Evening star., 1876-12-02

June 70. IS7T. with the existing tax law. We
suggest that the Interests of the District viii
ee promoted by the extension OF the term OF
the office Of assessors. which will secure
more practical experience in the discharge OF
the duties OF the Office than can Be expected
under the present tenure Of one year, aud
that such board b. limited IN three mr-aeers.
at an annual salary of fifteen hundred dollars
each.
The attention ot Congress IS respectfully
invited % n bill pending in the Senate, ~.
SOL To provide for the payment OF out
standing certificates of the late board of audit
Of uhC District OF Columbia, and the settle
ment of certain claims against said District
These claims are for outstanding certid-
Gates and those not acted upon by The
late hoard OF audit, for work done under the
present Commissioners since the 5th day OF
February, ls.e. under contracts or modihca-
tons or extensions OF the same. OF the late
hoard of public works, and for sums hereto
security for the performance of thcir con-
tracts; claims audited and allowed hut not
nnally passed on by the late hoard of audit.
and for which certificates of that board werc
not issued, and for work done. the
measurements of which have been made by
The District snginecr. hut not transmitted by
MN 10 the eoard 81 audit. comprising all
work completed to date OF cAncs-..a ION of
contracts, pursuant To Join; resolution OF
Congress approved March lsth. 1919.
The amount Of these claims. as estimated
by the engineer. IL ~ 043 4,l "a suhi,s.t n re-
duction on account of errors and oVfr-nav-
mentS Of the Indebtedness reported by the
bOarU OF aOlNs Nnlch VIII hp aSeHrfainesl
when each account H. audited aud closed by
the controller ard auditor OF the District
who are directed hy the hill 10 examine and
audit for settlement all claims not audited
by the board OF audit. and issue to each
claimant a proper certificate for the amount
q. tie claim allowed by them. signed by them
and oountersigned by uie District Commis-
certificates which shall be deposited in the
controllers Office. No claim can be allowed
after the expiration of four months from the
Passage Of the bill and the acceptance by any
claimant Of the certificate provided for. shall
bar him I'm respect OF any action or supposed
night OF action upon his claim. except as
otherwise provided In The bill. aud no action
or suit shall be maintainable against the
District Of Columbia or the United states
upon such certificates.
For the payment Of said certificates and
outstanding certificates Of the late board OF
audit, convertible on their face into 365
bonds, but tnecOnVer>ion Of which l. prohib-
tied by law, amounting, as reported by the
board of audit and sinking fund commits
sfoners, TO S55S.ZS53. the bin pledges an as
stSSment certificates for special imprDye-
ments. after paying thercfrom the PRINCIPAL
and interest OF the certificates of fndabtssi-
ness, commonly called 'grcenbacks." issued
under an act OF the legislative assembly OF
the District of Columbia, approved Nav -
1853, of which there are outstanding at this
date. as reported by the commissioners OF
the sinking fund, S99s 700. The surplus OF
the special Improvement assessment cerfifi-
Gates that can be 80 applied IL estimated. by
II ,6s9 ,s44 "a The account will stand as fol-
lows:
Estimated amount Of assessment carfif-
Gates for special Improvements, afer paying
outstanding "greenbacks." )" Al ,ess s44.7l; esti-
mated amount OF claims covered by senate
bill so, sl.oi3 429-s4, surplus OF assessment
certificates, S646.4l4aa
The claims prov Vided for by this hill are
meritoriouS and should be paid. The COM
miSsionerS are without authority 90 pay any
of them out Of the District treasury or other
w fgn TfR.aN~ safar FnnsN An
come law during the coming session OF
Congress.
The statement of receipts and expenditures
II a. follows:
Total receipts 10 December l. 1876 3. .55i. so m
Total expenditures 20 December l.
1S1G, including warrants issued
and not presented d...... ..,...... 2.42s, $500
Balance go. .................. sI22, ,9s4O5
Wilson, late Treasurer. (fuIly Sc
cured)...........-........ IOOII.s3
balance cash on hand, Decem-
her l, ,ls7c............ ............. sIl2,94222
Subject 10 payment OF outstanding
obligations, not matuned, for
which this sum has been set
aIart...... 49,. -:.,............... 22,e5s.o9
And for payment OF loan OF Riggs
Co, due January 5th, ls77.... 100000
Total............................ sI52.ess69
Dencit........ ................... 59,7I6z7
This deficit viii be promptly made good
nom receipts II taxes pa aNable the 1T inst.
The report reviews al length the reports OF
tiie commissioners of the sinking fund and OF
the superintendent of assessments ar taxes,
lboth of which have been printed in The
STAR The report Of the engineer of the Dis
trlct. tprinted i'm this paper and the reports
OF the inspector of buildings, the attorney for
the District, the commissioner OF the Wash
ington asylum, the coroner, the trustees OF
public schools, and the fire COMMISSIONER
abstracts OF the two latter reports have been
Ihsal IA
as follows:l
The last census of the District was taken i'm
ls.0 since that period there has been a con-
siderable increase Of the population, white
and colored, in the District. especially in
Washington. IL is thought the public inter-
ests, especially those connected with the pub
nc SCHOOLS, VIII be promoted by having a
new census taken during the coming year for
which, we trust, suitable provision will be
made by Congress.
The Joint Committee OF Congress 10 frame
a government for the District of Columbia
IN their published bill for that purpose
provide Tor appropriation by Congress OF
forty per cenium OF the annual estimates
OF the amount necessary 20 defray tie
expenses and pay the accruing indebt-
edness of the government OF the District;
and for the permanent payment by the Sec
retary of the Treasury OF the interest accruing
on the three-sixty-five bonds OF the District
as the same matures,-the amount so paid 10
oe credited as part of the appropriation by
the United States toward the expenses of the
government OF the District These are Just
measures, and we trust will have the an
proval OF Congress. While relieving private
property from the payment OF its present
unequal share OF the current expenses of the
District government, which are incurred alike
for the benefit OF the United States, and The
inhabitants OF the District, they will perma-
nently strengthen the credit Of all the District
securities, take the three sixty-five bonds
from the manipulatiOns of speculafors and
secure to the holders their promised and Just
value.
All matured obligations Of the present eov-
ernment OF the District have been audited
and paid, and the payment OF all outstanding
oblgations not matured, so far as they are
known after careful investigation, have been
provided for, except the loan OF SIsO.OnO made
OF Messrs. Riggs CO., in anticipation of the
taxes Tor The current fiscal year, and except
some unsettled claims arising out OF con-
tracts and obligations of the former govern
ments OF the District of Columbia. Including
work upon incomplete contracts of the late
government, terminated by the act of Com
gress approved March IL, 1876. for the settle
ment OF " hich no provisions have yet been
made " congress.
GSignedl-W. Dehnison, j. Ii. Ketchan s.
l.. Phelps, Commissioners Of the District of
Columbia.
TIPsY ATTEMPT AT SELF DEcAPITArIoN
A Delphi man named Grist, a man who had
seen better days, but who is now very much
down at the heel" Monday morning fIled
his mouth full OF powder and applied a light