Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-08
lEGIsLATryE AssESaIv.

eIhOr anu INFORM MIN OF the action of the two
duty.
Mr.. Buker submitted a concurrent resolution
Ior the appointment of q committee OF two
from each house TO wait on the proper commit
tee IN Congress and ask the repeal OF the law
exemptlng church property in this Distrctfrom
taxation; referred to the committee on national
relations.
House concurrent resolution asking Congress
to establish an institution In this District for the
education Of the blind, was read, and. on mo-
ton OF Mr.. Thompson, was referred to the COM
mittee on national relations.
Mr.. Brooks submitted a resolution instruct
ing the committee on wharves to inquire into
the present status OF the wharf property be-
longing 10 the District of Columbia, fronting on
the Potomac river and the Eastern br nch;
whether any wharves have been or are now
leased to private parties; if SO, by what author
ity; the amount paid, if any, under such lease,
and what disposition has been made OF the
money received; adopted. Adjourned.
HOUsE.-The House was opened with prayer
by Rev. j. Duey Moore, chaplain; all the mem
bers present.
Mr. Cox introduced bill for the repair of gar
bage carts; referred.
MIR. Gordon introduced bill for relief of John
HOckmyer; referred.
Mr.. Robertson presented petition of Rut-
ledge Wilson; referred.
Mr.. Carroll introduced bills for the relief of
Jas. Fitzpatrick and David Delaney; referred.
REPORTS.
Mr.. Urell, from the committee on apprOpris-
ions, reported bill 10 provide compensation tor
certain officers (assessors,) which was read
second time.
SIR. Brown, from the committee on claims,
reported bill to pay WIN. Sayres for services as
Waterman; read a second time.
THE LONG COMMITTEES REPORT.
MIR. Boswell, from the committee on laws, re-
Ported adversely on the resolution referring the
report of the Long committee on justices and
constables. and asked TO be discharged. Mr.. b.
stated that by the law the report should have
come through the Governor, and the report not
having come through that source, he doubted
whether they could act on IL.
Mr.. Perkins moved to recommit.
MIR. TTimble raised the point that such a mo-
ton was not in order.
The Speaker sustained the point.
The report was adopted and the committee
discharged.
EXEMPTION OF CHURCH PROPERTY.
Mr.. Shepherd (Mr. Noungs in the chair
called up concurrent resolution requesting a
modification of the law eIempting church and
school property from taxation. Mr. Shepherd
urged the business Of some modification in the
law, stating that by this law the District lost
from two to three hundred thousand dollars
Mr.. Bradley moved to amend so as to strike
out all exemptions.
Mr.. Shepherd explained that he was in
favor OF exemptlng property actually used for
church and parsonage purposes, and OF taxing
such property as is held 10y churches and chari-
table institutions as investments, some of which
they have leased and derive a revenue there
from, and yet pay no taxes.
Mr.. Berry objected to the form of the amend
ment, and moved to amend the amendment so
lions from general taxation. MIR. b. urged that
these institutions saved the community large
sums of money annually, at least indirectly,
and they could with propriety exempt such in
situations from general taxation.
Mr.. Brooks favored the imposition of special
taxes on churches, but thought they should be
exempt from general taxation. He saw no rea-
son why they should not encourage them as
well as asylums. They should be placed before
asylums, for ii was in the churches th at morality
was taught. 1t appeared that they intended to
crush out the churches, and they should re-
member that most of them are poor; and he did
not think they should be put in the same cate
CORY az theateTs.
Mr.. Boswell denied that there was anv At
tempt to crush out churches, but the boot was
on the other leg. Some OF the churches, at
least, seemed to be crushing out the people by
buying up property on which they paid no taxes,
(availIDg themselves of q construction given to
the law which property they hold for specula-
tive purposes. Ii churches were less like thea
tiers, the people who attend them, as well as the
COmmuuity, would he better of.
