Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-13
WILL WONDERS NEVER CEASE p
Improvement Meeting ian . General
A. Grants Office.

-
kind Of BseetiEg, bat fate ''agia" kim-He
pat do,vH ne Tate trcr, :" but can't pat dOscR tie
Demand for TnsprOreneRtS-Hs eniists another
Capital naOrer en- the oouse, but finds hiSaself IN
a Eafnorifg of oRs-7hs - GenerdIr IS opposed to
Improvements because Ne ''edRt get smell IN ths
coy Of 700"
meeting of about twenty citizens owning
property on Capitol Hill was held at the office
or .iGeneTal' A. Grant, on East Capitol street,
Tuesday evening, and organiZedb by electing Hon.
william Williams, Of Indiana, chairman, and
Grant addressed the meeting, reiterating his
time-worn charges against the Board of Public
Works. and opposing all improvements on Cap
itol Hill during the present year. He had done
and wanted the fact known that the Board of
Public Works had given almost every contract
to rebels TO secure democratic votes, while he
COULDN'T GET SMELL
in the way of job.
Hon. Selucius Garfelde, delegate in Congress
from Washn gton Territory. arose and reYnar ked
that the Saviour of the World. when once in
Jerusalem, said ''Let us go hence" He owned
property on Capitol Hill, and was as much
else. but if the capital is to be governed by COM
binatioDs of id scoundrels, he, for one, was
IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE CAPITAL.
II seemed To him that Washington was the cul.
minsting point of scoundrelsm and corruption
and he thought it would be better for the people
of the District and of the United States if the
capital should be removed.
THINGS TAKE TURN.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Garfelde's remarks,
Mr.. W. s. Lincoln offered a series of resolutions
setting forth that the residents and taxpayers
of Capitol Hill claim a Just and fair proportion
of the amount expended for improvements by
the Board of Public Works; specifying what
improvements they need; and that a committee
of five be appointed by the meeting to walt upon
the board and ask them to park and pave Fast
Capitol street, from LIST street east TO Lincoln
Park with a frst-class pavement, and to cause
said work to be commenced Immediately and
prosecuted without unreasonable delay.
As soon as the secretary had finished reading
the resolutions General A. Grant rose consid-
erably excited, and protested against their
passage on the ground that the people of Capitol
Hill had not been consulted. a gentleman there
upon moved an additional resolution that the
committee be instructed to take the sense of the
residents of East Capitol street, and that when
they have obtained ii report the views of said
residents to the Board of Public Works. The
resolutions as amended then passed, and the
W. s. Lincoln, K. s. Atkinson, George M. Oyster
nd Fredericks. The Chairman's name was
subsequently added to the committee. Gen.
Paine, member of Congress from Wisconsin,
who was present, was requested to serve on the
committee, but declined on account of non
residence, although he owns property on Capitol
Hill.
General" A. Grant, greatly troubled at the
turn affairs had taken, again arose and vehe
adopted.
PLEA FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
Hon. VIM. Williams vacated the chair for the
purpose OF making q few remarks. He said say
what we will, the facts exists that the Board of
Public Works has the right under the law to fix
the grades of streets and improve the city gene
rally. The question then is whether the residents
Of Capitol Hill will take their share of public
marked that two-thirtls of his property Is on
Capitol Hill, and that his money had been in
vested within three months If good pavements
are laid on Capitol Hill houses will sell for 81 900
more than they would at present The tax will
be small-not over sixty cents per foot-and
those who pay it will more than get their money
back in the increased valuation of their prop
eTty. Besides, the labOring men will all have
plenty OF work If improvements are made. Mr..
Williams concluded by saying that he thought
It greatly to the advantage of Capitol Hill that
IL should have its full share of improvements
He had seen Messrs. Shepherd and Brown, of
the Board of Public Works, and they had as
sured him that they would make any improve
ments which the residents of the Hill desired.
They would improve any street that the resi-
dents wanted improved, and would lay any kind
of pavement. All they (the board) desire Is that
RAJ plan, and it will be cheerfully carried out by
the board.
Mr.. Garfelde -''what do you think would be
the per cent OF increase on property in case it is
Mr.. williams.-"I think fully 80 per cent:
and further believe that Capt. Grants proper
ty will increase in value from $40 900 to 100000.
nave met great many men on Capitol Hill
within few days, and I hav'nt found two OPP
posed TO improvements
Gen. A. Grant desired his protest to be entered
vi thC huihu1ce VI TIE Hltctlng, WHICH was done.
He, Grant, further denied that SO small meet
ing had any right to represent the views of resi-
dents OF Capitol Hill to the Board of Public
Works.
Mr.. Garfelde and Mr.. Lincoln said the meet
ing had right to express the opinion of those
who took part in it. As to the feeling of the res
rdent OF East Capitol street the committee had
been instructed to obtain their views and Capt.
Grant had no right to take exception.
THE GENERAL" DIsGUsrED.
"General' A. Grant said that when it was
DrODOsPd Al m m Ia M CO. a pot
for a moment that such action would be taken
On being again reminded by Mr.. Garfielde that
the committee had been instructed to fairly and
honestly obtain the views of the people living on
East Capitol street, Gen. Grant remarked that
'that mode might be satisfactory" The meet
ing then adjourned.