Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-27
TO RE PR EsENEED TO CONGRESS-.
The Memorial Of Propcrfy-0wners I'm
the Northwest Section o. the Ciry-a
Committee Appointed TO Take it to the

The Memorial Of Propcrfy-Owners i'm
the Northwest Section o. the Ciry-a
Committee appointed to Take it to the
Capitol.
At the meeting OF property owners in the north
west section OF the city. held az tho Office OF Mr.
Thomas J. Fisher yesterday afternoon at the re-
quest of thuse interested, as being a convent Mt
place, Mr. c. J. Hillyer presided and stated briefly
the object OF the gathering. The memorial that
had been prepared was read and the following CON-
mittee was appointed TO present It to Congress- c.
j. Hnlyer. W. II. God lard, H. A. Willard r l.
Fleming, and Reginald Fendall
The memorial, the substance OF which was
printed in Yesterdays STAR, calls the attention OF
Congress TO what is deemed San unjust discrimin-
alton against the northwest section OF the city In
the distribution, as recommended by the Commits
sioneTs. of the appropriations for Street improve
ments In the coming year." The recommendations
TO Congress Of the Commissioners for the laying OF
wood pavements, the replacement Of ribbIe the
laying OF new pavementS and grading, and rerliat-
ing, are given In full Commenting upon these
recommendations the memorial says: "From this
it IS seen that out of $3.50 recommended for new
asphalt pavements not single dollar is to be ey-
pended In any portion OF the northwest section
Of the city,
In regard to the replacement OF rubbls, the me-
mortal calls attention to the fact that the Commits
sioners have departed from a principle formerly
Wen recognized. that In the case OF streets paved
at the sole expense of the owners of the adointn,
property, they have a superior. equity emitting
them TO requirement. from the general fund
in preference to other streets for the paving OF
which no special tax has been imposed upon ad-
Joining property. "The replacing OF such pave
mentS (Whereyer deemed necessary should conSti-
tute first claim uNOn the general fund. and
should not be taken into consideration in euuitably
distributing any sunlrs applicable 70 laying new
paVeInentS where adjoining owners have paid No
tax. The Commissioners, however. have entirely
Ignored this principle, and while recommending a
large sum for new pavemenJs elsewhere have con-
Sldered the claims OF the northwest section to be
satisfied by certain amount of this preferred
class OF improvements In justice, the cost OF this
preferred class work should be first deducted from
tne amount OF the whole appropriation
and the residue only held subject TO dis.
tribution between the sections according to
their respective equities" TIE memorial then
missonerS Oh some principle OF distribution Of this
fund instead or allowing II to solely upon theil
personal Judgment and two rules OF general opera.
ton are given, namely: First, all thoroughfares
important for general communication should have
precedence. Second. that as to all streets not pro
perry classed as general thoroughfareS. priority o.
Improvement should be determined by relative
assessed values for taxation.
"For the northwest continues the memorial
"paylng 79 per cent OF taxes no new pavement:
whatever are recommended. and for replacing OLE
one only 43 per cent OF the appropriation recon-
mended for street Improvements, While for the east
ern division paying less than 10 per cent Of the
taxes. "a per cent OF the appropriation is recon-
mended, OF which $4,000 is laying asphalt pave
mentS In new streets"
The charge that the northwest has received
more than Its propoftonate share OF street i'm
provementS is denied. and 1t is stated that one
third OF the cost has in every case been specially
assessed against the adjoining property. The re-
naming twO-thfrdS is represented by the out
standing bonded Indebtedness of the city. and o
this the northwest is now taxed to pay and is pay
ing 20 per cent.
ID conclusion. the memorial says:
" HAD the appropriation for the present year beer
alone In question, we should have contented our
serves with saying much less. But, as bad de
ciSlonS, II unchallenged. eventually make author
1tative precedentS. we have thought it proper 4
enter our protest with such discussion as seemed
inst In nc fnCn al w
connection With the distribution Of the appropria
lions for the preceding year, persistent Intention
TO deprive our section OF the city OF its just shar
Of those Improvements. We have no hostility u
any section, and should be pleased to see our beau
tlful pavcments stretch to the Eastern Branch ant
TO the Potomac. We deprecate contests so apt t
engender ill-feelng between different sections; bu
here. as elsewhere harmony can best be secured bl
doing justice.
We ask OF Congress-
1st That it will, If practicable, determine soD'
general principle for distribution Of the annua
street Improvement fund. and by thus limiting
as far as possible. opportunities for fayoritsm re
move all suspicious and apprehensions in this re
Spect
Cd We ask that OF the appropriation for the com
Ing wear nor less than $4,000 may be applied Z
laying new first-class pavements in the northwest
ern section OF the city, and that half OF this
De expended west OF 18th street. AS to the partic
ular portions of streets upon which, within thes
limits, the improvements Shall be placed we do no
care to obtrude Our own opinions or preferences
we do not doubt That il upon this point the Com
missioners shall be consulted their advice will b
judciouS.
In the absence Of any expression OF opinion b,
them we will say that tho selection Of the biock
named In the above table OF assessed valuations
will. in our opinion, give general satisfaction t
cltizens OF the northwest section
WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS SAY ABOUT THE MATTER
In relation to the dissatisfaction existing amonI
the property owners In the northwestern section o
Inc city respecting the expenditures to be made b.
the Commissioners on street improvements, tn,
dp M Epn hnu
Congress may be affected b. the memorial pre-
pared by the property holders, but the commits
given this subject OF street improvements thought
1ul consideration. This subject necessarily Involve
more discussion than any other, there being 81
many opinions on the matter among the citizens
In coming to conclusions as to the disposition o
these appropriations among the different sections
OK the District, the matter OF Assessments and reve
nues have to be considered, and the situation o
things consequent upon the laying Of such iarg
Quantities OF wooden pavementS by the Board o
Public Works and succeeding commissioners.
WHAT CAPT. GREENE SAYS.
ut is well known" said capt. Greene. "that mos
OF the wooden pavements laid by the Board Of Pub
lie Works were in the northwest portion OF thi
city; that these began to decay, and had to be re
placed by more substantial improvements. TIL.
successors OF the Board OF Public Works conse
Quently for the past ten years or more. have beeT
eXpen0lng large amounts OF The appropriations fO
street improvements in this section. to the almos
entire exclusion OF other sections Having succeeded
In replacing old wood pavements and making many
other valuable new improvements there they have
been directing their attention to other sections anC
In the expenditures last year streets in Soutl
washington and East Washington were taken int
the schedule.
Capt Greene says that in the last eight or tel
years more than nine-tentns OF all the money ex
pended on street Improvements has been on theS
wooden pavementS and on rubbe stone in tn,
West End About one and a-half miles viii be re
placed the coming year, which will complete tn,
entire work OF replacement; some more work viii
WASHINGTON
Capitol HILL More has to be done on the suburban
streets and the county roads. The schedule o
work proposed TO be executed during the fiscal yea
1856 embraces the replacement OF wood pavernen
on 18th, 18TH 19th 22d and 23d Streets and on New
Hampshire avenue replacement OF rubble on 14rI
street, regulating and grading on 18th street, &c.
A Partnership Case ON Trial.
CONTRACT FOR WORK ON THE BOUNDARY SEWER
To-day Judge Cox, in the Equity Court, hat
before him the case of Michael J. Dady agt. Thos
McCann-bill for injunction, sc. Dady claims tina
he entered into partnership and bid for work OF