National Republican., 1874-06-01
HARRINGTON'S ARGUMENT.
HISTORY OF THE CASE AND REVIEW
OF THE EPRoCEEDINGS.

HISTORY OF THE CASE AND REVIEW
OF THE REPR0CEEDINGS.
RoTIvEs OF THE MENoRIALIsTs INQUIRED
INTo-DEFEATED IN THE COURTS, re-
JEOTED BY THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE
THEY BEsIEGE CONGREss-THE TRANS
FORMATION OF THE CAPITAL - THE
GREAT WORK ACCOMPLISHED.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the eoRmittee:
Icongratulate you upon the approaching end oa
your unpleasant labor, when you will be free "a
return 70 your more eongeniAl duties Rs leg1sfa.
tors: counsel to the more pleasant duties Of their
profession, and the heavy incubus forced upon the
people Of this District by the fl-advised and I'LL
considered action Of few malcontents lifted, and
the stream Of business permitted to resume its
Wonted channels; for whatever may be the result
Of this Investigation, whether your Judgment
shall be one OF approval or condemnation, its ef
feet upon this people and this community cannot
be disguised.
Since the introduction Of the memorials, and
the passage of the resolution ordering this COM
mittee, throughout the District business has been
at stGnd-stifl rade nerveless, enterprising oper-
ations suspended This people could, so lar as
they are concerned with great gain 70
Government the losses that may have been Ius-
tanned BY reasonof inadTeTtence or mistake rather
than undergo the sweating process 70 in,d mbcn al
j say all classes OF people, but ought, perhaps,
20 except one namely, those who make meIchzn-
SroSs51 - STPS 4 STOCKS and gather IN
come by injecting into community want Of
faith In the securities Of its government.
I DO not believe Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen,
that many Of the person who secured the passage
Of the resolution ordering this Investigation were
sy any inch high and E9Sd
Had this been the first attempt to check pro-
greSs and development We might believe It were
Seps But to those ofus Who are YsHfIisT % With the
affairs In the District 1t will occur that from the
inception OF the present government the Ruthori-
ties have met with steady and persistent objec-
tions from . well known class Of people.
As has been stated to you, the very first attempt
to secure the means to begin the Improvements
was at the request Of some OF these memorialists
met by injunction from the courts.
Overruled there, the question was submitted to
the people for vote. lgnomiuiousy defeated
attempt has been TO harass the government and
check the efforts Of persons engaged In. tho i'm
RrOyePent Of the city. They caused to be spread
Senomous, ltcentious and lfbeious press that the
Board Of Public Works were corrupt.
Even In the community in which they reside
these gentlemen have been made, and Oongre IS
itself challenged to investigate the workings Of
the District government in order that these gen.
tlemen might have an opportunity to make proof
Of the allegations. They opened their case with
the most remarkable request that was ever pre-.
eented to any tribunal. asking that they should
be permitted TO drag into the committee room all
the private books and papers OF persons who were
assumed to have connection with the District
government
submit to this committee that, notwithstand-
ing the disclaimer OF counsel upon the other side
motive in the conduct Of this case that their whole
course Of procedure, from the commencement of
this case to the filing Of the arguments on the
other side, demonstrate that while they them
selves personally were exempted from such mo-
tive, that back Of them was an impelIng power Of
hatred and malice. Their whole course Of pro-
cedure demonstrates studied effort to break down
the sacred rules Of evidence that the common law
OF the land had built up around every man for his
projection and security. And their efforts are
evident 10 use this committee as 8 mere conduit.
through which they might sssail the integrity Of
honest gentlemen and Desmirch the reputation Of
good citizens. With the exception Of the hrst
charge filed by the memorfslists, take 1t there
needs no special answer. Their work is the best
answer in the case made ythe complainers. The
msnt denies that there any genius or original
fly IN the plans Of Improvement for which the
Board Of Public Works could claim any credit,
and, in some measure, initiated In execution be-
fore the present board came into power; and as
sorts that It is very certain that the burden Of the
enormous taxation which has been accumulated
within the past two years has seriously impaired
the value OF property all over the city.
This remarkable statement hnds its amplest
rerutation in the results Of the labors OF the board
Until 1870 the capital Of the nation was disgrace
to the American people. Selected SIS the perma-
pent seat of the Federal Government; named In
from the people of the adjoining State by dons-
tiou, upon the consideration that It should be
cared for by the country, the American Congresses
that have assembled have permitted its mag
nifieent promises to be unfulhled; its broad ave
nues and beautiful streets TO remain unimproved;
its natural ssWer-courtes to become mere mud
holes; and permitted, in the heart OF the city,
within stones throw Of its principal avenue, o
cesspool, breathing forth disease and death.
