Evening star., 1877-12-22
REPORTS OF SUB-C0MMITTeES
OF THE
Citizens Committee Of One Hundred,

The STAR has printed already the important
reports made Ly the committees on improve
ments and taxation to the general committee,
and the following reports from other sub-com
mittees will be found Of much interest:
FINANCE And DEBT.
In making Report on the Finances and
Debt of the District of Columbia. it is proper
to state that under the Constitution of the
nlted States. the power 10 eXercise-e xclusve
legislation IN all eases whatsoever over this
Dlstrlet j. conferred alone upon the Congress
Of the United States.
This power has been exercised through va
rious agencies, under which the liabilities and
obligations at present existing against the Dis
tTict. or against the General Government as
part proprietor and having supreme control.
have been incurred During portion of tais
time only was there representative fOrn9 of
government. and the debts then originated
and now represented in the bonded debt w$re
for The most part expressly authorized or ip-
proved by act of Congress-.
SundTy reports made to Congress at different
times within the past seven years. show that
the money procured by the bonds 50 issued
avenues of the City Of Washington, declared
by the Supreme Court to be the exclusive pro-
2, ;ne made 10 IN s '' 4
appears that the amount expended up to that
time b. the citizens of the District IN streets re Is
Amount expended by the United
STATES Tor same. 4,4Ib,1b "
The proceeds of sales of lots granted origin
ally by the prOprietOrs of the land on which the
capital city was located, and paid over to the
then representatives of the Government.
would probably. of itself. with the interest
compounded thereon. amount now to sum
which would contribute largely to the pay
ment Of the existing debt.
From the foregoing it will appear that the
L. 3 government was placed in possession.
gratuitouSly. of the streets and avenues. and
of sundry lots besides, from the sale of which
1mnrnEHnfnfs An NAtf n
up 10 the present time its contributions to that
end have been most meager, and the present
taxpayers, successors of the original proprie-
tors Of the soil. in addition to parting with a
large portion of il. have been compelled to a
great extent to improve the whole. The re-
sPonsibility for the present debt would appear
to be with the general government, and not to
any considerable extent with the people, who
have heretofore borne the burden of il.
The bonded debt of the District is stated in
Exhibit A.
The floating debt is stated i'm Commissioners
report for ls16 To be 81 l,01i.0O.
The requirements of the District are esti-
mated, as per Exhibit Il, at $5,00,00 per an
mum, OF which experience has shown that the
citizens and taxpayers of the District can and
VIII contribute. without undue oppression.
In the report to Congress of 1874, before re-
ferred To, the value of the public property is
stated at $3.50 1861; value of private prop
Exhibit &, hereto appended, gives the legis-
lative history of the various debts now out
debt.
In closing this report, your committee would
recommend that earnest efforts be made to
secure from Congress the immediate adoption
oil the report OF the Morrill, committee, pro-
viding for the entire assumption by the gov
eminent of the expenditure of the District
With a reimbursement by moderate tax to
le paid into the Treasury, or the adoption of
the Poland report, fixing the responsibility of
the government at one half the entire expense
LEWIS j. DAVIS,
Acting Chairman Of Committee.
ExHIBIT'A.
Statement giving the dates of maturity
and amounts OF the several classes of bonds
making UP the aggregate of the funded
debt of the District of Columbia, including the
late corporations of Washington and George
TOWN:
/. Registered stock of the corporation of Wash
ingtOn; at pleasure: interest per cent. cur
rency payable quarterly: interest due Jan.
j: April /. July !. Oct. 1.... s53ODOW
2 Registered stock Of the corpora
fion of Washington; at pleasure;
per cent. currency: quarterly;
. Jan. l. April l, July J, Oct. L.. 6S5,OOOOO
3. Regis cred canal stock of the cor.
pOration of Washington; at pleas
ure: per cent. currency; semi
annually; Jan and July l........ 10000
L. Registered general stock of the
corporation of Georgetown; at
pleasure; per cent. currency:
quarterly Jan i. April i, July l,
S. Registered market stock of the
corporation of Georgetown: at
pleasure; per cent. currency;
quarterly Jan. i, April i, July /.
6. Tenyear lBowenj bonds Of the ''''Vi'-i
corporation of Washington; Jan.
1, 1872: per cent. currency semi
annually: Jan. and July II. 27925OW
.. steam force pump bonds of the
corporation of Georgetown; Mar.
i, 1879; 1.3 per cent. currency;
ssmi,annuaIly Jan; and July l.. 10000
5. Registered general stock Of the
coTpDrafiOu of GpOrppfnWp Iuly
]. 1851: per cent. currency; quar-
tsrly; Jan; l, April l, July i. Oct; 100000
Q. Registered bounty stock of the
corporation of Georgetown; Sept.
"a. 1854 per cent currency quar-
teIly: Jan. !, April /, July !, Oct 100000
10. Permanent Improvement bonds
Of the District of Columbia: July
1, ls9l; s per cent coin; semi an
,nqally; Jan; and July l.; 80; .4ocoOc.Oo
II, Permanent improvement bonds
Of the District Of Columbia: July
j, 1Ssl per cent. currency: semi
annually: Jan. and July 60. 67O,OO0OO
II. Market stock bonds OF the Dis
trict of Columbia; July l, 1897;
per cent. currency :semiannually:
Jan. and July i........:.:;...... l5OsOOOO
13. Funding loan bonds of the cor
pOration of Washington: July l.
1Sa2; per cent. coin: semi-annu-
ally; Jan. and July yl.....1, 100000
ii. Water stock bonds of the Dis
trict of Columbia: Oct. l. l90l;7
per cent. currency; semiannually;
Jan. and July i; 1;.......;..:.-..... $4,000
10. fundlng loan bonds OF the cor
poration of Washington; Nov. |,
1872: per cent. coin; semi-annu
ally May and Nov. l..... 6.aO0o.O0
81 90
EXHIBIT B.
Requirements OF the District.
Interest 3-65 bonds guaranteed by
United States, and heretofore paid
by same .......................s s50l .62S 62
Old funded debt. ebt................ 530.OCO 90
Say, total, i'm round numbers. lG22.O 600 90
Public Schools Observation-Disclosures. 10000 90
Police ce....-................... $4,000 90
Fire Department. Observation-Disclosures. ll0.C0 90
Lighting Streets. Observation-Disclosures. 10000 %
Insane Asylum. &c Nc.............. 1900 90
Small repairS-roads. sewers. &c. 10000 90
Markets. Police Court, &c.. 5000 90
Executive Department. ...... $1,000 90
sweeping Streets. Observation-Disclosures. 35.0OO 90
Parking Commission, Trees, &c 1900 90
Rents and repairs of Buildings 10000 90
Sundries, small expenses. .... n,OO %
sinking Fund. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 2O.OO 90
Repairs and improvements. .. 36.UO %
EyuIQIT