The Washington critic., 1888-08-17

MICHAEL, sCANLoN.
"My opinion Is the water tax Is general
tax, but, nevertheless, think water should be
just as free as the air."
a. NJ. TUBMAN.
IA good thing. Water ought to be free,
and believe Il will be made So"
PATRICK II. BRosNAN.
"What do think of this bill2 Why like
II, and l trust Congress will adopt the sug-
gestion Everybody should have the free use
Of water"
NJ. BRIEL.
at Is good proposition and will meet with
favor everywhere. It's the only thing that
Mr.. Wbcatley has done to make himself popu-
lar with the people,"
EDWARD HOLMES
"Ilong wanted to sec water made free, and
IL now looks as though we'll get II. Mr.
Wheatloy will deserve the thanks Of the com
munity for suggesting such popular
scheme"
JOSEPH W. REED.
1--WE ought to have our water free, and
hope the day is near at hand when it will
be so.n
JOHN RfDoUT.
81 consider It an excellent idea. II will re-
move most vexatious source of controversy
between landlords and tenants as to the pay
ment Of water rents"
COLONEL JAMES FORSYTH.
"Frec water would be an exceedingly good
thing"
DORSEY cLAGETT.
"Oh, yes; I'm in favor of free water Free
water is one of the principles of the Clagctt
family. We believe that Potomac water is the
best in the country, and the more OF It the
public can get the better"
HTNKE BuDD.
"Wc are heartily in favor Of free water, and
we believe If the question is agitated Congress
will approve the suggestion Of the Commits
sioners. No one could possibly have any OBJ
lection to free water"
EDWARD STEVENS.
81 am in favor of taking off the tax"
y. II. HARPER.
81 consider it n tax the city can easily get
along without, and it is to the advantage of
the city to have its inhabitants taxed as little
as possible"
Y. ID. GILMAN.
"Put me down in favor Of It,"
JOHN W. BROOKS.
'I regard Il as an imposition. II should go
on the real estate, If any tax is to be paid
was presented with bill for S. for water,
when there is none in the store | protested,
but 1t made no difference. l am strenuouslY
In favor of the new bill.'
E. C. CUTTER.
"Unequivocally In favor Of the bill. II is 0
good measure, and one sure to meet with gen
eral favor.n
GENERAL W. BIRNEY.
"The water tax is source OF great trouble
and annoyance, and | think ought to be abol
ished. The just and proper way to distribute
the expense would be by general taxation, ex.
cept in cases where manufacturers require
large quantities. In such certain sum fol
all water consumed over a certain amount
should be charged, as it would not be fair tC
make the private citizen who uses q barrel {
day pay portion of the expense of the manu-
facturers who uses water by the hogshead."
HENRY E. DAVIS.
81 am In favor Of q domestic water supply
free from all taxation. The injustice of tn,
present system is manifest The assessmen
is regulated by the number of feet front ant
| by the number of stories in height, and the re
suit is that two men having houses the same
| in width and height pay the same amount
notwithstanding the fact that one house ma,
have ten rooms and eight spigots, while tn
4
Free water is about the only alternative, as ne
/ Waiter metre has to my knowledge been manu-
| featured that does not soon become inaccurat
through the action Of the water, or that is no
easily tampered with by any dishonestly-in
| clined consumer"
TIE EXPERIENCE OF GEORGETOWN.
| The history of Georgetown in the matter o
the water rent controversy has been recort
of worry and disappointment, Instead Of is
suing interest-bearing bonds to pay for th,
purpose Of distributing the water to the prem
ises of those who desired it, as was done II
Washington, the corporation Of Georgetown
levied tax OF 90 cents front foot on al
property within the corporation limits, pay
able in four annual payments. The corpora
tion then borrowed money! bought pipes ant
had the mains laid under the direction Of Gen
eral Meigs, and at the ond of four years III,
sum was paid, and by an act OF the corporation
of Georgetown the water rent was given fire.
to all residents and no rent was collected for
| number of years.
During the time that Colonel Luby wa
Water Registrar OF the District application wa
made to Congress and law passed giving tn
Commissioners authority to collect water rem
from the citizens of Georgetown to the sam
! eXtent as In Washington. The excuse mad
for this at the time was that 1t was necessar
TO raise revenue from Georgetown in orde
to keep the mains in order, and while the cit
zens are not now able TO give the exac
amount OF water rent collected, yet they fee
satisfied that the rents collected for the use o
the water are ten times as much as the outla
for keeping the pipes in repair and then, toe
all new mains laid are tax upon propert
the same rs in other portions Of the District.
GEORGE ". KING.
'It is an unjust burden and it is one the cit
zens of Georgetown should never have beef
| Ia IN, l. -
when the citizens of this place will rccove
from the Government these water rents I'LL
lawfully collected from them"
F. l.. MOORE.
"There is but one opinion of expression wit
the citizens of Georgetown. We are unjustl
and illegally taxed for something we have al
ready paid for Water should be as free q
air. After paying our tax in tho first instance
we are now taxed to pay the interest on th,
water bonds of Washington. IL we were
portion of Washington 1t would be all right
but while we are called West Washington, ,ou
legal status is that Of Georgetown, and on
old corporation laws have not been repealed
am glad to see Commissioner Wheatley urg
ing the matter, and ! think he deserves tn
thanks Of the taxpayers Of the District"
DIR. CHARLES BECKER
81 think the payment OF the water tax on
of the general fund should have been mad
years ago. And in the matter OF collecting
tax from the citizens of Georgetown whicl
they have paid once, is, to say the least, dis
honest"
JOHN T. WOOD.
81 am of the opinion that we have bcei
unlawfully assessed for number of years
We are now taxed second time for what W,
have already paid"
JOHN ARCHER 4 SON.