The Portland daily press., 1874-09-21
LAWS
OF THE
UNITED STATES
PASSED AT THE
FirstSessiOn Ofthe FOrty-Third Congress,
LAWS
[GENEHAL NATuRE-No 64.]

AN ACT for the government of the District of Col
umbia, and for other purposes.
Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatUes of the United States of america IN Con-
gress assembled, That all provisions of law pro-
vding for an executive, for secretary for the Dis
trct, for legislative assembly, for board of pub
lie works, and for Delegate in Congress in the Dis
trct of Columbia are hereby repealed: Provided,
That this repeal shall not affect the term of Office Of
the present Delegate in Congress.
SEQ. g. That the President of the United States, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate, is
hereby authorized to appoint commission, consist
ing Of three persons, who SHALL until otherwise pro-
lawfully vested in the governor board of pub
lie works Of said District, except hereinafter lin
limitations now imposed by law on said governor
board; and shall have power to apply the taxes or
other revenues OF said District to the payment Of
the current expenses thereof to the support of the
public schools, the fire department. and the police,
and to the payment of the debts of said District
cured by pledge of the securities of said District
or board of public works collateral, and also to
the payment OF debts due to laborers and employees
of the District and board Of public works; and for
that purpose shall take possession and supervision
OF all the offices, books, papers, records, moneys,
Credits securities, assets and accounts belonging
appertaning to the business interests of the gov
eminent of the District of Columbia and the board
of public works, and exercise the power and author
1ty aforesaid but said commission in the exercise
of such power or authority, shall make contract
nor incur any obligation other than such contracts
and obligations may be necessary to the faithful
administration of the valid laws enacted for the gov
eminent of said District, to the execution of ex-
listing legal obligations and contracts and to the pro-
lection or preservation of improvements existing,
commenced and not completed, at the time of the
passage of this act. All taxes heretofore lawfully
assessed and due to become due shall be collected
pursuant to law, except as herein otherwise pro-
vided; but said commissioners shall have no power
to anticipate taxes by sale hypothecation of any
such taxes, or evidence thereof Provided, That
nothing in this clause contained shall affect any pro-
visions OF law authorizing requiring deposit of
certificates of assessment with the sinking fund
commissioners of said District; and said commits
sioners hereby authorized to abolish any office,
to consolidate two or more offices, reduce the num-
Der OF employees, remove from office, and make ap-
pointments to any office authorized by law; and
the compensation of all officers and employees, ex-
cept teachers in the public schools and officers and
ner ae aa oe
missioners shall each, before entering upon the dis
charge Of his duties. take an oath to support the
Constitution of the United States and to faithfully
discharge the duties imposed upon him by law; and
shall each give bond in the penal sum Of fifty thou
Treasury for the faithful discharge Of the duties
his office; and shall each receive for his services
compensation at the rate of five thousand dollars
per annum: PTOCided, That nothing in this act shall
be construed to abate in any wise interfere with
any suit pending in favor of against the district of
Sereaer n@ th nat N
bia process may be served on any one of said COM
missioners, until otherwise provided by law.
SEC. 3. That the President of the United States
shall detail an officer Of the Engineer Corps of the
army of the United States who SHALL subject to the
general supervision and direction of the said board
of commissioners, have the control and charge Of
the work of repair and improvement of all streets,
avenues, alleys sewers. roads, and bridges of the
District of Columbia; and he is hereby vested with
all the power and authority Of, and shall perform
the dvties heretofore devolved upon the chief en-
gineer of the board Of public works. He shall take
possession Of and preserve and keep, all the instru-
ments pertaining to said Office, and all the maps
charts surveys, books, records and papers relating
to said District, to any of the avenues streets,
thereon sewers, any of them, now in or be-
longing TO the Office of said engineer of the board of
T,rbii rlro and hall
purpose keep and preserve the records now required
to be kept, and such may be required by regula-
lions Of said board. He may, with the advice and
consent OF said board OF commissioner appoint not
more than two assistant engineers from civil life,
who Shall each receive a salary of one thousand
eight hundred dollars per annum, and shall be sub
Ject to his direction and control He shall receive no
additional compensation for such services. And he
shall not be deemed by reason OF anything in this
act contained to hold civil office under the laws of
the United States. And no salary compensation
shall be paid to the surveyor Of the District OF any
vices as are allowed by law And the offices Of as
sisant surveyor and additional assistant surveyor of
the District Of Columbia are hereby abolished.
of the District of Columbia, and manfainina the
credit thereof for the fiscal year ending June tbir-
tieth eighteen hundred and seventy five. there shall
be levied upon all real estate in said District except
that belonging to the United States and to the Dis
trict OF Columbia and that used for educational and
charitable purposes, the following taxes, namely:
Upon all such real estate in the city of Washington
three dollars on each one hundred dollars of the
present assessed value thereof; upon all such real
estate IN the city OF Georgetown, two dollars and
fifty cents on each hundred dollars of the pres
ent assessed value thereof; and upon all such real
estate in the District of Columbia outside of tbe
cities of Washington and Georgetown, two dollars
on each one hundred dollars of the present assessed
value thereof; which said taxes shall become due
and payable on the first day of November eighteen
hundred and seventyfour, and, if not paid shall be
in arrears and delinquent from that date; and shall
except as neIea modified be assessed and collected
as now provided by law for the assessment and COL
lection OF general taxes for the District of Column
ba and Of the sums collected one-fourth thereof
snail snail pc applied, first, to reimburse the United
States for its advances account of interest which
shall have been paid by the United States on the
funded debt Of the District of Columbia and WASH
ington and Georgetown, due and PAYABLE ,Julv first
eighteen hundred and seventy-four; and the re-,
mainder shall be used pay deficiencies in,the var
eighteen hundred and seventy-four. And ali the re-
mainder of said taxes not required for the aforesaid
purposes shall be distributed for the purposes and IN
the proportions provided by the act of the legsla-
tive assembly Of the District of Columbia approved
june twenty,sixth, eighteen hundred and seventy
year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and
seventy-four, so far as said apportionment is not
inconsistent with this act: Prorided. That no evil
dence OF debt issued by the District of Columbia
or any branch thereof, or by the board of public
works, shall in any manner be received in PAYMENT
Tor said taxes: and Provided further, That no pay
nent shall be made account of the militia of said
district, or for the purpose of erecting District
noied Upon Upon all payments Of said taxes hereby i'm
nrst day of November, eighteen hundred and seven
~ our, mere snail be an abatement allowed OF one
pe tGhsu per annnm per month for each and every
tavas h;P ah i advance; and that upon all said
lakes wnicn shall be delinquent and UNPAID on said
first day OF November, there shall he added M onaT
w. OF one per cehtum to the amount fthereof 70 La
collected with such taxes; and like nenatu ~ ~ oe
per eentun upon the amount thereof shall be added
said taxes then delinquent and unn; 70 an OF
collected aforesaid 1t shall be the datv Of 20 tb be
collector of taxes to prepare complete st ~ of a
taxes and property upon which the same Are az
in arrears on the first day OF March next, and sba
within ten days thereafter, publish the same, with
the notice OF sale, in newspaper published in said
soners for the time and in the manner required by
the provisions of the act of the legislative assembly
officers for the District of Columbia and fixing their
compensation" approved August twenty third,
eighteen hundred and seventy-one And all the pro-
visions of said act to the sale of property and the
collection of taxes in arrears are hereby made appl-
cable to the taxes hereby imposed and in arrears as
Aforesaid except that the deed conveying the prop