Evening star., 1877-11-21

To no city in the Union is a weII-regulated
sanitary system more important than TO
this capital of the nation. Located, like
most Underwater cities, IN a malarial region.
and the resort OF a large transient population,
frC NJ all sections of = vast and highly diver
sified county, with every variety OF climate.
Wasbin gtOu is peculiarly liable ~ epidemic
yis!tations. And he TACT That II IS also the
official Iesi0eIce OF the chief junction aries
Gf The Federal GOVernment-EZecu i've.
legislative. ard JGdicial,-and of a larEe
Bumher OF public employees of all grade,
render its sanitary condition Sn mpOrfa NJ
factor for maintaining the efficiency Of the
public service.
tions, Congress has already sdmitsei its
obligations in the premises, by Justly aud
wisely pTovIdtBg, IN part, for the support Of
the pre- eDt Board Of Heal'h.
But there IL At our doors an evil ina. no
such organization can reach, and which, IL
not arrested, may become prolific source OF
disease and death. The marshes which skirt
the entire front OF our city, are the growth Of
years ofneglect of the commercial and sani-
tary interests of the nations capital. Tue
REMEDY is TO be found only in q juiiciOus
plan OF hRrbOr improvement. by which the
health and commerce OF the city will ne alike
urDmoted. Congress has laviSied millions
IN the rivers and harbors of the country, In
localities, TOO, whose claims TO national con-
sideraiIon are Insignificant as compared
nothing has been done for the harbor of its
capital. or for the navigation of a great iver
which has capacity TO hoat ifs navy aud 20
sustain vast marine commerce. Happily,
too, in this case, the Government being
Owner. under the munIficent grant before al.
luded 10, of nearly the entire tc0ter front of
fhe city the cost Of such an Improvement,
though large, would be more Than REIN
bursed by The value OF several hundred acres
of lard which would thereby be reclaimed
and added 10 adjacent parks, and TO the Arse
L&i ard Navy Yard Reservations.
LEGISLATION.
Having Ow. in obedience 10 our iQStruc-
tiOns. briefly PRESENTED such facts and con-
sideIations as affect the relations aud duties
of the Government 10 the Diftrict Of Coum-
h. - Wrszff
before Cor greSs the form of a bill which. if
speedily enacted into law, will be gratefully
acknowledged by our fellow citizens, and
relieve them. in part at least, of a burlen
which they can no longer carry. We ven
lure 10 affirm, in conclusion, that the munI-
cipal resources Of no city in the land, how
ever rich and great Il may be, are equal 10
the task Of developing and maintaining its
improvements Is on the scale of magnificence
which its founders have given to the plan OF
this capital of great nation. Surely the
least that we can ask is. that Congress Will
share with rs the burden of this common
heritage. Will they not yield US this meas
nTe of justice? This capital is the property
of the nation; will not the nation aid in tax
ing care OF its own?
Respectfully submitted. [SignedI-J. ".
Wilton. joseph Casey, &. +. Peck, Joseph
Sbillington, s. V. Niles, Josiah Dent, ". \.
Cox, c. B. Church, B. q. LOveiny, W. II.
Cisgett. w. w Corcoran, ). " Kauffmann.
VIM. Dixon, n. Y. +. Garnett, l.. A. .Gobrght,
N W. Gait. a. 7. Brition, ThOs. p. Morgan,
VIM. stiekBey, committee.
a -
When the point in the reading was reached
that the government controlled the streets
ard avenues, and could shut them up If ne
cessary, and for which the citizens would
have 10 redress, Mr.. HuntOn said that the
questiOn had been decided by the United
states STprtme Court. that the government
bao absolute control OF the streets.
The bill accompanying the report was then
read as follows:
BILL PROPOSED BY THE COMMITTEE
BE Il enacted by The Se1iGte and House Of Rep
a. M f1 q Inc in
CtngTeSs d'scribIed, That the proper executive
authorities of the District of Columbia shall,
in accordance with existing laws, e>timate
annually ard report through the Secretary
Of the Treasury, at the beginning of each
session. to Congress, the amount necessary
10 ceiTay the expenses and pay the accruing
Indebtedness Of the Government of the Dis
tTict Of Columbia for the next fiscal year:
and 10 The extent 10 VIII ch the said estimates
shall be approved, Congress shall appro-
pirate the amount o: fifty per centum thereof.
ard the remaining fifty per centum thereof
shall be levied upon the property In said
District, other than the property of the
United STATES and OF the District of Column
bia, and shall be collected I'm the manner
provided by law for the collection OF taxes in
said District.
Judge Hunton-The bill you propose is the
,sms IropCsedby the joint committee on the
District, and which is row before the juiicI
AIRY committee of the House, is IL nO.?
Mr.. Dent stated that il was substantially
the same. He stated that IL any of the mem.
bers desired special Information the commit
Mr. HuntOn said that as the subject matter
presented involved the duties of nearly all
The sub committees OF the District commit
ee, lie would suggest that the same be refer
red 20 The va rious sub committees, and the
dtaiImen thereof could call the various sub
committees of the citizens committee before
ths m hereafter.
A rrUnipg discussion between the nam
bers arI The citizens committee was then In
dulged IN.
Judge Williams, the chairman. made an
ri N ha nFf hn orri-
torial form Of government in regard TO a por-
ton OF the debt contracted since 1871.
Mr.. Peck.-lt was only territorial I'm name;
the People had 70 voice in ii save to elect the
lower branch OF the legislature-the upper
branch of the legislature, the governor, and
members OF the board OF public WORKS were
appointed by the President.
Gov. Hendee.-Tne District government
was the creation of Congress, and the COVER
nor; tosrd OF public works, The upper oraneh
OF The legislature were appointed by the
President ard confirmed by the Senate.
Mr. blackburn made an inquiry in regard
10 the various features of the funded debt,
and OF the amount OF debt existing In 1871.
Mr.. Clagett, Mr.. Lewis j. Davis, and others
81 lhe eiDzers committee explained the de-
tolls of The de bt at scrne !engih:
Mr.. BlsckbuTn-At the date then OF the
territorial organization the debt was about
tbree and a half million dollars?
Mr. Havis.-Yes, sir; tbereabouts.
Mr.. BIsckburn-Then from 1871 70 now.
how much Of the debt created was IN excess
OF The de bt allowed by law?
Judge DENT 1ne Cept was ILilAIieu 10 ten
million dollars.
Mr.. Clagett.-From 1871 10 now the dc bt
las been increased over twenty million.
Mr.. Blackburn.-And about ten million
IN excess of law
Mr.. Claget.-we make the point, though,
that since ISL the people have bad no voice
IN the II ana cement of District affairs.
Mr.. Hurton.-Did the ,aw which author
-jzed tie issue OF 3 G5 bonds limit the amount
70 be issued ST ten million dollars?
Mr.. Hencee.-No, sir; there was no limit
TO the Issue. The 3 Is bond was authorized
As a result OF the had state of affairs found
% be existing by the Allison Wilson inves-
tfgatiDg committee. That committee found
u large debt ard authorized the issue of 3-t.5
bonds without limit 10 meet IL. The law
limiting the debt 10 ten million dollars was
anterior 20 the issue of the 65 bonds.
Mr.. Hunion.-Tben the ground Is taken,
presume, that the board of audit construed
That II bad the power to increase the debt
over ten million dollars, because the law
antbCriZing the issue of an up limited amount
of 3-t5 bonds repealed the law which fixed
The limit OF tie debt al ten millions?
Judge HeIdee explained that there had
been dispute over that question in the last