National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-27

expenditures to the amount Is stated In said
charge. Reference Is made to the answer Of
the third specification Of the third charge, CIV
ing In detail appropriations made and assess
ments authorized by the Legislative Assembly
of the District Of Columbia that the ordinary
general taxation necessary to the support and
maintainance Of proper government Is not to
be considered needless and prodigal expendi-
ture, nor IL the Improvement OF the cities Of the
District. -.---
By reference to the Gosernor's answer, pages
% and q, II will be seen that the total debt OF
the late corporation when the new government
came into existence was %, $50, 6a6 o. and that
tho present debt Is q $50, 1S9 81, showing that
the present government has paid of 81 go,
436.31. A reference to page "a of the same
document will show that the bonded debt of the
District Is but IS, SCI $50. Reference to the
same report wfll show large proportion of the
assessments levied have been paid In securities
of the improvements against which they were is
sued. This same document also shows that
the assets from general taxation are sufficient
to meet the current expenses Of the District
government when collected. 1t also shows thai
the property taxed IL but IS per cent. of the
whole, the balance either being owned by the
United States Government or being especially
exempted by the United States laws.
SIXTH CHARGH-Itis Untrue that the Board OF
Public Works has, without public notice, and
ably, departed ffSM It'd sale 81 prices fxed
originally by it for work, to the great loss and
injury of the District of Columbia and the Gov
eminent of the United States. On the contrary,
only such notifications or departures have taken
place a. seemed proper for the fair and prompt
execution Of the work commenced by the
board.
The reason for adopting the plans which
were established by the board have already
been stated In its answer to the first charge re-
ferred to, which b hereby made ss part Of this
answer; and these reasons apply to all the con-
tracts for work enumerated In the specifications
contained In this charge.
SEVENTH CHAReI-The officers Of the Dis
trict government, including the Board Of Pub
and misapplied the az, 900 received from the
Government of the United States in payment
for tho interest Of said District government In
the Improvements Of Judiciary square, In said
city Of Warrington, and stafe that they have
invested In District securities 0 portion of the
amount received from the United States Gov
eminent, by vote Of the full board. bearing
eight per cent interest, which they now hold in
trust for the purpose; the balance being on de-
post in the bank.
EIeHTH CHAReH.-The authorities Of the
District Of Columbia deny that they have un-
lawfully and oppressively exceeded the limit of
debt Of go, 00O, 900 prescribed by act Of Con-
gress Of Nay 8, 1872. ----z --=-----
NINTH CHAReH.-The answer to this charge
is contained In the answer to the first charge
submitted BY the board, to which reference b
hereby made.
TENTH CHARes.-It Is positively denied that
the averment in this charge Is true.
ELEVENTH CHARGR.-The Board Of Public
Works deny IN toto the averment In this charge,
and state that they have already submitted In
their report to Congress tabular statement Of
the prices paid for similar work In other cities,
and paid here are much less than In any other
city In the country, locality considered.
We propose still further to show by docu-
mentary evidence in our possession that the
averments contained In this charge are utterly
false.
TWELFTH CHARaE.-In answer TO the 18th
charge the poaro say tnas they 90 not Know
what the memoriaifsts have been informed Or
what they believe, but deny that BY gross and
culpabie Negligence and calelessness they have
allowed the District Of Columbia, the citizens
tnereois AND tho 6ovefnmeDt OF the On1eo
States g Be cheated and deffaa. 'ed out Of large
sums Of money, BY false, fraudulent, and e!-
and labor performed and material furnished,
made, OF caused 70 pc made BY persons who had
.I nom sa,% pOa ssd o.
fssudulsns and excessive Measurement on the
streets specified In this charge.
EDWIN l. 11 s.asses,
o. Counsel ie1 District.