National Republican., 1873-04-29
LEGISLATIYE ASSEMBLY.
tcort Hu.d nom First Pt1s)

"a ~ l. ' ~ h4AA - - /
(coni Husi nom First Pi5,)
aud no, retroactive; thus leaving SIX months
from January TO July, 1871, uncovered: -,
In your action upon the estimates oI ehp,u,hhn ~, ~
hyes, the rate Of taxation necessary 10 meet tn'
XnT IeoisIation ~ ISst wear was the nrst at
teuia TO Hystcmatlze aud o-hring lnlo PI,"pSa |
rciaFSns, Inc revenues and eIponlItntes Q, .ne
Distris tn accuracy OF your estimates Is y yey
RratifyiAy, although, for reasons already given,
they wep only approximately corfecG heNet-
thSless tfunishes basis upon when, n,,,,e ~ W.
exactnesa. Ma s0.nu instances the amounts ar
propTlated being based upon estimated reye-
nues-Wtrgn excess 9i % tno GcsI ,,-a .1I
ceei tho npknpriatiOnH.
Thcsc dcA6nclel, am,untlng In the aggtc- |
gate 70 fl8i,1p are mainly attributable TO The |
causes rcierNtO. In no case should expend |
turea exceed fSCnucs; and denciency appropra- |
tons TO cover dScesses Of expenditure can be |
Iustlned only by tarc aud exceptional neces-
Under the forme governments Of the Dis
trict one Of Tho chld embarrassments In meet
Ing Rr1nnpy 1np ,e cuens sSIersss ,sssS Wa SneS Sd
not keep pace witt expenditures, but were
largely Withheld upiu the close OF the yea. nnn
were also largely delinquent, even beyonn that
period. The law enacted at the last session OF
the Legislature, allowing rebate OF one pet
cent month noon taxes paid, was dengnen 70
correct this cv1. II has partially accomplished
the object, ths taxes having been paid some what
Inore promptly than before.
Yet IL will not he dlfiicult TO devise scale OF
ahatements and penalties witch will greatly 10!
crease the eIiciency Of the existing law, and en-
tfey correct the evil II was designed TO remedy.
Tne unpaid taxes OF the curren! year are SUI,
the year, win the exception OF the deficiencies
In his connection Il Ia earnestly recommonli-
ed that provision be made for the enforcement OF
thn pavtncnt OF all taxes In arrears on and after
June 90, 1919, including the unpaid portion ottse
,syss o. ISL I,IS snd ., isis and o. iae ,eyss
and Levy Court, still! remaining unpaid. TIC
system OF collecting such arrears which the
District government mas inneriteu from n ,n W. RT
tive. In fact, the receipts from sales for DELHI
quent taxes have yielded but little more than
enGSgh re'enpe 70 pns w ~. ea ~ ~
nual public sales now made, the Collector OF
Taxes be authorized BY law to issue interest
beAflng tax.llen certificates against the prop
ertJ OF delinquents after one months notios TO
that effect. This will result IN placing the en-
tire uncollected tax levy into the treasury N the
me report OF the Comptroller will furnish you
with detailed statement OF all the receipts and
expenditures OF the District government from
estimates Of the same, carried forward from that
date 10 the end Of the current fiscal year. In 90
case have the dlsbursements exceeded the ap-
propfiationa for any specific oblecG while in
many Instances the disbursements for the year
will not equal the amounts appropriated. \
From the Comptrollers r.Por 4 viii also 4, p Rei
Iumhla on Its own account and on that OF the late
corporations amounted 10 81, o,00I,sIesil OF this
sum y sos, ss,ls was received on aceoant o. ~ ne
trict bonds and loans; sssI, ,sie.9s on account pf
trust fundsand special accounts and tisli, ,1SI.p
Tnis statement covers AZ receipts Of the Dis
trint government from TIE date q ia orsaniza-
tion, June l, 1871, 70 Deoenoer u, issa. incla-
siys.a PsnSii s. . s.ss.sea sca.ss; -,
suAnt 10 leg1sahz'rt huinorisy, AnOunt 10 b,sit,
Tl6sL o. ll.ls SIN tsere uas eHPended oa SC
sSSSi q y ~ n ,r,, ~ n, q
and epoaA SEE. .sfs ~ for returns OF trust
funts oesSsted Nth the District tIs3,aoof +,
and for eNPenses Of the administration OF TIE
goTeTuaszi, lncludinK the various Departments
and tnisTeE on the funded debt, 81 ,9es, sal q,
Ieayins n the treasury Of the District January J.
