Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-11-27

The following statement Is made an expla.
nation Cf the proposed revision. and az tina
ne,d for Legislation 10 sufhnriEe the revtsis N
81 81 assessments made by the Board OF Pub 10
We followed the rules aiop,ei nv that
board In preparing our fi-st assesSmcnts on
be assumption thst they imposed no ASSESS
h.hl iOr improvements on adjoining prop
cry exec, 1ing q. e q frd 81 the cnSt D1,rsgatt
20 law; but We found that further charges
hsd been n sde sgsinsi private property, de-
volving the duty upon "a or 80 niotiryt1g the
rules OF aSseSsn eHts a. u tring tbcf,a Win
IN ne requirement 81 The Law. TaeSe Excess
I've CHARGES embraced Tie following lens,
Viz: az lowering wafer mains neoeSSftstei
by change OF grade of streets the mains nav
ing been originally paid FOR b. special ass
esSmen's; ~ work twice done. by reaSoa OF
changes I'M grade made during tfFe progress
81 The Improvement; lS) improvements Ia
front o; church property exempted ron AK
suon- - haulS OF great length m IN * az ex-
c~Nailons, when neartr suitable places of de-
foSlt existed, 8 COSTS OF sewers " mont -
tafu 10 slE- ur extent ~ ara dr .fnf-l. "a
Two ieei ~ grad ng incluiel "a tse contract
lrlce Tor wo~-d 8 80 Other paveme ats, hat not
oedCclcd h-rt nom when the work was done
bN ard paid for Ia Contractors Tor grailng
q rs beirg &c" paid.
The PROF. riety Of striking out such charges
i >Cficiel lily manifest without eNplanatton
except. perhaps. In regard 10 sewers Bsxtn-
ming with the smallest pipe in use, drainage
Is effected through sy>tcm OF pipe aud
h -ck sewers entering SUCCESSFULLY those OF
larger size. until they finally discharge
through the great main sewers, having their
outlsis AT the river, aud Carrying the entire
drainage OF a sewer district. The area thus
drained - IN all ats parts equally Interested
10 he whole connection OF sewers, by which
The river Is reached. Having In view this
TACT, a seems unjust TO tax one street for a
iwtlNc-tnch pipe sewer, while a neighboring
one - taxed for a three-feei brick sewer,
made thus large 10 carry the accumulated
drainage Q, several streets We have adopted.
as uniform charge, the cost of n ffieen-
lnch llpe sewer. As being a fair average size
FOR tie drainage OF each locality. The
an cunt charged varies only in mo COST on
laSi1 z NE PIPE, depending upon the depth at
which u Il laid.
The angles al which the avenues cross the
streets form numerous triangular lots
bounded by streets upon two or more sides
IN such manner that their area bears no lust
proportion 10 the length Of the sides assessed,
making, In their cases, the usual rate OF as
seSsment oppressive
The rule was made that lots Of this charac-
ter not suitable for subdivision should be as
ses>ed only Tor one hall The sides bounded
by streets embracing the lesser augle.-this
rule substantially placing tue lots on the
saEle footing as corner lots.
Five per cent was uniformly charged by
the Board OF Public WORKS for engineering
Work ard supertntendence, which rule was
followed by us until recently, when esti-
males of the actual cost Of such work led US
10 regard the charge a. excessive. We have
accordingly ordered statements o. the cost 10
he PR pared IN the case OF each improve
meht, that cost To be charged la lieu OF the
The Board OF Public Works also liked rates
10 he allowed a. drawbacks FOR old material
taken up on streets and reiaid. The mate
RAJ so used was charged In assessments al
rates higher than the allowance made 10
property holders, plus the cost incurred in
relsying. The Board OF Audit usually
adopted the rates of the BOARD OF Public
Works, but, when departing from them,
seems rot 10 have fixed upon other rates
having reference To the charges made for as
Sessment. We have thot chi n Just 90 aslopt
the rule OF allowing property holders as
drawback Tor old material the mel amount
received by tie District for IL.
An examination OF the statements OF the
cost OF improvements prepared as the basis
for asses >Inert by the officers of the late gov
eminent, diSclOses erroneous charges Hence
the greater necessity for the authority a. ked
for 10 revise the unsettled assessments OF the
Board of Public Works, for the correction OF
the same, and the establishment OF Uniform
ity in the assessment on private property for
public improvements.
The operation OF the modified rules applied
10 these assessments, aud the character OF
The corrections 10 be made are illustrated I'm
the accompanying statement prepared by
the Assistant Engineer, OF the assessment of
Pennsylvania Avenue East, and OF Massa-
chusetIs Avenue.
TaLulate5 statements are submitted by the
Engineer In his accompanying report, show
ing
de.ed ior special assessments by the Board
OF Public Works and District Commission
erS. from lS12 TO lSt1, including asses smenLs
made loI street Improvements and alleys;
Balances on account or expenditures rem
deTed for special assessments by the Board
OF Public Works, from 1872 TO lsI4, including
the last assessment made under said Board
Balances GA account or expenditures rem
deTed by the District Commissioners for Spe-
cal assessments, from 1873 10 lsa7, 10 include
the last assessment mace OF streets, avenues,
roads, and alleys.
The revenues ofthe go sernment OF the Dis
trio, o; Columbia, fof eleven months, ending
October 81, ultimo, including unexpended
balance on hand December I, 1876, were
- eos Ca ~, as follows
profristloLs. Of which sac t0o or
10 he riml sed 10 IT, United stat :. SsIgQ0l 20
Tt Nes sno TeseUues from 1hsr sources. IL z,l.5 ~
Ca ham Dec NJ Ser l. ass ... ......- ll1ssl =
lCiai &c Ipts.... czcoit5g -
Tie eN gercitlres during the same pc
t-
Lesyir 9 bs aUce on hand, November