Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-12
Improvement Of the River Front.


necessary expenditures, afford a margin of
about 5000, 900 for repairs and improvements of
streets and extensions OF main sewers Under
an ordinary condition OF streets and sewers this
amount would be greater than would be abso-
lutely required for work upon them but the
cost OF additional main sewers to prevent over
flows, and new carriage ways to replace the
great existing amount OF rotten wood pave
ments, will exhaust all the means at the dis
posal OF the District applicable to works of i'm
proVement and repair, and Will continue to do
SO Tor the next four or five years; hence nothing
can at present be set apart from the revenues
to be applied to the reclamation of the flats on
the river front. The Commissioners fully real
iZing the great importance Of that work, have
thought 1t possible dn view OF the eXtraordin-
stately that Congress might think it wise and
proper to lend the credit of the United States In
the manner suggested In the bills herewith
vision of eXpenditures and dement's on accnunt
of the reclamation OF the river frontage
,,,; They have aimed, by the preparation Of three
bring about an absolutely fair apportionment
between the United States and the District of
Coium61a: The first of these bills provides for
board of survey, upon which the representa-
tion Of the United States and the District Of
Columbia is equal, the board being empowered
TO reduce the cost to the lowest point consist
ent with suitable work.
The second provides for the reclamation of
the flats by the District the government of the
ln1ted states to advance four per cent. bonds
for the first five years Of expenditures during
which interval the revenue of the District ap-
plicable, as before stated to replacing rotten
wood payementS and building sewers, Should
be expended for those purposes. After that
date the amount stated In the accompanying
bill can be annually expended in the reclama-
t1On OF the flats until the work is completed
j he benefits Of water frontage will inure equal
~ to the United States and the District, and
the land reclaimed be equally shared between
them. The Interest and principal OF the bonds
advanced being paid from the District Treasury
Will fall equally on both parties.
The thin d is a clause for the river and harbO,'
appropriation BILL and embraces an appropria-
ton for the harbors OF Washington ana George
town, the money to be expended in harmony
with the general plan OF Improvement
The following are tie
BILLS PREPARED BY TIE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
Ee 1t enacted, dc, That the chief of engineers
OF the army, the superintendent OF the coast
survey. the chief OF the bureau OF navigation
ard the commissioners OF the District OF COlum-
Dla, who shall serve without compensation, are
! hereby created board Of survey and empow-
| cred and instructed TO examine the present con-
| ditlon OF the entire water fronts OF Washington
| and Georgetown and determine upon what
changes or notifications are necessary or ad-
ylsable In the plan of improvements of the
hafborS OF Washington and Georgetown, sub
mitted In the report OF the board of survey ap-
| pointed under the act of Congress approved
March s., 1872. and any change or modification
| therein determined upon and adopted by said
board, or majority thereof, shall be strictly
adhered to until otherwise ordered by law, in
the expenditures Of any money appropriated in
proyement OF said harbOrs OF the reclamation Of
the flats along the water frontage of Washing
Ton, and said ooard In determining upon any
modification Of said plan shall be governed by
the following Instructions. To reduce the
expenditures to the lowest amount compatible
with proper reclamation OF said flats. and the
necessary improvements OF said harbors. 9.
To adopt the least expensive methods Ia detail
consistent with permanent ahd effective re-
suits. 3. To secure sufficient harbor facilities
for the existing sea and river commerce of said
4 nl hn rlp,, =; aoE.1
remaining water fTontageS not now required
for said commerce in such manner that the
wharf and dock facilities can be extended, as
required, tomeet any future wants OF said COM
merce.
Sec 2. Said BOARD shall also determine upon 4
Just division OF the reclaimed lands between th
United States and the District OF columbia upOn
the basis of an equal payment by them Of tn d.
expenditures Tor the reclamation thereof.
BE 1t enacted, de-, That the Commissioners of
the District OF Columbia are hereby directed to
eApend not exceeding two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars annually for the purpose OF
retaining the flats in front OF Washington in
accordance with the plan submitted by the
board created by act of Congress, approved
March D, 1872, TO report plan for Improvement
Of the harbors OF Washington and Georgetown,
or with any notifications thereof authorized by
Congress, and the control of all RIPARIAN rights
of the United States in the water frontage in
the District OF Columbia is hereby transferred
10 said District, the executive officers of which
shall have exclusive supervision of all docks
wharyes, landings and said water frontages
and shall charge such rate for their occupation
and use as they may deem just and all receipts
therefrom shall be paid into the Treasury of
the nlted states to the credit OF the interest
and principal OF the bonds herein specified un-
til all shall be redeemed.
Sec. 2. That in order TO enable said District to
reclaim said flats the Secretary of the Treasury
is hereby directed to advance, upon TeqJlsition
OF the commissioners OF said District, annually
1or hVe consecutive years, beginning with the
year 1879, rot exceeding two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars OF the four per cent. bonds OF
the United States, the interest upon which shall
! be paid by him from any Of the revenues of said
District in the Treasury OF the United States:
and after said five years not less than two hun
dred thousand dollars shall be expended yearly
nom said revenues by said Commissioners. or
their successors In Office until said flats are re-
claimed TO the satisfaction OF Congress. or CON-
pleted as per plan or the said notifications
thereof, and the streets and avenues of Wash
1ngton shall be extended over the land so re-
claimed, and all the portion OF it not within the
line OF said streets and avenues shall be equally
divided between the nfted States and the Dis
tlict OF Columbia, the proper division 10 be
made as may by law be provided.
Sec. 8. That from and after the completion
Of the reclamation or said flats. the Secretary
OF the Treasury shall reserve from the revenues
OF the District such sums annually as invested
in four per cent. bonds will, at their maturity,
redeem an amount equal to the bonds loaned
as herein provided, and no title to any of said
land shall vest the said District until all said
bonds are redeemed P1ocided, That sales or
leases OF any part or parts OF said lands appor
lICutu W Sdlu DlStliCl w HlduG upOu COli-
dtiOn that the purchase or rental money there
for shall be paid into the Treasury OF United
States, to be applied TO the redemption Of said
bonds"
A COUNTERFEITER ARRESTED. - The secret
service has information of the arrest at Raj
eigh, n. c., Yesterday OF Lewis Jones, for man
u1actming and passing counterfeit coin.
IT Is SAID that the position of director OF the
mint has been rendered Mr.. Patterson, preSi-
dent OF the Philadelphia Fidelity and Trust
company.
THE FRAMING PRIyILEGE-Speaker Randall
has referred to the p. o. department the ques-
tiOn whether memberS-elect OF Congress are
entitled to exercise the ranking privilege be-
fore they are sworn in. Judge Freeman VIII
give decision tomorrow.
NOMINATIONS 1.-The President sent the follow
Ing nominations to the Senate to-day: William
Butler to be L. s. District Judge for the eastern
district OF Pennsylvania; also, to be posrmas-
ters, Daniel II. Hunt, Rochester, n y; Angus
tuS b. Farnham, Bangor, Maine, and Others.
THE WORK OF opening and stamping propo-
sails for mail service in six northwestern states
was finished to-day at the P. o. Department, by
MessIs French and Morton, the committee an
pointed by the Postmaster General for this puT
nunlhpr n