Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-10
The Appropriations Available fol
street Work.


A LETTER FROM COMMISSIONER DENT
Editor Sar:-As the explanation In regard to
the appropriation for street Improvement and
repairs, kindly furnished In your columns on
the Sth instant may not be sufficient to correct
the misrepresentation which seems to exist on
tne subject, the following statement may prop
efiy De ADDED: By section Of the act OF 1lth
June. 1878, under which the present board of
commissioners Is organized, they are required
TO submit to the Secretary OF the Treasury aud
of the District OF Columbia and to the extent
that these estimates are approved, Congress is
required to appropriate from the United States
ton Is Of said act any increase % Of tie Dis. Dis
t11ct debt Is prohibited under severe penalties.
AS our estimates OF expenditures are made a
year In advance they must necessarily be, to a
large extent, conjectural: and as no DEBT can
lawfully be contracted the expenditures must
be strictly limited by the amount of taxes col
lected In cash without regard to the amount
the Treasury and the appropriation committees
of Congress have construed the act of 11th. Iune,
ISIS, to mean that the Commissioners can eX-
pend OF the fifty per cent contribution made by
Congress the same amount only as may be col
lected from ax-payers, it follows necessarily
that, If the collections fall short of the estt-
mates, the expenditures must be proportionably
curtailed without reference to the amount ap-
propriated.
To state the case plainly, the amount appro-
p11ated for the fiscal year ending 3oth June. 1881.
is s., ,42o, $685. Of which amount the District is
required to furnish onehalf OR ST. I12 62S.6I, and
the United States the other half. Now suppose
the District collects only 81 800 00O the eXpend-
lures Tor the year must necessarily be curtailed
$225, PSI "a; that Is, the amount of deficiency In
tax collections would be withheld from the
United States contribution. And as the appro-
prlatfon for street improvement alone admits OF
curtailment, the entire deficiency of s225,eeo
must fall on that ftem which is $500, 900; and
the balance OF $4,000 would be the limit OF ex-
pendfture for street improvement under the
appropriation for year ending 30th June, 1881.
From this statement, those interested in the
replacement OF decayed wood pavements must
see the Importance to themselves OF prompt
payment OF all taxes, as the commissioners are
enues for this or any other purpose j. DENT.
Political Notes.
The advice given tn some quarters to Gen.
Hancock not to resign his commission In the
army is regarded by the PHILADELPHIA Ti,nas as
not judicous, since to take that step '.would
give confidence to the democratic voters by con-
vincing them that he himself expected to b.
elected But suppose he doesn't expect it;
isn't the sacrifice then little too great?
The statement that senator Conkling intended
going to Europe Is denied by the New York
Commercial AdreTtiser. That paper says he
proposes remaining here and giving his entire
attention to the success Of the republican party
not only In New York. but In other states, and
adds that 1t will be no fault of Senator Conkling
II Garfield and Arthur are not elected.
Ex-Representative Stenger denies the report
circulated some time ago that he had with
drawn from the congressional canvass In the
18th Pennsylvania district He declares he Will
remain in the field until the convention decides
the contest.
The Messenger, an old established democratic
paper published at Fremont, Ohio, in an edi-
tor1al article In its issue for last Thursday, de-
clared In favor OF Garfield for President.
A meeting Of soldiers OF the late war was held
at the Astor House in New York yesterday, at
which the National Veteran Hancock Associa-
ton was formed. Among those present were
frsnk1 socnm q eand and smtn
Ny. 1t was decided to establish clubs In all
the northern and western states.
Hon. A. H. Pettibone has been nominated for
Congress by the republicans OF the 1st Tennes
see district, now represented by Hon. RI. Tay
lor, VINO beat MI. P. two years ago.
All is not peaceful In the democratic family
in Pennsylvania The old feud in Philadelphia a
still continues, and the leaders OF the factions
are going for each others scalpS In a very blood
thirsty way, while In Pittsburg the situation is
nearly as bad. So far Senator Wallace has fail
ed to secure reconciliation, and it is thought
nothing short OF the appearance of Gen. Han
cock On the scene, with an Oil cruise in one
hand and an olive branch and few prospec-
lively signed blank commissions in the other
Will bring about proper state Of feeling.
The Chicago ticket will be supported by the
business men of the country, who are satisfied
win the condition OF things, pleased with the
prospect OF good times, and want to let well
enough alone.-BufalO Commercial
Secretary Thompson is to open the campaign
at Terre Haute, Ind, this evening.
The republicans OF the 26th district of Penn.
sylvan1a have nominated the Hon. j. D. Nc
Junkin for Representative In Congress
The Denver Tribune says that it is 'quite
possible" there will be two democratic tickets
In the field In Colorado before the election.
The Chicago Times, which at least may be
regarded as impartial, says: 'Those who i'm
ag1ne that the Grant men In this part Of the
country are either detected or dfsafrected are
likely 10 IND themselves much mistaken before
many weeks have gone by"
GEORGE W. FROST, of Omaha, ex-Indian
agent, who was charged by special agent of
the Treasury department with being defaulter
70 the government, has settled all his accounts,