National Republican., 1880-11-29
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
Tho Commissioners Give an Account OF
Their Stewardship During the Last Fiscal

Tho Commissioners Give an Account OF
Their Stewardship During the Last Fiscal
Year.
The report Of the District commissioners
for the fiscal year ending June 30 last which
was very correctly foreshadowed in Saturdays
REPUBLICAN, was placed in the hands of the
president last Saturday. The report states
the receipts Of tho District treasury during
the year TO have been $3s26 79l 80, Including
SiG7l, 1901 appropriated by congress toward
the general expenses Of the District, and S2l,.
900 appropriated by congress for special pur-
pesos The expenditures during the same
period amounted TO t3,523 Sj7 %, leaving a
balance on hand on the lst Of July Of 1892,
S23 10, including trust aul water funds.
The exhibit the report says, shows a graft.
| Tying Increase, as compared with tho preceding
year. In the cash receipts from taxes aud
other local sources Of revenue. The amount
Of receipts stated docs not include the sum Of
Sl02,22I08 received for general taxes In draw.
back certificates which sum, the commits.
sioncrs think, should he accounted as part of
the revenues Of the District, aud credited as
such On the books OF the United States
| treasury under tho provsO TO tho second Sec
tiou Of the act approved June 4. 1880, making
appropriations for the year ending
June 80 next Tho arrears or general
taxes to october /, 1SSO, were on
real estate 1901 ,GjjO2, aud on personal
property S2J2,GlT0l, Of which sums large
amount carried ON the books for many years
is disputed, and the commissioners ask uu.
thoiity 90 inquire into such disputed claims
aud TO settle them on their merits. The
recommendation for the appointment Of a
permanent board Of rCyiow TO adjust assess
mcuts for general taxes is made; also the au.
nouuCcmeut that the revision Of special AS.
scssmcnis will be completed by tho lst Of
January next. The commissioners iudorso
u fNHH.s d.
that larger discretion DO given 10 the treas.
urcr Of the United States as commissioner of
the sinking fund, In the selection Of bonds for
redemption, SO that those bearing
the highest rate of interest may,
when practicable be first redeemed. They
also recommend the speedy conversion of the
| entire bonded debt into 3.65 bonds, In which
form much tho larger portion now exists. Tue
| report commeuds to tho attention Of congress
the fact that the commissioners have no
power to deal with claims for damages 90 real
| estate under the late board Of public works.
/ and which claims were not disposed Uf by the
board Of audit. The commissioners aaito
with the board Of school trustees iu recon.
| lnending the appropriation, for the purpose OF
/ erecting more school houses, OF the school fund
/ Of S1O,63O49, now invested IN 3Gj District
| bonds, together with the sum OF S2O,l3i72 in
| board Of audit certificates now held by the
| District.
Tho uimprovemenlsat at the Washington asylum
arc mentioned at some length and the recon.
mendatOn made last year Tor the addi tion OF
"a farm OF about 800 acres to complete tho
facilities of the asylum is renewed. Attel
! briefly mentioning the operations Of the vari.
Gus charitable institutions, the commissioners
repeat their former recommendation that a
board OF charities be appointed to Inspect all
charitable, rofJrmatory and pghal institutions
supported in whole or in part by the District
and 10 have supervision Of tho expenditure OF
appropriations for the relief of the poor. They
also commend to favorable attention the project
| which will be submitted to congress for
tho establishment Of a general hospital
Attention is again called to the presence Of
| the sloum railroad stations In the centre Oi
the city, aud IL is recommended that all steam
roads be required When practicable, to entci
the city on grades below the grades Of the
STREETS, so as not to interfere with street
traffic. Attention Is also called 10 the nocos
stty Of oonfuing the saughter-houses to some
one locality. An appropriation Of $4,000 i:
asked for the parking commissioners, 50 as tC
enable them to continue the work of planting
trees without neglecting $1,000 young aud
hOurishiug trees already planted Tho com
mssioners iudorse Lieutenant Greene's rec
! ommcndat!on that telegraph companies be re
quired to run their lines under ground, rs
the wires interfere with the growth of th,
.
The commissioners estimate that the expense
Of laying line Of forty conductors In pipe.
for a distance of ten milcs-ample for Tho
needs of the city-ncludiug repairs to tn;
payoments, etc, would be 100000. Though
the occupation Of the streets for any purposi
may be regulated by the commissioners, they
aIe of the opinion that the rights aud duliC
Of the companies should be defined by law
and that by the same act basis OF taxation
should be fixed, Under tho present laws th
companies make returns Of personal plOpCrt,
which are not regarded by the commissioner
rs at all commensurate with the amount 0
the business transacted or with the privilege
enjoyed,
Tho report gives concise rocapitulation o
Lieutenant Grccncs figures, showing the con
dition and amount Of work performed Of
the street pavcmcnts. 1t is recommended tha
the country roads should be gradually lai,
down iu macadam, with q summer or driyinl
road on either side.
Tho principal points Of Lieutonant Hoxie'
report on sewers arc also briefly presented. Il
! the work upon tue minor laterals in dileren
parts Of the city the report says many sub
slantial improvements have been introduced
The necessity for Immediate action Of con
gross TO improve the general water supply O
the city Is an urgent one, aud the commits
sioners earnestly hope that the recommends
tiOn Of the senate committee on water SUP
ply--to complete tho Potomac dam, eXteu
the conduit aud lay the required couuoctin
maus-be adopted, II Is hoped that favor
able action viii be taken during the comm
session Of congress upon the former recon
uiendations looking to the Improvement {
the water front and the reclamation of th
marshes.
In closing the commissioners call atteutio
TO the reports Of the various bureau officer
which accompany their report
YOUTHS SUITS. EIsEMAE EROS, 7TH L e.