night, and
executed in a way that left the streets in
rather worse condition than they were before.
Bid the world ever see such s'improyements?''
Grades that wouldn't mach; drainage directed
uphill; ''grading and grayeling" done without
either grade or gravel; sewers running no
where-single-b sewers, slumping in on the
slightest prOyOe alton, and engulhng unwary
travellers, then heavy damages against the city
and more appropriations for other single-brick
sewers leading nowhere; dirt-cutting done ''by
the day" at prices that mounted up from
II cents Per yard to $3.50 per yard; street cross
ings either under grade or over grade side
walks slOping inward; cutters planned for the
accommodation of the hogs, in a series of stand
ing pools and mud-wallows, and so on, A high
old system-psrticularly for the tax-payersI Shall
these patchwork improvements, be n.rn.t,-
ated and extended, or shall there be a propsr
plan?
The sum named to carry out the proposed r,lap
of Improvements appears large, but is really les
than has been frittered away in purposeless ex-
penditUres within a short period in this citv
alone; for il must be remembered that this tax
is for the Improvements OF the whole District
and falls upon the whole District. No Additional
rate OF taxation, however, is proposed "a u,o
understand it; and while the burden of psnar.l
taxation will not be increased, the indiviInaI
burdens in the way Of special taxes will Va re-
duced to the minimum Thus, under the ar
rangement by which the property-holdars ON
each side of the street are taxed 'one-sixth onlv
Of the cost Of Improvement, the cost 70 the indi-
yidual prOperty-holder having front of p feet
on a street Of ordinary width will not be more
than Seventy-fve dollars for paving and sewer
ing.
The new system ought, however TO work alike
sdvantageOusly 70 prOperty-holders, mechanics.
labOEcrs, and all others in the communitv
large amount Of capital would be brought here
from abroad and put in circulation, Increasing
business, developing manufactures of yarious
kinds, titles, for instance,) and putting every
idle hand in the District ut work
The only point is whether the BoarI
of Public Works should be ENTRUSTED wifi
the expenditure of this money on this
extensive scale Of improvements. OF coarse
il il cay to find fault with public Officers.
but i not our Board of Public Works as capsble
reliable and energetic an executive body as We
arc ever likely to have? Its President, Henry ID
Cooke, is a man whose s'wOrd is as good as his
bond wherever he IL known, and whose business
operations are worldwide in extent He Turns
over probably more money daily than the whole
amount of the sum proposed by this plan
Nh Mullett disburses yearly at least twice the
sum, as supervising architect for the govern
ment, and OyerlOoks the expenditure and the
execution Of the work with a vigilance and
energy that earns for him alike the praise of the
govern ment and the curses of spectators ard
jOjbers. The other members Of the Board AR,
known, also, As clear-hesded, energetic busina.,
men, largely Interested in building IN the
city, and who have shown in their own
exteIsiTe business operations the capaeity
to exIend money judiciouSly and eco
nOIlically Tor the prosecution OF important i'm
proyements, creditable alike to themselves AMI
10 the city. II We cannot trust such men with
the execution OF our improvements, and give
them the Opportunity to carry them out on a
plan that cOmmensts itself To their iudvmap,
We my as well 60 back 10 the old, shiftIsSs
irresponsible, pro1igate, purposeless munieipaI
system.