NN Nhn NrkW uWNNN al
found therein no pride and no attraction, while
the foreigner wondered that some Of the energy
Of the American character was not spent in the
furtherance OF the grand plan of the city which
was conceived by the fathers, and whose beautif-
cation and adOrDment was their hopeful pride.
The nation has neglected its own city. The peo-
proper Share Of taxation In order to make the cap
itaI worthy the republic. They knew that the
strangers who visit our land would draw many OF
their ideas Of the grandeur and stability OF the
nation from its capital; that they here would re-
ceive Impressions which are never forgotten, and
which, abroad, are always powerful for good. l
do not attribute all the blame to the representa-
tives Of the people. Perhaps the first fault lay
with our own ctiZens for up to the time Of the or
seems to have been an honest, strong, united ef-
fort TO help ourselves. But at length o new era
dawned upon the capital. The fossils OF the past
age were compelled TO give way to the ideas OF the
new era, and men were found whose hands were
strong enough, whose courage was great enough,
whose faith was unbounded enough to begin the
.
proper position and commence the execution OF the
original plan that had lain so long unknown and
unheeded. The Board Of Public Works assumed
control IN June, ISL. Since that time they have
conceived and put in operation what Washington
has so long needed, and upon which the health Of
our citiIens mainly depends-s thorough system
Of sewerage.
The following statement from the report of Mr..
Cluss will undoubtedly be accepted, even by the
memoriahsts, correct exhibit Of the work done
In this direction: Slash-run sewer 10 feet span at
outlet, 200 lneal feet; B-street intercepting
sewer, Il feet at outlet, b3l2 lineal feet; Tiber
creek, main stem, 80 feet at outlet, 2473 lineAl
feet: Tiber creek, main stem, 20 feet ut outlet.
0O0 lneal feet; Tiber creek, eastern stem, feet
diameter, $50 lineal feet; Tiber creek, north
ten feet diameter 800 lineal feet; nine feet nine
inches diameter, 200 lineal feet; six feet nine
inches diameter, 200 !Lneal feet.
In addition TO the above main stems, the follow
ing secondary brfk sewers were laid: Seven feet
8 inches inside diameter, eos lineal feet;o feet
inches inside diameter 9S5 linsal feet feet inside
diameter s,sl8 Iineal feet: To- ct inches inside
diameter A7SO IineRl feet; s feet inside diameter,
go iineal feet feet inside diameter, 97o5 lneai
feet: feet inches inside diameter, go lineal
feet feet inside diameter 1873 lineaI feet; feet
0 inches inside diameter. also lineal feet
PIPEsEwEss.
The pipe-sewers Of glazed earthenware laid
during the past season were mostly Of Il and Is
inches diameter Of bore. Their total length laid
to date is Sl7,l9o linear feet. An almost equal
amount Of 6-inch houseconnections has been laid.
The street improvements have been as follows:
laid, 2O0.o5; flag sidewalks laid, 3.O5; concrete
sidewalks laid, 379 gravel roadway, in city, $50;
gravel roadway, in the county, SO: cobble pave
ment e.95; bluestone pavement, 3.S9; Macadam
pavement, city and county, 7.s7; Belgian and
granite pavement, 9.46; concrete pavement, 2s.34;
wood pavement, IS: total sidewalks, in miles,
2O7.T9; total improved roadway, in city, 1855;
total improved roadway, in county, 80.
Nor should il be forgotten that In the prosecu-
tion Of these street improvements tha grading
alone will amount to more than 3.34o 900 cubic
yards, and that the haul Of this excavation will
average three quarters OF mile. The result Of
this improvement, Mr.. Merrick says, has been TO
seriously impair the value of property, which as
sertion hEds its answer in the Improved condition
OF city; the increased value Of property in the
additional stimulus to trade and business; the in
creased real estate operations and the erection
OF many new and substantial buildings In the city.
Within the course Of this last season there were
erected in the city Of Washington 0re than 100
new buildings and these not confined to one sec
ton Of the city, but distributed throughout; while
reference TO the tabular statement of real estate
operations, submitted to the committee by Messrs
Kilbouin 4 LattA shows that the recorded trals-
fers Of W ashngton city real estate for 1870 nun
bered 2,o65 with consideration OF A,s27, 900; for
lS7l. 2252 with consideration Of 81, ~ 437; in
1872, 2SSS with consideration Of Sl0 O03 $50, and
the recorded transfers for 1873, 342s with Q con-
OF tl2 l9j 3e0 from which 1t will be OBJ
served that the money invested in the purchase Of
real estate In the city Of ashngton IN 1873 Is al
most as much as was invested In both years 1870 |
and lsIl and that the operations Of the year 1879
even with the stringency Of the money market In /
the later months, exceeded those Of 1872 both In L
har Of GaCNfn 4