Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-06-16
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
The Amended Bill Providing for a
ChpnxQ.

OF the District of Columbia as reported back
to-day from the joint Special Committee inves-
tigating District affairs. 1t has been amended
in several important particulars, as a COMPARE
son with the original bill (pripted in TEE STAR
a few days siDce) will show:
a BILL for the government OF the District of
Columbia, ana for other purposes.
Be ii enacted, de-, That ali provisions of law
providing for an Executive, for a Secretary for
the District, for a Legislative Assembly. for a
Board Of Public Works and for a Delegate in
Congress in the District of Columbia are here
by repealed: PTOridsd That this repeal shall
not affect the term of Office OF the present Dele
: Sec. 2. That the President of .the United
States, by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate, is hereby authorized to appoint
commission, consisting of three persons, who
shall, until otherwise provided by law, exercise
all the power and authority now lawfully vested
in the Governor or Board of Public Works OF
said District, except as hereinafter limited, and
shall be subject 10 all the restrictions and lin
tations now imposed by law on said Governor
or board, and shall have power to apply tue
taxes or other revenues of said District to the
payment of the current expenses thereof, to the
support of the public schools, the ire depart
ment and the police, and to the payment of
the debts OF said District secured by pledge
of the securities OF said District or Board of
Public Works as collateral, and also to TT
payment of debts due to labOrcrs and EN- pieyeS
OF the District and Board of Public Works; and
for that purpose shall take possession aud SUI
pervision OF all the offices, books, papers,
records, moneys, credits, securities, assets aud
accounts belonging or apper tanning to the bust
ness or interests OF the government OF the Dis
trict OF Columbia aud the Board OF PnOlic
Works, and exercise the power aud authority
aforesaid, but said commission, in the exercise
OF such power or authority, shall make no con-
tract, nor incur any obi CATION other tn an such
contracts and obi cations as may be necessary.to
the faithful administration of the valid laws
enacted for the government OF said District, to
tie execution OF existing legal Obligations and
contracts, and the protection or preservation of
improvements existing or commenced and not
completed at the time OF the passage of this act.
All taxes heretofore lawfully assessed and due
OF 10 become due shall be collected pursuant TO
law, except as herein otherwise provided; but
said commissioners shall have no power to an
tIcipate taxes by A sale or hypOthecation of anv
such taxes, or evidence thereof: PrOrjded, That
nothing in this clause contained shall affect any
provisions of law authorizing or renuiring a
deposit of certificates OF assess ment with the
SINKING fund commissioners of said District;
and said commissioners are hereby authOyiZ 4
10 abolish any office, to consolidate two or more
Offices, reduce the number or employees, re-
move from office, and make appointments to
any Office authorized by Ia 2; aud the cOnpeu-
satiOn OF ali of GERS and employees, except teach
eJs IN the pub C schools ami officers aud en-
plOyes IN the ire department, shall be reduced
twenty per ceEtum per annum Said commits
sioners shall each, before entering upon the
discharge of his duties, take All oath to support
the constitution OF the United States and to
faithfully discharge tue duties imposed upon
him by law, and shan each give bond in the
: snal sum OF $4,000, to he approved by the
Secretary Of the Treasury, for the faithful dis
charge OF the duties OF his office; and shall each
receive for his services a Compensation at the
rate Of 5000 per annUm: Pr0Cidgd, That
nothing III this act shall he construed TO 40 lte
or IN any wise interfere with any suit pending
in favor of or against the District of Columbia:
and proUideG further, That in suits her eater
CO Dmenced against the District OF Columbia
process may be served on ans one of said com
missiOners, until otherwise provided bylaw.
