National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-09-09
OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Commissioner Phelps to be Removed
from Office.
The President Has Said it-Mr. French Pro-
posed rs His Successor-The SEVENTH
Street Road Improvement Tax
Citizens who Object to It
Walt Upon the District
Commissioners,
Captnln Phelps Must Go.

all quarters OF the city. Tho unpOpularity of
Commissioner Phelps administration, which
has been made manifest on many occasions, has
been such that no general expressions of regret
were made when the prospect of his early de-
parture from Office became known. The causes
for this action of tho President are the com
plants which he has received from many quar-
tors directed against Commissioner Phelps, and
his final conviction that the District interests
can be bettcred by tho substitution Of some
other person on tho board in place of Capital
Phelps
During the past two weeks the pressure
upon the President TO remove that officer has
been greater than ever, citizens of oil political
faiths having urged a change. Another cau Sc
which has operated against Captain Phelps is
the trouble which heads Of departments have
had in arranging their business with tho Dis.
trct Commissioners Treasury officials have
complained of being hampered and cmbar.
raised by the Commissioners in tho part
of their duties pertaining to tho District.
The Interior Department cites the pend.
ing difficulty concerning the appoint ment
OF Mr.. William b. Reed on the board of Fire
Commissioners. President Hayes left the city
for the West yesterday morning, having first
announced his intention TO make the change.
The appointment will probably not be made
until his return next month. lhthe mean
time the question of paramount importance
TO the District Is, who will be designated to
succeed Captain Phelps. Many names are
mentioned, and there will probably be a lively
contest for the office. Sayles J. Bowen, vii.
liam Dixon, John L. Mitchell, William u.
Reed aud others are mentioned and will
probably he urged by citizens who hope to
get an old resident of the city, thoroughly
identified with tho District, appointed to the
Ia s...lsa 4
the President iavUrs and who for that reason
is considered to have the best chance is John
Il. French, eX.Sergcaut-at.arms of the Senate.
The mention Of Mr.. French's name rs u pos.
sible District Commissioner has not raised any
marked degree of enthusiasm. The selection
appears to be distHstctul alike to Republic
cans and Democrats. The disposition OF Cap.
| tain Phelps to fill up the minor offices
| under him, with the eX-Conlederate friends of
| the Democratic members of the District com.
mittces was one very Objectionable feature in
| his official career. President Hayes is re.
ported as saying that before his Administr,.
ton closes it is his desire to do something for
the benefit of the District, and for that reason he
| has selected Mr. French rs District Commits.
| siOner. The general opinion Is that If President
Hayes desires TO earn the everlasting gratitude
| Of tho people of the District, he will commit
an error in selecting Mr.. French. 1t is not
| forgotten that during the closing hours OF Mr..
| Frrnch's term Of office as Sergeant.at-arins of
| the Senate, in order to make friends with the
Democrats, who were coming into control IN
| the Senate. be filled the offices beneath him
| with Democrats, and showed n disposition
| exactly similar to that for which Captain
| Phelps has become obnoxious. Aside from
this, tho reported selection of Mr.. French Is not
received with appreciation in any quarter.
The Scventh-street Road Improvement Tax
4 delegation of property holders in Bright
wood aud vicinity waited upon tho District
Commissioners yesterday for the object of So
curing some relief from tho heavy special tas
for improving the Seventh street road Mr.
Richard Walach introduced the delegation t.
Commissioners Dent and Twning, Commits
sioncr Phelps being absent. Mr. b. II. War
ncr, referring to the action which had been
taken ut meeting last Thursday night al
Moses Hotel, Brightwood, stated that the
members OF the committee there appointed
and now present desired TO represent that the
Soventh.stree road Is a county road, and tha
lands bordering upon it are in the main uset
for agricultural and pleasure purposes, ant
are Of small value compared with the onor
nous tax levied upon them, which. with some
amounts to coniiscation, and in ali cases cause
serious financial embarrassments. The road i
used largely by citizens of and visitors Il
Washington for pleasure driving, aud by tn,
farmers Of Maryland During the OK
istence of the old corporation TIN
making and keeping In repair the road
leading from the exterior TO the interior wa,
deemed Of such importance TO this city and
Georgetown that but a small part of the ex
peuse of making them was collected from tn,
county, the cities contributing under the rule
| Of the Levy court the larger share of the OK
pensG. Then, too, the assessment per from
foot is very unjust, and while in some Instance
property may have been really benefited b,
the work on the road, in many cases it ha
been actually damaged by change of grad
aud the creation Of embellishments. They con
slider the plan of special assessment Of count,
property very Objectionable, rs it tends to de
preciato the value of such lands parties win
are farmers being unwilling to buy lands whcr
there is a risk that their property may b
taken from them by tho making OF improve
ments which they do not ask for do not wan
aud cannot pay for. They complain of til
harsh acts OF the predecessors OF the Commits
siOners which have so involved the propert
along this and other roads, and they appeal q
the Commissioners. Tho lands bordering upo
this road have been more heavily assessed 10
general taxes than lands in tho county whic
were quite as well situated, though not on tn
main thorougflre, and proper appropriation {
, the county revenues will keep up all the eS
penses in the county, and they think tho OK
peusc Of maintaining the main thorough far
leading TO the city ought to be borne in part b.
all the inhabitants Of the county who use ther
more than parties living upon their borders
The total assessed valuo OF real estate in I'll
District is sos 037,7 700. The assessed value q
property in tho county IL $780, 77, or GS2
per cent. Of the whole property in the Distric
Toward the improvement and maintenance
of the county roads the county Is entitled to b
credited with tho several items they nance
amounting to Sl,O75,269, They respectful
submit that IN this statement they show goo
and legitimate reasons for a liberal expend
ture of general District funds upon the Soy
euth.streot road and on other county roads, s
that they may be placed in thorough aud goa
order In conclusion, they state that as tll
Commissioners have uud0ubted power col
ferred upon them by Congress for the abrog
ton of this tax, aud as the Badonsburg an
other thoroughla fares Of similar character hay
had the heavy special tax removed from then
they earnestly ask that the same justice
done to the Taxpayers along the Seycnth'strot
road.
Commissioner Twinng said that he ha
some doubts rs to their power to change III
method Of assessing tho tax, but so far rs 1
was concerned he was willing TO remit tw,
s thirds of the tax under thoir power to GOrTo
' clroneous assessments. lie also understoo
, that the president Of the board, CommissOnc
! Phelps, desired to remit or abrogate two'thlrd
| Of the tax.
D Commissioner Dent said he regarded th
. system of assessing county property by I'll
o frontage rs entirely wrong, The Commission
crs we've disposed to make o reduction In III
b tax, and only differed as to tho method {