Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-30
SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.


tracts Of the late board of public works June
30, 1888, amounted to ga, 5s3.21. s209. 900. n
OF this amount. bearing interest at the rate OF
10 per cent per annum, on an average, since
1876. represented the assets pledged for the re-
demption of the outstanding per cent certih-
backs" which amounted on the date afore-
said to Sc. $50.
The remainder of these special assessments,
viz: SCI. 9S0.49, also bearing interest at an
average rate Of 10 per cent since 1872, are held
by private parties.
OLD CORPORATION ASSESSMENTS.
The amount collected on account of special
assessments levied by the late corporation Of
Washington was S4,27S67.
COMPULSORY PERMIT ASSESSMENTS
Under the act of Congress approved July 9,
1856, and subsequent gemane enactments of
that body, S37,013.38 of assessments have been
made under the system of making special i'm
provements, the cost of which is borne in GER
tain portions, varying from one-third to one
MALT by the property owners and the balance
by the District
This amount has been reduced by cancella-
ton OF taxes on exempt property and by col
lections were made during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1885,
DRAWBACK CERTIFICATES.
The amount of drawback certificates prior to
June 30, 1889. due by reversion under act of
June 49, 1878, and June 81 1879, was 1854 338. 81.
Under act of February H. 1889, 245 90:
total $1,000, 1856 co. of which 1917 754 As were is
sued VI those issued only SIS. S57. 90 are out
standing, the remainder having been received
III payment OF taxes and Cancelled.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The fire department consists of one chief en-
gineer, two assistant chief engineers one mar
shal ten foremen, eight engineers. eight fire.
men, sixty-eight privates, eleven hostlers, two
tillermen, one veterinary surgeon. six watch
men and one clerk. The apparatus of the de-
partment consists of ten steam fire engines.
eleven hose carriages and three hook-and-
ladder trucks. Fifty-one horses are in use in
the department. Provision was made IN Dis
trlct appropriation act for 1890 for a chemical
engine, which has not yet been purchased. The
department. has q 600 feet OF hose IL 800 feet
OF which Is IN good condition, 1850 fairly usa-
bic and 1850 in bad condition The companies
are located as follows:
No -, engine company, street between 18th
ana lIth northwest.
No, engine company, D street between 18th
and 18th northwest
No. engine company, Delaware avenue and
G street northeast
No. engine company Virginia avenue be-
tween 80 ana 9th southwest.
NO. engine company, w street between 32d
ana PotOmac northwest.
NO. engine company, Massachusetts avenue
between 4th and 5th northwest.
no. engine company, street between 9th
and 10th northwest.
No. engine company. North Carolina avenue
between 9th and 7th streets southeast
A truck company, North Capitol street be-
tween b and c northeast
truck company, New Hampshire avenue
ana VI street northwest.
Each engine company consists of one fore
engineer. firpul1n CIV tno
ana one hostler. Each truck company consists
Oh one foreman, one tillerman, eight priyates
and one hostrr
Inc department responded to 255 fire alarms
during the year. These fires caused an esti-
mated loss Of $40 ,953, 979,73 OF which was
covered by insurance. The work of this de-
partment has compared favorably with its ex-
celiens record OF preceding years
FIREMESs RELIEF FUND
The relief fund of the fire department is de-
rived wholly from the compulsory monthly
contribution of 81 by each member of the de-
partment, as required by law. GUS. Stat. at
Large, vol %, p. BID. This source provides very
neaSer iund, which Is liable at any time to be
inadequate to the requirements it is designed
to meet The result of such failure would
nave very depressing effect upon the morale
OF the department and, consequently, impair
It's efficiency The firemen's services would be
more zealously rendered if the fremen were as
- pension
fund, that those dependent on them would be-
uuIy provided for in case of their disability
from injury i'll the line of duty. Hence, sound
pnblc policy requires that such an assurance
DC given. ms could be effected, as the prede-
cessors of the present Commissioners recon-
mended, by directing by general law that the
amount now allowed by law, or such other as
might be deemed suitable. be paid as occasion
arises, from any funds i'll the Treasury to the
credit OF the District and the United States in
equal parts.
The effective force of the police department
on June 80, 1885, consisted of 376 men. as
follows:
;, one major, one captain, two inspectors nine
leutenants twenty-eight sergeants. one hun
dred and eighty-hve privates, class one. and one
hundred and fifty. class two. OF this force
six sergeants, forty privates OF class one and
ten OF class two were added during the wear
1t is desirable that the force should be still
further increased, and, with this object in
view, the commissioners included in their esti-
mates Tor the fiscal year to end June 30, 1891,
estimates for five additional sergeants and
twenty-seven more privates each in classes
one and two.
The records and property of the department
are cared for by three clerks, nineteen station
keepers, eight laborers, two messengers, three
ambulance drivers, seven patrol wagon drivers
lhree police matrons, for the examination and
care OF female prisoners under detention at
station houses, are also employed in the de-
partment
This department shares with the fire depart-
ment the services of four police surgeons, whose
duty 1T is to furnish medicine and surgical
treatment to officers of said departments When
necessary.
The major of police reports that the depart-
ment Is still seriously hampered by the re-
qulrement In section 354 of the Revised Stat
utes of the United States relating to the Dis
trict OF Columbia, that mo person shall be an
pointed as policeman who has not served in the
army or navy OF the United States and received
an honorable discharge"
This law was passed to furnish honorable en-
ployment to those who had rendered valuable
service to the country in the army or navy. 1t
mas become a matter Of serious difficulty to OBJ
tam competent policemen under this law. Its
repeal has been recommended by every board
OF Commissioners since 1873, and is renewed by
the present board.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE SERVICE.
The telegraph and telephone service of the
District government comprehends the police
telephone and telegraph systems, including the
supervision of the electrical plant used in con-
nection with the police signal and fire-alarm
systems, and the public schools and District
offices.
. With respect to the matter of maintaining the
lines the superintendent of the service recon-
mends that tie prohibition against erecting
overhead wires be relaxed, or that sufficient
money be appropriated to provide for iavipo