The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-12-16

proved June 90, 1874. TO wind NJ
J the affairs ofthe District Government
Il will b seen from the report that
the net Debt ofthc District ofColnm.
bia. less securities on hand and avail
able. Is: bonded debt, Issued prior to
iJnly 1. 1874, $3.50 $40 43; Ss65
bonds. act Of Congress, Jnnc 20,
1874, S2,08S IGs 73; certificates q
the. Board of Audit Sl,7T0,553 10;
total. i5,742,667 Gl. Less special
improvement assessments chargeable
to private property IN excess OF any
demand against such assessments,
SI.6l4.054 81; less Chesapeake and
4 Ohio caaal bonds, $75.004 90, and
Washington and Alexandra Rail-
read bonds, $4,000 90. In the
hands Of the Commissioners OF the
Sinking Fund, $I,74S,o5t 81. Leay-
inr the actual debt. less said assets,
l$I3,994,Gl3 "a. In addition - this.
there are claims preferred against the
Government of the District asn9unt-
ing, in the estimated aggregate re-
ported by the Boara of Audit, To 3d.
Il47,Fs7 AZ, Of which the greater part
will probably be rejected This sum
can with no more propriety be inclu-
ded In the debt account OF this Dis
trict Government than can the thou
sands Of claims against the General
Government be Included as q portion
OF the national debt; but the aggre-
gate snm thus stated includes some
thing more than tie funded debt
chargeable exclusively TO the District
of Columbia. The act Of Congress of
June %, 1874, contemplates an APP
portionmert between the United
States Government and the District
of Columbia in respect of tue pay
ment OF the principal and interest of
tie 1858 bonds. Therefore, in com
putting with precision the bonded
debt Of the District, the aggregate
sums above stated, as respects the
1855 bonds now issued, the oGtstand-
ing certificates OF the Board OF Audit
and The unadjnstcd claims pending
before that Board should be reduced
to the extent OF the amount 10 be APP
portioned to the United States Gov
eminent in the amer indicated in
the Act Of Congress of June Goth,
1874. | especially invite your at
Jention to the recommendations of
the Commissioners of the Sinking
Fund relative to the ambiguity ofthe
act of june Goth, 1874, the interest Of
the District bonds and the consolida-
ton of the Indebtedness of the Dis
trict. ! feel much indebtedness to
the gentlemen who consented TO leave
their private affairs and come from a
distance to the business Of this Dis
triet, and for the able aud ~satisfaeto-
nv manner in which it has been con-
Quoted. | am sure their services will
be equally appreciated By the entire
country. 1t will be seen from the &C
companying full report of the Board
of Health, that the sanitary condition
Of the District is very satisfactory
In my opinion, the District Of Colum-
bis should be regarded as the ground
Of the National Capital, in which the
entire people are interested. | do not
aIlude to this to urge generous appro-
prialions to The District, but to draw
the attention of Congress, in framing
n law for the government of the Dis
triet, to the magnificent scale on which
the city was planned by the founders
Of tue Government, the manner in
which, for ornamental purposes, the
reservations of streets and avenues
were laid out and the proportion of
the property actually 10y the General
Government. | think the proper
ton Of the expenses of the Govern
ment and improvements to be borne
by the General Government, the cit
les of Washington and Georgetown
and the county, should be carefully
and equitably defined.
IMPROVEMENT CT THE MISSISSIPPI.
In accordance with Section 3 of
the act approved June 23d, 1874, j
appointed a board to make a survey
of the mouth of the Mississippi riv-
er, with a view to determine.th best
method Of obtaining and maintaining
a depth of water sufficient forthe pLr-
poses OF commerce, &c; and in &C
cordance witt an act to provide for
the appointment of a Commission of
Engineers to investigate aud report a
permanent place for the reclamation
of the a~lluvial basin of the Mississip-
pi, subject TO inundation, | appointed
a Commission of Engineers. Meth.
er board has yet completed It's labors.
When their reports are received, they
will be forwarded to Congress with
out delay.
ISigned) u. S. GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Dee. Z, 1874.
CHEAP SIDE GROCERY.