Ths esumltes Of expenditures for the ensuing
year viii be transmitted ny the Comptroller, u
they have been received by him from the proper
nfncer. ] hope that these estimates will Ne
riEidiy ssrutnized, FEELING assured that many bt
them can be materially reduced u IL quite CO..
tain, also, that considerable reduction can 9e
made In the clerical force aud expenses Of tie
executive ofices and other Departmental, toe
abor Of conducting the government being much
less than it was during the process OF lts orgah-
attention to the Importance Of keeping expendl-
lures and appropriations therefor within the lin
its Of the well-ascertAined revenues OF the Dls-
trict.
SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS.
The operations OF the sinking tund commls-
sloners, full report OF which "a herewith SUB
mltted, have been highly satisfactory. Nearly
all the floating debt anl unsettled claims OF the
late corporations OF Washington, Georgetown
and the Levy Court have been paid on. some idea
may be formed Of the labor deyolyed upon
about six hundred and nfty claims have
been adjusted, amounting IN the aggre-
encIal results Of these payments and OF the pur-
chAses OF District securities by the board are al
,esay Seng SSpeSee6 S bI9ai nsidts S ,e tss ase
tion OF the District government were selling q
leSs than eighty cents on the dollar, arc now
~ seu q. a.,, ,,s ,a,rrsIens M ~ ~
act OF Congress, exceed tlO,0lO,00o. II Is now
ss,Ol6s0i, and Is gradually heing reduced By the
ihaS rendering what remains Of Outstanding ia.
debtedness more desirable TO Investors. An ~
preparation Of $780, 900 Ia asked for by the eoul-
purchases, the amount Of the principsi q I'D
debt during the ensuing year; and recommend
that the appropriation he made.
TuE BOARD or PUBLIC WORKS.
The extent and details Of the vast improve
ments inaugurated, and In great part conducted
10 successful completion by the Board Of Pub
lie Works, arc specifically set forth In the repOrt
Of the board to the President Of the United
StAtes-made In November last-a copy OF which
is herewith transmitted. The exhibit ihereia
made OF energetic, careful and skillful admins
tratlon, eNctes qualification corresponding ID
the Just pride Of our citizens and the admlratlOo
Of visitors oceasioned by the marked changes
In the appearance Of the District, and In It's In
creased comfort, attractions and adOrnmenI
The liberal appropriations mNie by Congress a
lts last session are gratifying evidences that the
ing the grand work OF embe elllahlng and proving
the nations capital meets Its approval, and viii
receive lts future aid. The amounts thus apprd
pTlated largely exceed all made from this source
during the past seventy years, aud proclaim the
fact that the whole country Ia determlned 70
make the metropolis worthy to be the seat q
Detailed statements from the treasurer, en-
gineer, auditor and assessor Of the board, here
with transmitted, furnish a summary OF ts
amount OF accounts audited Is %, nc, ,oii IS;
anos.ntI aosG. o. cash IPrJ@Ssnt s leaving
which should be deducted amounts advanced %
account OF water fund, mArkei-houses, pumps
&n-, which are 20 be reimbursed bV the District
TsssE.Ss sEs.sGs3ss ''io'' leaving actual ll.''I'%
the material on hand equals In value the
lore. this item has not been added TO the Habit
ties In the above statement, as the engineers
report establishes this fact.
The report Of the engineer, herewith submit
ted, shows the cost OF completing the contracn
outstanding on all work In coarse Of completion
to be tiII, ,9OI92. To meet this, the report Of the
vii be realized from assessments on private
property, on work already done, 81 i.s2I, I,bse.lE
IT. m balance due on accou Il Of 1900, 900 appro-
prlAtiJn, t252, 900. Total, %, lTe, ,slS1i.
The report also shows that there is an appro-
pr alton available after July I, lsTo, made by the
uulte States Government, OF t9is,O0o, TO meet
It's proportion Of work In progress and 70 be
commenced, from which, with the amount due
from the District, additional assessments win
accrue 10 the amount OF ioOO,OO0,
Owing To the extent Of the improvements now
10 progress the amount Of special assessments
against private property for such improvements
will be large. II will Afford relief 10 the tax
payers " the time for the payment OF these as
seasinents eau he extended over O period Of
years, and made payable In inBtAlments. Under
eNlsting law these assessments cannot be made
until the completion OF the improvements upon
which they are to he based Hence q large porl
tlon Of the resources OF the board are for the
time unavailable. To remedy this, and thus re-
leye its creditors, as well as the taxpayers, Il
IL suggested that the issue OF coupon certificates
OF Indebtedness, bearing q fair rate Of interest,"
shall be authorized, and that the assessment Ger
tlncates against private property be hypothe-
Gated as collateral security for their REDEEM ption
with the commissioners Of the sinking funl, who
shall collect such assessment certificates and Ap-
ply the proceeds 10 redemption OF such certih-
Gates OF Indebtedness, retiring annually such
proportion as you may authorize.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
our public schools have rapidly advanced In
efficiency and In the extent and OF their
accommodations. In excellence OF discipline
and thOronghness OF Instruction their superiority
la FaraUnIznl and many a the heat aItITana and