Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-29

DEBT Will again uepenQ upon the award OF 1ur-
ther judgments by the Court OF Claims
TIE following comparison OF the population and
debts OF New York city and the District OF Column
bia Is submitted
Population OF New York, census 1880. 1,aO6, a9e
Dist. OF Col, :" Z" .... III ,624
Debt OF New York, 1884 500. ia .OO3
Dist OF Col, - ........-......... g. 3S9
Debt Of New York, per capita. SIS 20
Dist. Col. :" - ...-...... 126 Al
Interest and sinking fund.- New York, an
Interest and sinking fund, DIST Col, an O''
nually- - 1,s6s,6O5
quirement 10 revenue. 2s 2-5pc
District OF COlumbis proportion, annual
debt requirement TO revenue. 80. 36 As p C
''Thls demonstrates,9 the report continues, THAT
the people OF the District OF columbia. with COM
paratiyely limited resources, a community with
little or no creative wealth, are ouT1t ned with
debt In greater proportion than those ming the
great metropolis OF the union. 1t points out to
those citizens OF the District who are pressing for
ana demanding expenditures now for improve
mentS FOR their benefit that the resources of the
District In that regard have been discounted for
many years in advance, and that a conservatism,
measured by the actual necessities OF an existing
population, must be pursued until growing re-
sources and a reduced debt shall warrant further
liberal expenditures. To make this locality con-
form TO the convenience, healthfunaSS and beauty
that the capital OF this great nation demands, its
citizens have contributed With redun liant lOeTal1ty
but not without expectation that Tile nations leg
fsiaJure VIII appreciate ali that has been done. and
that Its sense OF justice once invoked. Will induce
70 continue hand in hand In governing, identifying
and expanding Its seat or government
TIE sTKEET RAILROADS
There are various questions pending between
the street railway companies and the Commission
ers By the report OF the attorney OF the District
1t viii be noted that Judgment IN the Circuit Court
or the District was obtained against the Metropoli-
tan for s1d7 so. and against the Washington and
Georgetown lor S41.0S0 Appeals We're taken, but
the attorney expresses confidence OF the eventual
result The Commissioners have found IL necessary
TO resort TO the courts 70 collect taxes upon che
corporate stock OF one road, while all OF them
sist n the courts the payment OF a license upon
their cars
the Commissioners also have their attention
invited by the public TO the laws governing the
manner OF running cars by these companies The
Washington and Georgetown company was char
tered May II, 1902. oath stats Q. S, D. 1857 Sec
tion provides that the said company shall place
1rSt-claSs cars on said railways with all the mod
ern tnprov enents Tor the convenience and comfort
or passengers, ana shall run cars thereon during
the day aS often every five minutes except 10
TIN and I4th streets. and on these once In fifteen
minutes each way, and until twelve O'Clock at
night, as often every hal1 hour, and throughout
day and night as much oftener as pubic conve-
nience may require
substantially the same provision is contained In
the charters or the four other roads, TO which fran
ChSeS have been graDted- II Will be observed that
no obligation Is required OF the companies with
spect 90 their cars except that they shall be first
Class. with al modern Improvements for the con-
venienee and comfort Of passengers; the obligation
Is 10 runLn = stipulated 10 frequency and the
requirements OF the public convenience.
Everything in these charters looking TO the OBJ
Ngatfols OF the c0Inpanles in these respects TO the
people IS LETT TO the determination OF the COM
panleS No authority is clothed with power to say
whether the cars are or not first class, &C. and
none with power 10 say whether the cars are run
as often as public convenience requires. obviously
the interest CT the companies regulates the conya-
nienee OF the public. and although these corpora
tons aliege that the public convenience is their
greatest Interest yet IL Is arbitration between
public convenience one side ana the interests OF
corporations on the OtAer, where the decision lies
solely within the COVER OF the interested party
This view OF tue question is respectfully submit
Ted 70 Congress. The Commissioners urge that
cha
legislation was had on the subject. and that the
best interest OF the public requires that the power
reserved by Congress % alter and amend the va
nous charters OF the street railroad companies
should 10 it, sound discretion be exercised
IL Il deemed desirable also 10 Invite notice TO the
TACT that large portion OF the tracks OF the Me-
trOp0litan railway company occupy streets and
avenues without, In the opinion OF the CoI1sniS-
siOners. due warrant OF law and although such oc-
eupati0n Is mainly beneficial 10 and convenient 10
the public, yet they are privileges taken by that
company more for their interest than for that OF
pa nles was called June Attn. 1884, 10 the require
ment OF The act OF June llth. 1878 that the pave
street-Or avenue shall Conform to the pavement
upon such street or avenue. AS no attention has
be- n paid 70 the commissioners notice they are
proceeding 70 make the required changes where
most needed, in the manner provided In the act
aforesaid. These are matters that have been so
prominently and frequently brought 10 the notice
OF the commissioners by numerous citizens that
they feel compelled 10 make these statements In
order ts.at Congress can take such action as may
TIRE WASHINGTON ASYLUM.
The statistics given In the report OF the superin-
uendent OF The Washington asylum are given,
showing that there were 393 inmates In that asy-
lun. Including 174 workhouse prisoners, 127 aims
houSe Inmates, 6s hospital patients and "a en-
gloyes-
The appropriation for the entire support
.Sno,1n, t, .Sh WIS <4o52o W
or an annual expenditure, per capita, OF SIG IL
1eIe these three Glasses OF inmates are sup
po POI 10 one paupers and The
SICK I3e report continues. Iii Is difficult 10 make
comparison with expenditures for MAINTENANCE
In other institutions where thu exuensa of each
class is kept separate
But charging ID workhouse prisoner with the
IuLi expense attending the support OF pauper or
sick person-sii6l2 per capita CwhiIe IL is realiy
leSsl-the annual expenditure for
The superintendent reports labor done ~
IL is not without warrant that the Commissioners
can say that the workhOuse is fully supported bv
the aoor OF It's inmates. and they believe that the
total expenditures OF all branches OF the Washing
ton aSy ium are made with strict economy and due
regard lor the rizhts, comfort, and relief Of the
Pursuing the policy referred to in their last an
nual report, the commissioners have required that
person committed 10 the workhOuse should labor
during the term OF his confinement
The work upon the asylum premises being found
Insufficient 70 keep the increasing number OF pris
oners properly employed, theY have been put to
work IN grading and cleaning such premises In re-
mote sections OF the city were not provided for
IL the appropriation bills generally In the vicinity
Of their place of confinement. Were the work
house located in the nelghUorhood OF stone quarry
sucn labor would De more OF punishment than
the present manner OF employing prisoners and be
more salutary In the prevention OF ofenseS.
As all degrees of crime In the District initiate
against the peace. welfare and protection OF in
1aotants, the Commissioners desire TO call atten-
ION 10 the fact that in their opinion results are but
mperfectly accomplished In the repression and
lenders ~ Va
The perpetrator OF petit larceny goes to the Dis
a. mt G-f fftF md hat
array, trespass and all ofienses against the COM
mon laW ana statutes OF CO1greSSnot indictaDle by
tLe SIah0 jury, the maximum punishment that
an Ue AWARDED by the Police Court Is confinement
n the jail for II months and % days
plnng shese periods the culprit does nothing to
tetray Tue expense OF his livelihood On TACT. IL Is
anoerstood that some are grati1ed when the SEN