Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-07
a .EaJOrfIy or shsss o. Earor or ire Is.-
prOrssssaf Ban.
Philip and Grant,

Philip and Grant.
And Merrill and nurant,
iced again last night 90 get up their grand
demonstration on capitol Hill against the i'm
Prove mo nj bin, bat aiss, after al their outlay
icF posters advertising, blue Lights, torches,
fiags, and platforms, hut thirty people answered.
Tie can, and a. t TUNED cut majority Of theSo
we're opposed % The object OF the meeting.
Gen Grant, defeated asIirant for the Board
Of Public Works, ,'sor anything else going =
acted ~ chief Tag icnan, assisted hN thu sagacious
ard clear headed ). a Merrill, purely dis
interested cusS OF the 4. Grant stripe
The chief speaker on that side was Mr. T. 4
Durant, Of Louisiana, who's remarkable eNno-
sitiun OF finance created - much amusement az
the meeting 81 the Board Of Trade rooms. The
only enthusiasm manifested Was wien Mat
Doughty got the stand and addressed the meet
ing nm favor OF the Improvements much % the
Discontinue II Grant = Co.
At quarter 60 O'Clock, Col. BENJAMIN L
Green, chairman, came forward and rad the
old ;, ries Of auti-mProycmert resolutions. With
which the public are familiar.
General Grant then came forward aud
stated that the aSon why there were 20 few
present was because three OF the men employed
10 post hand-hills had been arrested and locked
up m the staUun-hoUsc. lie SPOKE M some
Length against ule Improvement ON, ~ il passed
Thomas >. DUrant then came forward and r.
peatcc the speech he delivered last week al the
Board Trade rooms.
In the cour~c OF his remarks, MI. sam. strong
rose and said So Let me ak You a question. i"
Mr.. Durant--'' 30, sir; I viii not be inter
ruptod."
Mr. Strong. want to know who You are.
and whether you are voter and taxpayer OF
Mr.. Durant.-' IL makes no difference about
That. The question Is not as d my name and
origin, but = the bill in the interest o. the Dis
uici. After sumo further remarks, a. retired.
The president then inquired if Mr. Riddle was
IN the crowd, but was met " IN criesOf StrOng."
J. II. Merrill next mounted the platform. and
made one OF his a read eagle speeches in ouf0-
s,'loh 10 the bill: lie was not appreciated by
the crowd, anu alter going on az SDme length,
hnally YIELDED to the pointed invitations 10 = sat
down. I" sirv ~" sc.
Maj. j. j.. Doughty then took the stand. in an
sNer 20 the calls, and expressed himself as in
favor OF the bill, although ne regretted that The
people OF Capitol Hiu had not received their
share Of improvements. He believed that the
improve Incnts contc mplatcd would result IN the
great enhancement OF property, and that alto
gtther the enterprise would rebound 20 the
eredit ana prosperity OF the District lie also
believed that the Board OF Public Works should
be bonded. NJ there j. any iilegality in the bin
the matter can bc tested in the courts.
Gen. Grant again addressed the small
crowd. He said none OF the members OF the
Board Of Public Works were from Capitol nm,
ana that not one OF them owned n foot OF fsron-
Crty east OF 9Th street. he would advocate the
expenditure OF S2,N0,0o0 for the whole city, but
Mr.. VIM. II. Heustis, who followed. thought
the policy 81 borrowing money as proposed a
very bad one.
Mr.. VIM. II. wheatley advocated the expepdi-
tUre Of SI00o,oo0 for Improvements, bur not a
lenny more. "A voice" How about JET
Sir. W. You let JEFF. Davis alone.
didn't come here TO talk politics."
Dr. {. NJ. Ford announced that he desired 20
read counter set Of resolutions, at which there
was considerable confusion. The secretary finally
read thNm. They declare that our prosperity as
city depends ln great measure upon the
grading and paving of our streets and avenues,
and an adequate system Of sewerage. thereby
aiding to our convenience and comfort. and the
value OF our property; that We believe a good
system Of permanent Improvements vail make
our CITY more attractive, and viii induce Can't
talists from abroad 10 invest in proprrt.. with a
view Of making this theirresiGence: that 10 COM
msnee system Of improvements ON a scale 10
be 81 permanent value, and RELY upon the annual
revenue OF the District tor PAYMENT would make
taxes bUracnsOme, and especially ofiTir.ss We on
those CT our citizens in moderate circumstances:
and furthermore, past experience teaches Us that
hy this course We not only pay more for the work
than II We had the cash ia hand. but that he
lahOrerS are frequently unpaid for weeks. ami
sometimes for months, thereby causing great
INCONVENIENCE ana suffering; therefore. We ap-
prove OF the bill before the Il gslative Assemble
TrOyiCinC for the isSuiug Of bonds for tie urfpSs
81 pei lIaneHt Improvements, n the best method
Of accomplishing the end IN view. They regre
that in the schedule submitted b. the board o
Public Works q the Legislative Assemblies few
OF the streets In the eastern section OF the city
are included; that Is many of the streets AMI
avenues leading from the Capitol. as well as
many Of the thuroughfarcs in the eastern part OF
the city need grading and otherwise improving;
that committee OF three be appointed by this
meeting % represent these facts TO the Legis-
lative Assembly and the Board OF Public Works
and endeavor TO secure Improvements from tbs
CONT mpi5ted appropriations in proportion 70
our taxable property
Cries of "QUCstion," question" then arose, and
X. TX. Parker mounted the platform and made a
few remarks in iavCr OF DIR. Ford's resolutions.
At the conclusion OF his speech 'sGeneralD
Grant moved an adjournment until Monday
evening next. The chair put the motion and
declared the meeting adjourned although a
decided majority voted against adjournment.
Another meeting was then hcld-Of which Dr.
Ford was chosen president. and W. ii. Brown,
secretary, when Dr. FOrd's resolutions were
unanimously adopted, and after the appoint
ment of NessTs- George Bassett, Samuel Hilton
and T.. =. Atkinson as the committee TO wait
upon the Board Of Public Works, the meeting
adjourned.