Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-11-11
THE FUTURE OF sEORsKIOwN.
Meeting iss That Cifu.
LIST OF GRIEVANCES AND PRoPos
METHODS OF RELIEP.

A meeting OF citizens Of Georgetown was
held at Goddard's hall, In that city, last eve
ming for the purpose Of considering a change
OF government and adopting . series of rec
concentrations to be presented to the Con-
gressional commission to draft q plan OF
government for the District OF Columbia
A large number OF the most promi-
nept citizens Of Georgetown were prescott.
captain j. III. Goddard was elected chair
an, and Mr.. III. W. Barrett secretary. Mr..
VIM. d Tenney announced that the COM
mlttee appointed at the town meeting IN put
the views OF the citizens In suitable form was
ready TO report. He urged, however, that
the meeting be adjourned until next Tues
day, when the election excitement will have
subsidized, and q larger meeting could be
called. IL was finally agreed to have the re-
port read. The committee consists OF
Messrs: VIM. King, VIM. Fl. Tenney and 10.
pD Ai' THE REPORT
was read by Mr.. Libbey. 1t opens as fol-
lows:
The present form OF government debars us
from exercising any authority Whatever on
the amount OF taxation imposed upon us, or
any control over the expenditures OF the
same. The exercise of these vital powers Is
In the hands of strangers to us-non. resi-
de2p. not Identified with any OF our inter-
ests and hence unconcerned about the our
deDs imposed unon us, and Indifferent to oar
s1ft rings, and apparently deeming 1t an act
OF g ace to lis ten To any OF our grievances.
foot tax sufficient to cover the entire expense
OF distributing water by lateral mains vet.
oy Tecommendatiolo OF The present Commits
tioners OF the District OF Columbia. an
amendment, at the last session of Con ress
Ia committee of conference, without our
Enowledge, was put in the District tax bill
ebsIgipg us with the same water rent as was
paid In Washington. Our front-fOot tax OF
sixty cents on each side of a street, paid for
the cost OF our lateral mains, was useless
tax on onr citizens, as we now fluid we are
w rant fIo
paid by Washington, which city paid no
front foot tax; and the report OF General NJ
z. Meigs, q copy OF which is hereby annexed,
giving Us credit for our vision and sag acity
In making water free In our city. is an a0-
surdity If we are TO pay the same water rent
as Washington does. The acts of our corpo-
ration In making water free were confirmed
by Congress, as Is fully set forth in our COM
plant TO the honorable the Justices of the
Supreme Court OF the District of Columbia,
holding Court OF Equity, asking an iDjunc-
ton to restrain the collection of said water
rents. The report goes on to recite that the
corporation of Georgetown had paid for the
facts connected with the water grievance.
The second complaint is that COnsre5s
having, by act passed July IL, 1876, repealed
all licenses and made personeI tax In lieu
thereof, many citizens paid their licenses
prior TO July IL, 1876, and are now subject to
alb additional personal tax on the same prop
erty, the Commissioners deciding they have
no power TO return licenses paid prior to
July IL, 1876.
They further complain that while under
licenses and fines at home; now they have
10 travel two miles away TO the Columbia
buildings, on X street, and petty infringe
In the Police Court at Washington.
INCREASE IN TAXES.
The report reviews the gradual incc ease OF
taxes under the corporation from the year
erty, extension OF water mains and the ex-
Pense Of the fire department. 1t then says:
In 1871 tax of 81 IS on the 500 was levied,
OF which % cents was applied to the cost OF
new school house, the highest tax ever paid
under our late corporation. The following
tax Is given, contrasting the taxes paid by
into the government of the District OF Col
umbia, viz: For the half year ending June
80, 1872 95 cents; for the year ending June
so. 1873, Il 20; for the year ending June 80,
g 50; for the year ending June 80, 1876, $780,
for the year ending June 80, 1871, $50.
The report says: "a personal TAX was also
levied by the act OF Congress approved July
II, 1s16, repeating all license laws, aud d.
recting assessments on merchandise, bonds
mortgages, cash on hand, &c as interpreted
and offensive In its nature, the results of
which are yet to be determined. Under GU:
own municipal government, with the moi
crate tax above stated, we lighted our entire
streets with gas, maintained a steam ire
engine, more than our proportion OF those
used In this District, kept our town In good
sanitary condition, paid our proportion OF
N ain tanned a n aims house for our destitute
peer, and contributed literally as a corpo-
ration for the outside poor, maintained pub
! eople, and kept the credit OF our six Der
cent bonded debt at or above par" IL then
goes on TO state the cOmparatiyely small
berefiis II had received from the general
government.
THE PRAYER.
The concluding prayer is as follows:
I'VE therefore pray TO be restored to our
previous municipal condition, and IL IL is
the will OF our Congress, and the wish of that
portion of the District OF Columbia lying
west Of Rock creek to be included with us,
leaving that portion east of Rock creek to
be settled by the wishes OF its citizens. In
asking TO be restored to our previous NUM-
cfpal government II Is with this condition
only: that We be charged only with the debt
owed by us when our charter was taken |
from us without asking the approval OF our |
citizens, the county OF Washington being at |
sons: That the debt since Incurred was BY |
the board OF public works, and the present |
District Commissioners, appointed by the |
s,a and SSnrmsd by the Senate
sible to us and beyond our control.
BESIDE this fact. where our streets have |
been improved We have paid 'front.' foot tax |
50 80 per front foot. or e13 on both sides, |
being 81 300 for 100 feet Of q street improv- |
-asum sufficient; Y paid IN cash, to cover
-.Ie ens.Io 49, Improvement. Be-
sides, these improvements have been mostly |
wood pavements, and are now In dilapi- |
cated condition, worse than our late cobble- |
stone pavements, and VIII have to be re- |
rewed with more suitable material.
We now refer, In conclusion, TO an act OF |
Ten gress, entitled Gan act concerning the /
District OF Columbia, approved FebruaryN, !
1901 ;" section l6;
And be Il further enacted, Tnat nothing In |
this act contained shall IN any wise alter,
impeach or impair the rights granted by, or |
derived from, the acts of Incorporation of |
Alexandria and Georgetown, or of any body
corporate or polite within the said District,
except so far as related to me judicial powers
c, the corporations Of Geol getown ana Alex
andria.
We think, therefore, the act OF Congress Of
February, 1871, depriving US OF our corporate
power was an act passed by Congress with
out due consideration, and upon more fully
understanding the subject and their previous
acts they will allow us to manage our mu-
nicipal matters, subject TO their exclusive
legislation, and without violating the fun
damental principles OF republican govern
meat which our forefathers Ia Congress en-
deavored to avoid. While we are deprived
OF a vote for representatives In the House or
for electors for President, to both of which
we willingly su bmit for the good of our COM
N on country without claiming IL as a right,
VI limit that the solemn com Dact ent4red