Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-04-09
DIES OF The DlBTnlCr Gov.
E8N0ENT ANSWERED.
Letter 60 the New York Tribune by
LIP. A. =. ShepheFSa

The following letter appears I'm the New York
Tribune of to-day from Mr.. A. r. shepherd
vice-president Of the Board of Public Works,
in answer TO the misrepresentation Of Wash
ington correspondent Of that PAPER in regard to
the management Of District finances, &c.:
To the Editor Of the Tribune:
SIR: In your issue of the 5th of April appears
telegram from Washington with an editorial
Endorsement so full of gross Misrepresentation
ton. cannot believe that You seriously wisi,
to injure the credit ofour city. At least IA
satisfied that you would not seek 10 do 50 in face
Of fact, 70 ss Be and tSs
tons without any foundation in fact.
So long as these false charges were coninesl
TO merely sensational prints we could afford %
treat the abuse with Indifference, but when a
Journal 80 able and cautious as the Tribune takes
up the cry we are forced TO defend ourselves.
Let me, then, as briefly as L can, correct the
1t is not true, ''as reported" that within
few days the Washington Board OF Public
Works has Cancelled about two million dollars
worth Of contracts for improvements of the
The Board of Public Works has not Cancelled
single contract, nor does it propose doing %
true, .as also reported" that EATER receiving
the million dollars appropriated by Congress
and payable july I, the board WIN be Still
greatly in debt" This Is not correct from the
payable after the LIST July, was not TO Ii1nidate
debts of the board, but 70 pay for the proper
OF the United States.
The next statement of your reporter is more
remarkable for its reckless disregard OF fact
than any other. He says: AS has before been
stated, the amount now due contractors is about
one and quarter millions, and as the assess
ments OF property adjoining which work has
board has no resources except the money 20 bs
received from the United States" The facts
are: First, that the gross amount of assessments
on private property is 20 Geo go. of this amour.
SGoe,00e have been issued, leaving over two mill
lions yet available. The account then would
stand as follows:
First, balance of assessments as above 40 056 0e0
Second, balance OF appropriation due
BY Dlstrict...... .................... 252 900
Third, amount due by United States,
covered by appropriations available
after July ................. $4,000
Assets. ,23IOS
Due TO contractors. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 900, 00
Leaving available assets sI1Sl.oD
Now, the only embarrassment suffered by
the board-which Is entirely solvent, and plIr-
poses remaining so-arises from the fact thai
the assessments made for Improvements are not
available until the Improvements are COM
pleted. Under the law, this source Oh income
cannot be anticipated. OF course. ii these are
facts, (and any UMPIRE iudicgd person can inves-
tgate and readily satisfy himself TO their
those of your reporter have no foundation on
which TO rest. The reporter, however, refers to
the equities" and you assure US that Govern
ment good naturedly gave US the appropriation
referred to, of three million dollars, which,
however, is not correct, as the actual appropri-
alton amounted TO three million three hundred
thousand dollars. The equities and the
'tgood nature" amount in brief TO this: The
Government of the United States had given to
II four hfths of the property OF this CITY, OF
which II yet holds, Independent of streets and
avenues, over so per cent Of the entire properly.
Now, for seventy years it has been the happy
pOssessOr OF this real estate. In that time the
government has appropriated one million two
hundred thousand dollars for street improve
ments Immediately about its property by the
side of an expenditure by the citizens of over
fifteen millions. When il is remembered that
for the grandeur and glory of this paternal
government the streets and avenues were laid
out in proportions that would have sunk Chi
cago or New York if either had attempted 10
pave, drain and light them, the ssequtty" on
our side grows strong, and the "good nature"
somewhat doubtful. And then we must bear
in mind that the avenues belong to the general
government, and cannot be improved save by
law OF Congress. Had the government appro-
priated its just proportion as the citizens have
met theirs, we would not now be the subject of
either incorrect statements or unjust criticism
ALEX. X. SHEPHERD.
Washington, April Z, 1873.