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

instead Of the Governor ana the secretary.
sec. .. That joint select committee shall be
appointed BY the presiding cfieer of the senate,
and two members Of the House to be appointed
by the Speaker Of the House of Representa-
he frame Of government for the District of Co
luhbia and appropriate drafts of statutes to b.
enacted by Congress for carrying the same into
enect, ana report the same to the two Houses,
respectively, the first day of the next session
thereofi and they shall also prepare aud sub-
NIT 10 congress statement OF the proper pro.
poIuen OF me expenses OF said government, or
FUNDED debt, which should be borne by said Dis
triet and the United States respectively, toSe-
tber with the reasons upon which their conclu-
sions may be based; and in the discharge Of the
duty hereby imposed said committee ia author
lied to employ such assistance as IL NAV deem
advisable, at an expense not to exceed the sum
OF So,uuO, ana SAID sum, or 20 much thereof as
may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby,
appropriated for that purpose.
sec o. That II shall be the duty of the First
Comptroller OF the Treasury and the Second
comptroller OF the Treasury OF the United
States, who are hereby constituted hoard nj
audit, To examine and audit for settlement all
me nrfunded or floating debt OF the District
OF Columbia and of the Board Of Public Work
hcreinaiter specified, namely: First, the debt
evidenced by sewer certificates; secondly, thu
Qsht purp0itngtO be evidenced and sscertained
by the certificates OF the auditor of the Board of
Public Works; thirdly, the debt evid need BIZ
tue certificates Of the auditor and the comp
claims existing or hereafter created for viii n
no evidence Of Indebtedness has been Issued
ARISING OUT OF contracts, written or oral. made
ny the Board of Public Works: filthy, claims
which no evidence of Indebtedness has been
Issued, arising ont of contracts written or oral
made by or on behalf OF the District Of Column.
biz; sNThly, all claims for private property
taken by the Board of Public Works from the
avenues, streets, and alleys of the cities of
Washington and Georgetown; aud, sevenshly
all unadjusted claims for damagel that
m thn I'D
OF Public WORKS, pursuant TO An act
OF the Legislative Assembly of the
district iI nc OF Columbia, entitled Gan act provid
lng Tor the payment of damages sustained by
reason of public improvements or repairs" ap-
proved June 20, 1872, which last.named claims
snail severslly be examined and audited with
out regard to any examination heretofore
made; and shall make detailed and tabular
statement of all claims presented, the persons
or corporate owning the same, and the
amount found to be due on account OF each
together with a tabular statement of the funded
debt OF the District of Columbia and of the
eitlss OF Washington and Georgetown of every
klnu ana character whatsoever. giving the date
or issue, time of maturity. and the rate of in
terest. And 1t shall further be the duty of said
BOARD to ascertain the amount of sewer tax or
asse ssinent PAID by any person, persons or cor
pOTation. under the act of the Legislative 4 -
seinoiy or said District, entitled IAN act Gre
alnS drainage and sewerage sections in the
t tba Oh Washington and Georgetown, in
the District of Columbia, and providing for
the payment of tie construction of sewers
ana drains therein by assessments ana is-
SUING certificates therefor" approved the
Zoth cav OF June, 1873, and 10 prepare q
tahulated statement thereof. Such board of
AUDIT sball also issue 70 each claimant a ceriif-
cate, signed by each OF said board and counter
slgneu by the comptroller of said District stat
ing TIE amount found to be due 70 each and on
what account, and a register thereof shall he
kept by said board to De transmitted to Con-
sress, ana also by the comptroller of said Dis
tfict; and said board Of audit shall also ascer-
Tam ana report to Congress, at the next session
mercer, me amount eqGitably ehargeable t.
uhe street railroad companies on account of
paving along and within the tracks of said
companies, pursuant to the charters ct said
CGnp anles or the acts of Congress relating
theEetO, together with their reasons therefor
II SHAH further be the duty of said board of au-
dit to examine into and audit all of the accounts
OF ne auditor and of the treasurer of the Board
OF fublc works, and of the auditor. the trea
utter, the collector, and the comptroller of the
Distinct of Columbia, from the date of the or
ganl2aton of said board apd OF the present
government of said District; and for the pur-
pose heTeinbefOre specified shall have the
power TO subpoena witnesses, administer osths
ana examine witnesses under oath. and shali
have full access TO all of the records boOks
papers ana vouchers of every Kind whatsoever
OF the Board of Public Works and OF the Dis
tlct OF Columbia; and to the end that said books
snd the Indebtedness of said District, and of the
Board of Public Works, aud the state of the
books and accounts of ca ch OF the officers sfore
ssid' may be accurately ascertained, shall EN-
ply one or more skllltul AMI impartial account
ants, NONRESIDENT of the District of Columbia
andsuch other assistants a. they NAV deem nece--
hafy, 10 make examination Of said books, vJuch
tfs ana papers, and discharge their other duties
undeT THIS act, and shall procure inspection of
Such blank books and papers as may be nsces-
fary; and they are hereby authorized to pay for
the services OF such accountant or accountant,
and assistants such sans as they nav deem
proper. And faid accountant or cc1untants
shan take an oath 70 Faithfully discharge the
Cutes imposed ny this act Said board of u1it
notice tafio Of ha
Claims heTeinbefOre specified in such manner
as may be deemed necessary; and no claim shall
ninety DAYS after the first publication of such
notce. Each of the said officers CONSTITUTING
said board shall be paid the sum of - 600 for
DIS services under this act, out of the funds of
sation.
Sec: I. That the sinking fund commissioners
OF said District are hereby continued; aud it
snail be the duty of said sinking fund commits
sloners TO cause bonds of the District of Column
Dia TO be prepared, in sums of $50 and $500
bearing date August l, 1874, payable fifty years
AFTER date, bearing interest az the rate of three
and sixty-fve hundredths per centum per an
mum, payable semi annually, to be signed by
the secretary and the treasurer OF said sinking
fund commissioners and countersigned by the
comptroller Of said District, and sealed as the
board may direct; which bonds shall be EXEMPT
from taxation bv federal, state, or municipal
authority, engraved and printed at the expense
OF the District of Columbia and in form not
inconsistent herewith. And the faith OF the
nnited states is hereby pledged that the
United States will, by proper proportional
appropriations as contemplated in this
act, and by causing TO be levied upon
the property within said District such
taxes as will provide the revenues necessary 10
pay the in crest on said bonds as the same NAV
become due and payable, and create a sinking
fuDo for the payment of the principal thereof
at maturity. Said bonds shall be numbared
coDsecutiyely and registered in the Off &c of the
comptroller OF said District, and shall also be
registered in the Office of the register of the
treasury OF the United States, for which last
named registration the Secretary OF the Treas
ury shall make such provision as may be neces-
safy. And said commissioners shall use all
necessary means for the prevention of any un-
authorized or fraudulent issue of auy such
bonds. And the said sinking fund commission
ers are hereby authorized to exchange said
bonds at par for like sums of any class of in
debtecness In the preceding section of this act
named, including sewer taxes or assessments
paid, evidenced by certificates of the auditing
board provided for in this act.
Sec. S. That the authority conferred on the |
Board of Public Works to issue additional GER
tihcates OF Indebtedness by section four of the |
act OF the Legislative Assembly, approved on |
the twenty ninth day of Nav, eighteen hundred
ana seventy three, ia hereby annuled. No
property shall be advertised for sale or sold for
the collection of any assessment authorized by
the Legislative Assembly by the act entitled
% An act creating drainage and sewerage sec
tons in the cities of Washington and George
town, il the District of Columbia and proyiS-