New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-26

Republicans In washington was ePiO'i
Republican representative in the boara. io haa
not been recognized or known as hepuoHc"n
before his appointment, which, 1t Id
peneya,Iv understood and believed, was
made ,lpop the recommendation of w. W. Cor
Koran. A. A. Wilson and other prominent and In
nuential Democrats When his nominate was
rendnc i'm the Senate il is understood that mem
hers of that body were informed by old ana le-
sponsible residents of the District. who were cog
infant of the fact that Mr.. Webb was retired from
The Office Of Chief of Police in 1861 under cir
rumstances which indicated that his loyalty TO
the Union not above suspicion lie has been
Nor many years stakeholder and director as well
as the attorney of the Washington Gas Company,
and is said 10 be stakeholder in the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company. Mr.. Webb is aso the
owner Of considerable real estate in the District,
and he is one of the bondsmcn OF United States
Marshal Wilson. Commissioner Wheatley was
appointed as a Democrat. He also qualified as
bne OF Marshal Wilson's bondsmen: lie is stock
holder of tue Metropolitan Street Railway Com
pany and large owner OF real estate Dit
Mheatley is an active, influential and ,toell mem
Der OF the Columbia Democratic Club, or winch
Marshal Wilson president until Few mon'hs
hgo. Colonel Ludlow the Engineer COMMISSIONER
who has charge Of streets and bridges, IS DEM
bcrat. II he is interested in District real estate
khe fact has not yet become public ii should be
remembered, however, that several large transfers
bf real estate within the radius OF the proposed
recently 10 trustees for "syndicates, the member
ship of which is a wellguarded secret 1t may DC
well also to mention here that the Commissioners
have refused thus far to disclose TO taNIaNers the
names Of the streets and avenues on which uhey
propose TO expend the sum OF s4O5,oOO, wmch
they have asked 10 have appropriated for The next
fiscal year. The law requires that schedule OF
proposed improvements shall be furnished 10 the
Secretary Of the Treasury by the Commissioners
h Their so s this yea s has has created s much dis
satisfaction and aroused Considerable Suspicion;
md the Acting Secretary felt constrained TO cal
Npon them 10 supply the omission Instead OF
Hoing so II Is understood that they have informed
the Treasury Department that il will he lmprac-
hicahe to comply with the law by furnishing Inc
schedule required, but that they have a list OF
Streets the Improvement of which would cost
e2250,0 900, which they will scnd u the treasury
DEPARTMENT hut that in the nature Of things the
streets which will he selected from the aggregate
number must derend on the discretion OF the Com
anissoners. In view of the fact that the Com
missoneIs claim that they have complied WIN alI
The requirements OF law, it IS very doubtful
whether except in few instances, they Will 1ur-
pish the desired information.
As the Commissioners set I'M their discretion
hcajnst a requirement of law. they invite criticism
of the manner in which that discretion has brcI
exercised. If II has been used or Is to be used
Eor the benefit Of President Cleveland, Secretary
whitney and Spectators in unimproved real estate.
No the neglect of residence AMI business property
On which heavy taxes are paid. The fact cannot
become public too soon. 1t is distinctly asserted
ahat such is the case. The District a pNpration
oct for the current fiscal year. which was approved
on July o. 1886, contains the following ilems
Tor opening ana extending suburban streets;
e3O 600 for current work on county roads AMI
suburban streets $4,000: for continuation OF S r.
views of the District of Columbia with reference To
hhe extension of various avenues u The lnsul't
lime. "a 900 for repairing ani manlann: nildHcS
under the control of the District CommrSloncis'
$4,000 The first two items seem TO nave p g'l
inserted in the act with an eve To su'scHuh' Pr
reedincs A large owner of suburban real estate
is authority for the statement that more man
hhree-fourt Of the entire amount Of the INST Two
has
to roads AMI streets the opcn n ana miro emeit
of which viii directly inurc 10 the beneht OF ne
holders of unoccupe1 poverty in The area hereto
lore described west Of Rock Creek An Ola res
ident of the District. whose business requires nm
No travel much over the country Nais casl ol
Rock Creek states that they have not been IN 50
bad a condition for years as they now are in and
that little nothing has been done in the way OF
fepaiIs this year Tie Commissioner; re- emily
of The Bladensburr Road from the CITY boundary
northward The lowest hid was s535i. 9nd IT
was accepted for . 600 yards at S4.6j4 Il was
understood that this sum would exhaust the avail
bible balance Of the Appropriation OF $4,000 "for
current work on county roads and suburban
Streets. 1t is said that with the eXcentlon OF
perhaps $4,000 the remain Ter # the app'oWia'l n
has been expended or allotted to roads end
streets leaaing toward and fhrough me hock
feet order al large cxr ense more than $4,000 has
been spent on Tenallvtown Road adjacent t. Red
IIop" and "GraSsandT the LOuehbOrOngh Road
Ind Tunlaw Road both show marks OF recent an
extensive improvemo and are in excellent CON
fition the new read from Woody Lane oV
Elngle's Ford To Washington II is UNDERSTOOD IS
No he stin further improved II is even suspected
that public fun's have been diverted to the I'M
provement of private roads IN this favored reHlon'
and il is said that official effort To ascertain the
facts will be made the coming winter Nhc'her
That suspicion is well founded or not II is unqes-
tionably true that tho bulk Of the appropriation
probably as much rs * per cont of il has been or
IS to be expended "where it Will DO the most good
for the known and unknown holders OF properly
Ill II o orncays too that a like proportion of The
enprnpriation OF $50 900 "for opening and eX-
tending suburban streets has been or Is TO be
hnnIicd in a manner 10 benefit the ring rather
Ehan the people and taxnavers Of the District
For example, a road is 10 be opened from
klnges Ford through 1 the caSott pSse o No
khe Cagctt property OF 1OS acres are assessed AT
$500. and Weld revenue from taNa'lon OF - per
hnnum II Is said that the shrcwd purchasers of
sbis rropcrtv induced the owner of the land adj
Fonng to give the right OF way for road through
it, by assuring him that the District Commssioncis
would build an iron bridge across Rock Creek AT
Kljncles Ford This road will extend lengthwlse
Through the Clacctt purchase and thus add greatly
10 It's value turtle needs bar conn as mu "st
Several thousand dollars, not including the new
iron bridge For the abutmcnts and iron super
Structure Of this bridge The contracts have been
E2,Sl5, q total Of S5.77o 1t is estimated that
hhe cost Of the approaches TO the bridge will add
20 the "a above Sccr e oneg for 70 ,bs
work can he legally taken either from the appro
Briation OF 81 5000 "for repairing and maintain |
Ing bridges or the item Of $50 600 "for opening |
and extending suburban streets. There is no |
public necessity whatever for bridge at Klingle's |
Ford which is about fourth of a mile below |
ShoemalSer's Mill Bridge and only half mile |
above Woody Lane Bridge. Emphatically. |
Klincles Ford Road is "ho thorouchfare,' but |
unques tonably il will benefit Reestcr Clagett and |
his partners in the real estate speculation. The |
Os acres for which they paid $50 600 less than |
four months ago. is now held at $50 600.
But by all odds the most magnificent scheme |
tod by IpmOFratlT
ers of the District OF Columbia for the benefit of
speculative real estate owners, Is trc for the
extension of Massachusetts ave. ron the city |
boundary 10 TenalytOwn Road, ST point 1900
feet south Of "Red Top This enterprise de-
serves a separate chapter.
DIR. GARRETT NOT AN EXAMINER
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 tSpecial. DIR Car