Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-06-16

thfr transactions without the psle OF this nvn-
within the letter OF the law white vtolasins -
spirtt, md 70 this end the Iect~issiy We A-.enhlv
trOm tine 10 time, passed acts which were sim
with Witch % pay previOusly-incarred obligs-
ions, and continue the improvements, by ere
Of PcIn 90 o9SS sas PrsPeSy
after eyhsusting the - GO 90 loan authorized
ey the ACT OF July 10. is1i, In the Improvement
o. ., ,'ssets and the building Of <sSers, an act
thcrt1ing the issuance OF g. .ooo. COO Of what we're
called .'cettihcStes OF Indebtedness" the paw
NJ ws' Spr secured ~ plede Of the
poNements- Again, after exhaustipg this de-
wee Tor the payment OF contractors, the legis-
isnye skse mbly, BY AZ act, divided the oitlee OF
Washington and Georgetown into -ewersse
districts, and levied n tax upon the various
seSsrsgt districts, varying in rste from 5 70 -
inc this act was passed nearly one haif OF the
entire sewerage stem WAS CONNECTED a. con-
,empiat by what Was kuoNn As the compre.
heusive plan, submitted 90 tue legislarure an
tesl basis OF the - 900 0aO loan which ex-.
grossly inclnded system OF sewerage. Bv this
ievice So ieO eco we're added 60 the assets 81 the
Board OF Public Works ant we're disSpr-es =,
contractors, except about the sum OF $4,000
hereof. Various other acts were passed OF =
similar chsracter, inv wing I'm Rller ums ana ~
this y stem OF credit upon credit, rather, debt
uIon debt, the board continued IT. vast opera
'i0ns, the result of which has been 60 ere ate
iebt for which the Board OF Public Wcrks ana
The District, IN enc form or another. are liable.
and when edded 10 the other floating Indebted.
me- OF the District, together with the funded in
Gebteduess. Aggregates not less than ~ S,9l0,ool
instead Of sliced. co. a. limited by the act OF
Congress Of MAY =. iSs2. The committee COM
prCbeud the Distinction sought 20 be drawn be-
tween debt created by the Issuance OF a csr-
tihcate ss = charge upon specific property in
nav nlent for work done, and an actual of,ifca-
non signed by the board itself or some author
ized ofhoer thereof Such certificates, however,
create burden. which might De 80 redupiicatsd
A. to violate the spirit n not the letter OF the
limitation liked by act OF Congress.
The legislation by the Legislative Assembly
Was In Imitation OF a recent act of Congress
providing for the paving OF Pennsylvania ave-
nue., wherein certificates of like character were
authorized 80 be issued, aud from which prece-
dent, doubtless, these various District laws
were ~Tawn, without much reference 20 their
erect upon me deot or appropriation limitation
in the organic act. Conceding the construction
Of the board 70 he correct, that the Asses ments
OF ne-tbird Of the cost OF improvements against
the private property OF the citizens simply ere
ated liability against private interests, yet
the other tGo-tbirds Of such cost, being other
wise unprONided tor, must necessarily De borne
by the property OF the District by some general
tar; 80 that the board, by the law. were not au-
tholized 90 prosecute improvements until appro-
pristions 20 cover the expense OF twO-thirds had
been previously made.
Aside, however, from what may be sAti with
reference TO the debt created in tue manner
just indicated, the bosrd aud the Dis, not gov
eminent have a large h0lting debt Ia excess OF
appropriations for which they ere Absolutely
and directly liable.
The amount OF this debt was not asoertained
with entire accuracy by the committee, owing
10 the fact that work was ia progress upon some
Of the contracts, and was unmeasu~ei or un-
adjusted.
From the best information attainabIe, the
committee find that the following IL - nearly
As can be stated tue debt OF the District which
IL in excess OF the sic, 900 limitation fixed
ny act OF Congress
Bills pay able OF the District OF Co
lumbiB. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $40 900 %
Certificates known as suditors GER
uhcates, less amOunt OF
marts authorized 20 be made. .....2. f5i.5eS IS
Contracts made for work aud not
completed, twO-thirds Of which
must be pad by the District. sSS,sB2 90
Amounting in the aggregate %. - "a ,S5S IS
Tbis is an absolute debt against the District,
after eXhsusting every available resource near
or remote fer its payment, unless a new tax for
this purpose shall be levied. It n a debt due
and payable At the present. But this Il not the
whole hoating or uniuDded Liability resting
legations for which the Board OF Public Works
aud The District are really liable, including such
a. 10 accurately ascertained and the rem liDdeT
estimated, may be stated AZ - ,6s3 .7Jo.s3, made
up o. the following items:
Certificates known A. audtoTs......sf ,90O, $50 81
Contracts not yet completed, estima-
Damages to property, eiumated. 49,. 600 90
PROF rety taken nom streets........ 5000 90
District Of Columbia debt 10 Feb
ruary !, lol4.......-.-.-.......-.. ~ SO 81
DtAls Pa hpie.....s .-.-...---.-.-.. alOr'VJ W
Total. .os3.75o -
The total burden upon the people Of the DIS
IiCt outside OF the pre- sent funded debt Is, how
ever much larger. To ascertain that burden
approximately there shoGi be added to the
foregoing:
Certificates of Indebtedness outstsnd-
ssys , csri,fc.tes o1tsIsnd,nS a,i 80
Present obligation OF the District not
inc uded IN the above. ............. $50 %
or a total ia addition OF SO $50 600; which NUT
DC met by taxation IN some form; or a total
burden OF sll Ol3, G56.S 50 beyond that represent
ed by the funded debt, which IL D 90, 25LIS;
mailing total burden upon the property OF the
the sums required 20 carry on the functions of
government after July /, 1874.
The present assets of the District, as repre-
seDted by every form of taxation, may be ap-
prCximgtely stated Is follows:
The uncolleted taxes for the year
1874 and preceding years,
levied for general purpose, est
Assessments tor improvements on
streets, made against property ad-
Iacent, due in i've annual Install
ments, from July Isl, 1853 -. 1860 OF
debtedness - $4,000 90
Same. vet TO be made, estimated 100000 90
Sewer-ares tax, TO meet Outstand-
ing sewer certificates, due in five
annual install mentS. ..............1 $50 900 90
6.726 ,J6O OF
OF the foregoing Indebtedness. under me pro
visions OF Che bill, the following may be funded,
At the option Of the holder or creditor OF the
District:
!. Auditors certificates 900 $50 50
,. Amount due or TO become due on
on incomplete contracts, esti-
mated. ......................-. $4,000 90
;. Claims Tor damages on account OF
change Of grade, and for property
taken from streets, estimated. $50 600 90
1. Sewer certificates outstanding O3O 900 90
5. Amount paid under &c TeT-taX
s1ssments. ......................... 500 900 90
Total that may be funded, esti-
niAte9 ....-........ .sSt5Sbsb ~
Should the foregoing not be funded, II must
be paid by taxation or by preparations made
by Congress, a. il Is all due and payable, except
the - $50, 600 represented by sewer-tax paid and
certificates outstanding.
Your committee are unable 10 see but one way
In which the board could have expected 20 pay
this large debt; that ~, by receiving aid from
Congress, as IL must have occurred 90 them that
The resources Of the District could not be taxed
sufficiently to pay them. That the committee
are justified in this conclusion will be evident
from the statement made by one OF the counsel
fOT the District government In HE hnal argu-
ment.
The Board OF Public Works since September
Z, 1871, have expended aud contracted 10 ex-