National Republican., 1876-05-12
THE AVENUE PAVEMENT.
Provisions of Mr.. Buckner's Bill.


The bill introduced in the House of Representa-
tives by Mr. Buckner, chairman Of the House Dis
trict of Columbia Committee, for the paving of
Pennsylvania avenue. directs the President of the
United States to detail Gen. H. G. Wright and
Gen. @. A. Gilmore, of the engineer corps of the
army, who with Edward Clark, Adolf Cluss, and
Charles Mason, of Washington, d. c., shall form
commission, whose duty shall be to select and
determine the best kind of pavement to be used in
paving Pennsylvania avenue, including the tri-
angular spaces directly connecting with the Penn
sylvania avenue pavement, abuttng on the parts
of squares numbered 254 256 323 34s, and 40s, but
not including the sidewalks; and to have said
thoroughfare paved Herewith from the northwest
gate Of the Capitol grounds to and including the
crossing of Fifteenth street west, with such
pavement as they, or a majority of the said CON-
mission, may agree upon.
Sec. 2 Within ten Gays after the passage of this
act, or as soon thereafter as may be, the commits
sioners named shall meet and organize by the
election of president and secretary from among
their number, and proceed to perform the duties
imposed upon them; and as soon as practicable,
after they have determined upon the pavement
to be used, and caused specifications to be pre-
pared of the plan kind and character of the work,
they shall give notice for one week in daily
paper published in each of the cities of Washing
paving said avenue, the lowest and best terms.
If the bids shall be found to be in excess Of
shall reject all of said bids, and may cause the
work to be done under their direction by the pur-
chase of material and the hire Of labor. And the
commission may also, in the advertisement, in
vite proposals for other kinds of pavement than
that selected by the majority thereof: Propided,
That the pavement shall be Of the best material
laid in the most substantial manner, and without
unnecessary delay and that good and sufficient
bond to the United States with sureties to be ap-
proved by the commission, shall be eXected, guar
anteeing that the terms of any contract or con-
tracts made shall be strictly and faithfully
observed, and that the contractor shall keep the
pavement in good repair tor the term of three
years, or said commission shall retain per Gen.
tum of the cost of the work as guarantee fund to
keep the same in repair for the said term.
Sec. 3. The cost OF laying down said pavement
shall be paid for in the following proportions and
manner: The Washington and Georgetown Rail-
read Company shall bear all of the expense for
that portion Of the work lying between the eXte-
riOr rails of the tracks of their road and for dis
tance of two feet from and exterior to the track
on each side thereof and of keeping the same in
repair; but the said railroad company shall not
be required to use any other material than cob
blestone or Belgian rock in paving their tracks
the space between their tracks. The United
states shall pay the cost OF paving the spaces
TO be paid for by the said railroad company, and
one half of the cost of paving the intersection of
the streets and avenues, less that to be paid by
the railroad company, and the other half shall
be paid out of the revenues of the District of Co
lumbia derived from taxation; and the residue
of the cost of such paving shall be paid as
follows: One third by the owners of private
property lying and abutting on said Pennsylvania
avenue, III proportion 10 Inelr frontage thereon:
one third by the general revenue of the District
of Columbia derived from taxation; and the
amount required to pay the part of said cost as.
sumed by the United States shall be paid out of
any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro-
priated; and the amount required to pay the part
Of said cost charged to the District of Columbia
trict from any funds in the treasury of said Dis
trict derived from taxation, upon the warrants or
orders Of said said commission duly 2udted in the
ertyowners of such parts of squares 254, 256, 323
S4S and i0S as are a0uUting on upon said pavement
shall be assessed at the same rate per front foot
as the owners on Pennsylvania avenue And pro-
rided further, That the space between Seventh
and Eighth streets, opposite the locality now Oc-
shall be paid by the District of Columbia, unless
the suit now pending al to the ownership of said
ground shall be decided against said District,
when the same shall be refunded, with legal in
terest, by the Washington Market COmpanyto said
District.
Sec. i. Assessments shall be made by the Com
missiOners of the District upon the owners of the
private property on the Avenue and spaces, and
upon the railroad company, respectively provided
for in section g. and the sums SO found COLLECTED
by the collector of the District of Columbia and
paid into the Treasury CT the United States,
where it shall be held as special fund for the
specific purpose herein named; and such fund, to-
gether with such sum as shall be found to be due
and payable from the United States for its pro-
portion of the cost Of said pavement shall be paid
by the Secretary of the Treasury, on the warrant
or order of the commission, or a majority thereof,
herein authorized, in such amounts and at such
Sec. 5. The cost of laying down said pavement,
exclusive of the work charged to and paid for by
the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Com
pany. but including the removal of the present
pavement, grading the avenue and all other work
and material NECESSARY to fully complete said
pavement for use, shall not exceed the sum Of -
Sec G. Ifthe Washington and Georgetown Rail
road Company, or any private citizen or other
corporation or person, shall neglect or refuse to
pay the amount assessed for the paving herein
authorized, (within thirty days after the notica-
tiOn of such assessment shall have been published
in one or more papers printed in the District of
Columbia,) in front Of or adjoining their property
when the work so fronting or adjoining their
property shall have been completed to the salts
faction of the commission provided for in this act
and assessed by the District of Columbia Commis-
siOners, the Commissioners Of the District Of Co
lumbia shall issue certificates Of Indebtedness
against the property, which certificates shall bear
until paid and which, until they are paid, shall
remain and be lien upon the property on or
against which they are issued. And 4 the certi-
tcates are not paid within one year, the COmmis
sioners Of the District SHALL upon the application
Of the holder proceed to sell the property against
which they are issued or so much thereof as may
be necessary TO pay said tax; such sales to be rst
duly advertised daily for one week, in some news
paper published in the city of Washington, and
TO be made At public auction to the highest bid
der: and deed given by the Commissioners of
the District shall be deemed and held to be good
and perfect title to any property bought at such
sale: Provided That the owner Of said real estate
shall have the right to redeem the property sold
by paying the amount OF purchase money and ten
per centum, with costs, on the amount of the said
purchase, within one year from the date of the
sale.
Sec l. The paving commission shall not repave
that portion of Pennsylvania avenue between
Ninth and Tenth streets, on the north side of the
railroad track, unless it is necessary to make an
even and regular grade Where street railroads
cross Pennsylvania avenue, the pavement between
their tracks shall conform TO the kind of pave
ment used on the avenue; and the companies own
ing these intersecting railroads shall pay for paw
ing the same, in the same manner and proportion
as is required by section OF the Georgetown and
Washington Railroad Company.
Sec. s. 1t shall be the duty of the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia TO that all
water and gas mains. service pipes and sewer con-
nectiOns are laid before the pavement authorized
by this act is put down; and the old wood paving
blocks, which are required to be removed under
this act, shall be delivered to the Commissioners
for such use or disposition as they may see ft to
make.
IMMENSE WILL BE BEECHER'S Lee
TURE TONIGHT.