Sec. 3. That the President Ofrh United States
shall detail Off Ger Of the ngneer corps OF the
army of the United States, who shall, subject to
the general supervision and direction of the said
boaId of commissioners, have the control and
charge OF the work of repair aud improvement
OF all streets, avenues, alleys, sewers, roads and
br dges of the District of Columbia; and he is
hereby vested with all the power and authority.
of and shall perform the duties heretofore de-
yolyed upon the chief engineer of the Board of
Public Works. He shall take possession OF and
preserve and keep all the instruments pertain
ing to sF "a office, and all the maps, charts sur
Veys, books, records, and papers relating TO
said District, or to any of the avenues, streets,
alleys, public spaces, squares, lots and build
lDgs thereon, sewers, OF any of them, are
now in or belong To the Office of said engi-
neer of the Board of Public Works, aud
shall, in books provided for that purpose,
Feep and preserve the records now required t.
be kept, and such as NAV be required by regu-
latiOns of said board. He may, with the ADVICE
and consent OF said board OF commissioners
appoint not more than two assistant engineers
from civil life, who shall each receive a salarv
OF 81 800 per annum, and shall be subject to his
direction and control. He shall receive no adj
ditIOnal compensation IOr such services. And
he shall EOt be deemed by reason of ANYTHING IN
this act contained to hold a civil off sc under
the laws OF the United States. And no salsry
or compensation shall be paid TO the veyor of
the District or any of his subordinates, except
such fees TOR special services as are allowed By
law. And the offices Of assistant Surveyor and
additional assistant surveyor CT the District OF
Columbia are hereby abolished.
Sec. T. That for the support of the govern
ment of the District OF Columbia, and III ain
tanning the credit thereof, for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1875, there shall be levied upon
all real estate in said District, except that be-
longing TO tue Uni ID States and to the District
Oh columbia, and that used Tor educational and
cb irritable purposes, the following taxes, name
ly: Upon ali such real estate In the city OF i
Washington, - on each 500 of the present as
sessed value thereof; upon all such real estate
IN lie city OF Georgetown, $3.50 on each : 100 OF
toe present assessed value thereof; aud upon
all such real estate in the District of Columbia
outside of the cities of Washington and George
town, - on each 500 OF the present assessed
value thereof; which sdid taxes shall become
due ard payable on the I5t day of November
1874, aud if not paid shall be in arrears and de-
linquent from that date: and shall, except as
herein modified, be assessed and collected a.
nov provided by Law for the assess ment aud col
lection OF general taxes for theDistTict of Column
o s; ana OF the sums so collected one-fourth
thereof shall be applied, first, to reimburse the
Unlted States for its advar ces on account of
interest which shall have been paid by the Uni
leu Otdtte on the fuDOed debt OF the District of
Columbia AID Washington and Geor getown due
and payable July /, 1874; and the remainder
shalt be used TO pay deficiencies in the various
unds for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1874.
And all the remainder OF said taxes not re-
luired for the aforesaid purposes shall be
distributed for the purposes and In the
proportions provided by the act of the Legisla-
tive Assembly OF the District OF Columbia APP
proved June 26, 1873, entitled IAN act imposing
taxes for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1874"
30 far as said apporti0nment is not inconsistent
with this act: ProUided, That no evidence OF
debt Issued by the District of Columbia or any
branch thereof, or by the Beard of Public
Works, shall in any manner be received in pay
ment for said taxes: And provii@d further, That
no payment shall be made on account OF tue
militia Of said District, or for the purpose of
erecting District jail. Upon all piymeuts of
sad taxes hereby imposed which sh All be made
In advance OF the said LIST OF November, 1874,
there shall be an abatement allowed OF per
centum per month for each and every month
20 paid In advance; and that upon all said
taxes which ehall be delinquent and unpaid
on said list day of November there shall be
added penalty of ole per centum TO the
amount thereof, to be collected with such taxes
and a Like penalty Of one per centum upon the |
amount thereof shalt be added on the first a Az |
Of each succeeding month TO all of said r. YES as
are then delinquent and unpaid 10 be collected |
- aforesaid IL shall be the duty of the collector
of taxes 10 prepare complete list OF all taxes |
2nd property upon which the me are asses ed
% arrears on the brit day of March next and |
hall, within ten days thereafter publish the /
nj n n x.f.@fa ~ II T.