Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-25

The District Commissioners have addressed a
letter to Mr.. Barbour, chairman of the House
District committee, in which they say: There
are two measures that the Commissioners be-
lieve to be of exceptional Importance to the
District of Columbia, and which they earnestly
commend to the favorable consideration of your
committee and of Congress: One providing for
municipal building for the District of Column
bfa "a bill for which has been already intro
duced in the House and referred to your COM
mittee); the other providing for continuing
street and sewer improvements (for which pur.
pose bill is now prepared.) The necessity for
both has been frequently set forth by the Com
mlssioners In their reports, and is so great and
well known by Congress as well as by the citi.
Zens of the District generally, that you will
perhaps not care so much to hear arguments in
behalf OF the propriety of those measures as to
learn how it is that the Commissioners expect
that the District will be able TO fulfill its obi.
cations as specified in those bills.
You will recall that in the act approved June
80, 1884, appropriating 100000 for sewer inn
provements, that it was provided that ne-half
or the expense should be charged to the Dis
trict and that the District should be credited
with one-half of any money saved out of the
District appropriations. and for sums deposited
In the United states Treasury by the District in
excess of such appropriations. That bill re-
quired the District to refund its half of the
money within five years from the date, June
3Oh 1854, and be charged interest at four per
cent per annum upon any balance due the
United States until final payment. With a view
10 the payment OF the sum chargable to the Dis
trict under that bill and to achieve the large
and costly Improvements so imperatively de-
manded such as now proposed, the Commits
sioners have for several years estimated the an
nual expenses of the District upon basis of
strictest economy. and at the same time have
developed the financial resources of the District
as far as possible under the limitations OF law.
The result is that not only is the sewer debt
paid, but the District has surplus accumu-
to be IN ne 70 Apply h a
aforesaid should they be approved by Congress.
The following is ii summary, as shown by the
records of this office, OF the respective annual
deposit in the United States Treasury by the
District over its portion OF expenditures since
lions between the federal government and Dis
trict We're established. In this statement the
District is credited with one-nalf of the draw
back certificates which have been received for
general taxes under the two acts of Congress OF
June q, 1879, and July 5, 1854, as provided
ane
and 1882 there were the following deficits re-
spectiyely: S45,641O9, S22,4s1.s9 and ST.
1881, 1888, 1884 and 1885 there were de-
posted in excess of expenditures respectively
the following sums: S55, 520:92, s110,949.66
$40, S3O.64 and 6,696.33, aggregating
S463, 997. 55. From this aggregate of credits
deduct the DEFICIENCIES aforesaid and one-ha1f OF
the sewer appropriation, S25o,0O0, and there
is left surplus in the Treasury to the credit of
the District June 80, 1885, of S12S,O11.91,
which on the 3Oth June, 1856, will, in the judg-
least S25O,OOO. So tar as the Commissioners
can now fOresee this annual excess is more
likely to be increased than diminished in the
near future upon the superstition that the
annual appropriations are to remain about the
same as are estimated for the next year. If,
however, there should by any possibility be a
falling Off rather than an increase of the Dis
trict revenues, the deficiency can be made good
by lessening the annual appropriation for street
purposes-indeed, the annual estimates will,
necessarily, be made with reference to this
liability. So that upon the foregoing state
ment it appears not only reasonable, but quite
certain that the District will promptly respond
to its obligations, and pay the SlOo.OOO re-
qufred of it by said bills. An important adj
vantage gained by large appropriation in
addition to the enjoyment of the needed i'm
provements is that Of letting larger contracts,
which invites competition throughout the
entire country, so that the Commissioners are
enabled not only to secure a better class of con-
tractors and better work, but also TO get the
work done at u cheaper rate than under the
usual annual but smaller lettings. Such was
their experience under the 100000 sewer bill,
and such, doubtless, will be the result under
the proposed million BILL If passed. With this
idea the Commissioners have indicated in the
bill 81 per square yard as the price TO be paid
for concrete pavements, the ruling price here
served that as asphalt-cOncrete pavements are
controlled by an absolute monopoly there may
be failure to get bids for that class of pave
ments within the limitations of the bill as TO
time. The question of election Will then arise
whether to adopt some other kind of concrete
pavement, or apply to Congress for authority
to pay price greater than that now indicated.
The Commissioners, therefore, most earnestly
urge that the projected Improvements, being
supported by every consideration of propriety,
economy and public welfare, having been re-
commended to the favorable consideration OF
Congress by the President, IN his last annual
message, are entitled to early and serious atten-
ton, and the Commissioners trust that Congress
will approve the measures"