National Republican., 1883-07-19

particular street or locality, but of East
Washington as n whole. We come not to ask
for Improvements in front of any mans
property or any particular street but to call
your attention specially to what we claim has
been q most unjust discrimination against
that portion of the district in the cNpJndi.
turc of the public funds FOR the improvement
oi the streets, avenues, sewers, wa or supply,
Sc, and to invoke II change of policy In that
rU,pnrt.
TO guard against mlsapprchension, we de-
sire to say that we have no desire to antagon.
Ht the present commissioners, but TO cooper
u.u with you If possible III securing murG
just ana equitable distribution of the district
funds Our UlJCct is to present THE Facts "a
Shown by the records in order that you may
act un lcrstandingly, and we do it ut this
time briUrc you prepare the estimate for the
coming year, in order that there may not
again be the excuse that provision for the
Cd>crn section was not included in the
CdiWutCs.'
Ofuil tho duties which you have to perform
there 80 none which SO affects the interests of
tiIC cilaung generally, and of the property
holders in particular, us that OF making up
the estimates .or street improvements. The
estimates for all other matters pertaining to
iii triCt affairs is 50 fixed by law ana 30 much
=. matter OF course as to leave yOn but little,
if any, discretion but in the matter of street
improvements you have full discretion. Now
discretionary power as TO work equal and
rNHCt Justice to ALL"
AS most of you are comparative strangers
g. the transactions which lave occurred here
. since We were deprived of a voice in our local
government in February, 1871 and entirely
20 in ISIS, 1t is necessary that we state briefly
the principal facts, in order that you may
ccarly understand the situation.
The board ofpubli ic works expended in all,
about $50, ,000,0 900, of which over two-thrds
remains saddled upon us as adcbt. 1t Is well
known that the great bulk Of that was spent
for improvements IN the central and north
west portions of the city and Georgetown,
while almost none was spent east of the
capitol.
The board OF public works had but fairly
commenced operations east OF the capitol
whom they were abolished by congress. The
principal work done there was to grade the
streets preparatory to future improvements,
and the result is that the money that was ex-
pended, with few exceptions, was rather n
damage than benefit; because our gravelcd
roadways were taken away, and in place of
them We have, over q large portion of that
section, a series of deep cuts or canals, leaving
clay bed that suffoCates us with dust in dry
weather. and mires us In mud In wet weather.
This condition of affairs, with the exception
of a few streets, exists from near the outskirts
to within three or four squares Of the capitol
building, and in some instances, extends to
the capitol grounds. In some instances the
avenues and Streets were cut down from ten
to thirty feet, so that the lots cannot be sold
today for enough to bring them to grade
That, gentlemen, is what the board of pub
lie works did for East Washington.
Turning now to what has been done by
your predecessors since, you will find that 1t
has been continuous policy Of discrimina-
tion against East Washington; and, lest you
may think this is merely the loose talk of a
lot of "cranks" and Chronic grumbers," as
we have been elegantly termed by some OF
your subordnates-men who are living upon
taxes paid by us in common with other citi-
zons-we invite your attention to the state
ments of senators on this point made dering
the discussion of the district appropriation
bill at the last session, and which may be
found in the Congressional Record Of Feb. "a
1888, pages AZ to 30. "
Here follows volumnous extracts from the
Congressional Record to support the foregoing.
PROOFS To SUSTAIN THE CHARGE.
We now call attention to some facts and Of
ncal figures, approving the truth of the charge
of discrimination, and we take only those
figures which relate directly or indirectly to
the streets, sewers and water.
The report Of the commissioners for 1879
page 1, shows expenditures, as follows:
Replacing wood pavements. ........... s299,2s5 0!
Repair ami improvement Of stteets.... Si,695 81
I.Ttnt work. ofi..........;..:...,.:.:.. 2,sS7 81
pRit PAYMENT for standpipe).... S2.6S6 ns
Engineers department. ............... 1887 0'
Total for 1878. Observation-Disclosures. s6O7,278 A
Report of 1850, p. l. shows:
Replacing wood pavements. ........... s199779 SO
Repair ahd Improvement of Streets. 1877 .i9l 81
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. lI7,303 Gr
Repair and cleaning sewers ...,...... 1875 81
Engineers department ......:....t.... 81 ,Osi 81
Water department.. Observation-Disclosures. 16y,J7j g.
Total for 1879. 9..................... sSi2,556 il
Report of 1881, p.
Replacing wood pavements. ........... s2712 2ss 81
keIHITs to cuiierete pavemeilts...!.... 6l,S47 81
X pairs to Seventh street road..,..... 1896 bC
Survey for extension Of streets and ave-
Observation-Disclosures. 1883 "a
ScwerS'..... 1881 "a
Ieilnlt work 2O,lOO w
Water department. ..........u.. ..... 1i0.7SS "A
Total for 1880 sO................ go. s66O.e54 81
Report of 1882, page 1876:
Replacement Of payements and i'm
provement of streets and avenues. 2300,000 0(
Repairs of concrete pavenlents..."... 1874 81
Material for permit work .............. 1891 2
Repairs to maca1nm rUadways....... 4,09l o.
Repnirs To streets, alleys, and avenues. 1887 Il
Repairs to country roads, and suburban
Division OF streets, alleys, and country
roads, office. ..s......,.............. 500 o.
Engineers artmont............... 3240g G.
Water supply Observation-Disclosures. 97H6S o
Sewers-clenning ana repair. .......... 1881 y
Lateral sewers. Observation-Disclosures. 14,pgD o.
New York avenue sewer............... 6,S5i 81
boundary street auxiliary sewer....... 1880 4
Survey lOr extension of streets and
avenues ......................... 49s6 G.
Total for 1881. ssl...............,...,... s772S2i Z
Appropriation act, approved March 3, 1883
Engineers department. SCI, ,450 On
mrrOyements-repair OF streets aud
Tor sewers .,................... O3JUOO "
Water department. ent.................... 95s6l 5
Total. ..".........,............. S5923ll 8
SUMMARY:
For lsIS...,,.., 6OI2I3
FOR loO,. ........'..........,... Sl2,O1b
For 1880. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 6696ji
For 1881, ........................... 772S2I
For 1857 592,Sll D
Total since 1877 7.................... S45i,6l0
Following this the committee proceeded t,
show what East Washington has receive,
from these amounts, and that the nOrthwos
quarter has rec evcd the bulk of the appro
priations heretofore. Tho estimate for stree
improvements in 1884 amounted to 1874,
1925, of which East Washington got only
onc-ninth. The committee says:
Right in the heart of the best part o
tho eastern section are sixteen squares, larg,
and small, bounded by Sixth and Eleventh
streets, 4 street south and Pennsylvania