Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-28

BROUGHT UP-THE COMPLAINT OF CITIZENS OF
EAST AND SOUTH wAsHINGTON-MR. oLMsTEAD
AND TIE WEST END &C.
4 long statement has been Submitted to Sen
atOT Ingalls, chairman of the Senate committee
on the District of Columbia under the heading
of ''KeaSons why J. F. Olmstead should not be
confirmed" This statement is prefaced by a
letter signed by Samuel Il Walker. as chairman
and +. b. stocking as secretary. which says
''ln accordance with the instructions of a
meeting of citizens and property owners of East
and South Washington. We herewith submit for
the consideration of your committee the accom-
panyn3 statement OF facts as reasons why J. T.
Onstead ought not to be confirmed for the po-
sition of Commissioner of the District of Column
bia. We earnestly ask of the committee a care
ful examination Of these facts feeling confident
that the committee will agree with us in the
opinion that he ought not to be confirmed for the
position
The statement sets forth that the opposition
therein manifested is not based on personal
grounds, many of those interested not even
knowing Mr. Olmstedd personally; but the prin-
clpai grounds for Cir0sjng him is the belief that
his continuation viii continue the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF DISTRICT AFFAIRS,
which, it is alleged has and does exist. Refer
enee is made to the burden imposed upon the
citizens of the District by the late board of
public works. 1t il claimed that up to the pres
ent time all the appointments of executive and
engineer officers OF the District have been made
'aimost exclusively from one section OF the
District. and, as We contend. in the interest of
certain real estate rings and >peculators"
table is gwen of these appointments from
that OF Gov. Cooke down to- that of Major
Lydecher, which is summarized as follows. the
length of service OF each officer being taken
into account: Georgetown has Lad n per cent;
the est End" Is per cent; Mt. Pleasant, out
side OF the city, 4 pc" cent; the eastern part Of
the northwestern quarter. 4 per cent; all the
rest Of the District. per cent.
THE EAST AND SOUTH VERSUS THE WEST.
according to the census taken by the Dis
trict m 1873, the writer goes on to say, lat the
time of the last assessment, more than one-half
OF the population resided east of 9th street
west: and during these eleven years that half has
had practically no representation or voice i'm the
District government or the management of it's
affairs for although Messrs Blake and CIuss
were appointed from just east of that line the
former held the position for but few months
and the latter was interested with Shepherd and
kiltourn in building the block fronting on Far
ragut square and Connecticut avenue. in the
very heart of the West End As shown by the
census of 1880 there are south of the Mali and
east of the Capitol. 56. SIC residents who. with
all west of the Capitol to 81 street west have
had absolutely no voice whatever in the District
government since 1874. A similar instance of
taxation without representation we venture to
Say has never existed elsewhere i'm the United
States
The statement refers to the old form of govern
ment IN the District, under which it is claimed
congress, true to the principles of American
government. provided for the equal representa-
lions OF all sections. a principle disregarded. it
Is stated ever since the board of public works
was created. 1t is asserted that since the first
appointment of Commissioners i'm 1874 every
single one has been appointed from that little
section known as the West End" with the ex-
eeptiOn of Mr.. Dent. and he was from George
town. Mr.. 0lmstead is also from the West
End. and the writers protest for that reason
against his confirmation as unjust to the rest of
the District.
THE REAL ESTATE POOL.
I'VE protest further the statement con-
tinues, because he was. aud still is, part and
parcel of the old real estate pool under whose
influence and for whose benefit the great bulk
OF all the money for street improvements was
then and still is being expended in the north
west quarter. to the detrment OF all the rest of
the District" As proof of this an extract is
given from the testimony of Mr. Eallet KibOurn
which Mr.. Kilbourn states that Mr.. OImstead
had az interest In the firm of kilbourn & Latta
anu that the firm had purchased all the interest
IN the pool. Extracts are given also from the
testimony in the suit of kilbourn Il Olmstead
vs. IGtta. to the effect that Mr. OlIDstead became
member of the firm about the LIST of January
iS4l. notwithstanding Mr.. Ollrstead's state
aient TO the contrary in the interview with
him published in THE STAR OF the 23d inst.
Ihe statement then under the heading
Ibis PHOTOGRAPH By HIMSELF"
fays. referring to The STAR interview:
LAS to his connection with the star route
gang. he is there reported as saying
Il don't know what y star route is I don't
know what you mean by an expedited route I
haven't read word of the testimony i'm the
case like a good fellow when meet him. I
have never asked myself whether they were star
Route Hen or what t,Isy were so long as they
Showed their good side 10 ne. It is a sort of an
oasis i'll the desert of human nature to meet a
good cOmpanloaahie man met Rrady and he
seemed to take a liking TO me. | hav,, known
John A. Nalsh f0r several wears and have been
very friendly with him. And as the court re-
cord shows he was one OF their bordsmep
Now. we submit that such a person is not q
proper one 10 put in Charge of the police and
Other afdlrs OF III. Di.tr!Ct-pcrt at least OF
which has already been shown To he in the SER
vice oil tne star route gang. We want man
Whose hands are clean from all contact with the
real est ATE pool or the star route gaag-one who
requires some other Qualification in his asso-
GATES tian simply that they shall! be good fell
iows 10 use the words Of q Sunday
paper, His nomination is one unfit to be
made"
Figures are given to demonstrate the promo
sition that nearly all the money for street i'm
provements and for improving the water supnly
mas been expended in the northwest section
where the real estate pool was and s, i'll is in
terested- 1t is asserted that of the $50 0D0
appropriated June lcth, 1879. tor improving the
water supply of Capitoi Hill not a cent of
money was ever expended for the purpose
named. but SG41.2S OF it was expended i'm the
purchase OF steam pump for the use of
private citizen.
NIX oiaSfEADS INTEREST N THE WEST END
'As showing the Influence" the writers saw.
(which has brought about this state vi affairs.
we may properly quote the language Of this very
man olinStcad. who urged a gentleman last sea
son TO invest in the purchase of lots o., New
Hampshire avenue, because said he. we ..ave
already induced the Commissioners to eyrerd
about $50 600 on that avenue ard this year we
are going TO get another good slice. We have