The amendment of Mr.. Berry was agreed to
yeas II; nays-MessTs. Brooks, Bursley, Dyer,
Gordon, Hunt, Peck, Trimble, and the
Mr.. Bursley moved to strike out all the res
olutlOn, 50 as TO make a request tor repeal of
all laws relating to the exemption Of church
property; lOst-yeas (Messrs. Bursley, Gordon,
Wilson and Ioungs) 1, nays Is.
The resolution was then adOpted-yeas II,
nays (Messrs. Brooks, Dyer, Hunt, Ufeu ami
NOungsJ ).
The resolution as adopted is as follows:
Be it rsSOlred, DC, That the committees on
national relations OF the Council and House of
Delegates be, and they are hereby, instructed
70 wait upon the proper committees OF the 4}I
Congress, and urge upon the me mbers thereof
a. well as the individual members OF Congress
the justice and propriety OF repeating all laws
and parts of laws relating to the exemption
from taxation all church property aud property
belonging to humane institutions, AMI modify
ing the exemption plan so as only TO EXEMPT
from general taxation such property OF humane
a i. an pnF,fa a fNr Oh.
purposes exclusively, and to render all such
property of every description liable to special
taxation for improve done in front of such
property the same a. l. now assessed upon the
property of private citizens.
And Be II further reS0lred, That such Congress
slonal action is deemed eminently proper, in
ments in front OF such property has now to be
paid by private individuals, much to their Pc
cuniary grievance and manifest injury,
The REVISED CODE.
AT 80, on motion of Mr.. Shepherd, (Mr
Berry in the Cha. ) the House went into com
mittee of the whole for the consideration of the
time thereon the committee rose, reported pro
gress, and the House adjourned.
REAL ESTATE TRANsFERs.-wm.G G. stien-
metz and wife TO VIM. Il. McKelden, lot 49,
square 90, 400; g. \. Thorn and wife TO Ro-
sanna NJ. Humphrey, lot 4, subdivision square
2, square Sc, IS. 600; b. n. Warner and wife to
Frank Hodges, lots Is and Is, subdivision square
- Is -, 100 David Il. CisSel and wife to VIM.
W. Cooper, lot NJ, subdivision square 2T.
Sll 200; Henry g. Lafece to VIM. Schooer, part
lot So, subdivision square 80, S73s.7O; Mary p.
Simmons to Alvin y. Meeker, part lots 9 and
10, square SD, 50 00O q. Ashford and wife to
Edw. Hammersley, part lot 81, subdivision
square 43j. 81; Edw- Hammersley to G.. Ash
ford, part lot 81, subdivision square 49, 81; WIN.
b. Webb, trustee, to j. W. Ramsey part lot II,
square 13+, 50; G.. K. WEIGH to VIM. q. Cooke
lot IL and part lot II, square S}5, II OO0 Jesse
II. Whitaker and wife to Edward Weser, lot 80,
square I35, $1,000; Robert p. Dodge, trustee, to
Robert u. CrOpley, part lots 107. los, 109 and
ITO, in Beatty K Hawkins addition to George
town, -; Richard Wallach, trustee, TO James
W. Barker lot a, subdivision square 342 s5;
Ann e. Carroll ct al. to VIM. Wurdemann lot
|, square 6s5, $500; Mary Ann Clements to
Henry L. Ries, lot V, subdivision square 1872
s1.f5; John IL. Lipeold to Henry SeebOde, part
lot l., square AS, $50; Ella NJ. Park to Gath
crime Quinn, =, square 15f, ~, 800; Abraham
Van Hern to Benjamin II. Stienmetz lot D.
subdivision square I66, 81 800; John Wallace
and wife TO Thomas +. Wallace, lots PC, ~ 2S,
%, 80, 80, CO. 81, 90 and So, in block No r. Hall
* HOlden's subdivision "COllege Hill" ~ 900;
Charles III. Cragin and wife to John w Mar
riOtt. lots and :, Deskin & Bailey's addition
TO Georgetown, S325; VIM. II. Gunnison and
wife to Chss. T. Benz amin, lot 30, square 500,
81 $50.