Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-26


confirmation of Mr.. Webb, which, he said
would receive attention from the District COM
mittee when the proper time came. Mr.
Sperry. chairman of The select committee. con-
sisting of himself. s. C. Clark and VI. I. Weller
appointed to draft a memorial to President
Harrison asking that East Washington be rep
resented on the board of Commissioners read
a report, which was adopted
The Memorial.
The memorial was as follows:
"Gal. Benz. Harrison. PreSiclentelect of The
United States
GENERAL: The East Washington citizens
association, regularly organized body of more
than fifteen years existence. representing the
residents and tax payers of that portion of the
city of Washington. ID. c.. living east of North
and south Capitol streets, at a special meeting
held on the 18th of February. 1889 adopted
this memorial and instructed its secretary to
forthwith forward it to you. with the respect
ful and earnest request that you give il your
candid consideration before deciding upon the
appointment of any commissioner of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Your memorialists ask that the appointment
of one OF these Commissioners be made from
among the resident taxpayers of the eastern
portion of Washington city. We do not pre-
sent the name of any candidate. because this
memorial is
NOT N THE INTEREST OF ANY PERSON or CLIQUE.
We ask only that the appo;ntee be worthy
man whose residence and property interests
are with ours. and in support of this request
We respectfully submit the following facts and
reasons:
..Since the adoption of the present form of
District government there has never been a
Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner an
pointed from or resident III the eastern part of
the city, and during that entire period we have
been deprived of q large part of our fair and
nf hRT FOR bi..b
our municipal taxes are paid. Thus for
years we have suffered and suffer
in respect to public schools. police
protection. street and alley improve
ments. water supply. street lights, garbage re-
moval. and all the other advantages of NUM-
cipal government: and our repeated petitions
and circumstances have been without avail
The city has but lately entered upon a rapid
growth. Its present needs therefore largely
exceed ITS present means. We willingly bear
our fair share of the deprivatiOns thus caused:
but We cannot willingly and passively continue
to bear far more than our share of them in or
der that more wealthy and more favored por-
ton Of the city may have more than its due pro-
portion of advantage.
AFEw FACTS PRESENTED.
Permit Us 20 recall now q few facts of which
you are well aware. The three Commissioners
Of the District practically exercise direct
municipal control over more than a quarter of
million o: people who have voice whatever
people are concerned. the Commissioners WELD
AN utterly irresponsible power. their only re-
sponsibility being to the President and Con-
gress. IN whose election the people Of the Dis
trlct have 10 voice.
From TINS situation il inevitably results that
the interests of the taxpayinG residents will
not be fairly considered by Commissioners of
less than the very highest abilities and most
unselfishly impartial disposition. Even then
the inherent weaknesses of human nature
cannot be wholly avoided. Where the treas
ure lies. there will the heart be also. Com
PEELED to choice in the direction of limited ex-
pendltures. the Commissioners mus: naturally
feel more kindly disposed toward the region
where their property interests lie. the region
OF their residence ana their personal acquaint-
Rnces and friends.
Having suffered so much and so long from
the effects OF discrimination against us. we now
appeal TO the ultimate and only tribunal. the
appointing power, for the only remedy which,
in the very nature of things. can be really eff
fectiye under our present form of District gov
ernment-the appointment of one Commission
er whose residence and interests are
WITH OURS AND Not AGAINST Us.
That this is the only remedy is the unani-
nous belief of our people, and is at least par
tally demonstrated by the universal recogni-
ton of the principle involved as shown by the
TACT that all cities and towns having municipal
governments OF the ordinary form are divided
INTO wards. each entitled to one or more men,
first claims of each section NAV be duly heard
and respected. There is no other safe wav
even in an ordinary municipality; and the
principle applies with added force in a ma
uonal capital where there are so many and so
distinct strata of society. so many diverse
interests, So little homogeneity in anv respect,
and so nearly total lack of acquaintance as
well as REORGANIZATION between different
portions of the city.
Let US present few specific facts bv vav
Of illustration On the LIST of july 1881 as
shown by the report of the Commissioners for
the fiscal year then Just ended. the northwest
quarter OF the city, not including Georgetown
had 1l2 fire and street hydrants and the en-
tire eastern portion only 322- On the same
date. the streets having only gravel macadam
eobble or wood pavements aggregated in the
northwest quarter not including Georgetown
4oeSil square yards. while in the eastern por-
ton they aggregated 55i. 2Sl square yards The
total unimproved streets at that time in the
northwest quarter, not including Georgetown
aggregated but S55.509 square yards while the
unimproved streets in the eastern section ag-
gregated o95. 146 square yards. The total ex-
penditure OF appropriation for street impr Owe
ments for the fiscal year ended June 3d. 1887
IN the northwest section. not including George
town. or North and South Capitol streets was
slj6,2lO32. and in the whole eastern section
was only .51.sO6.2j. The total expenditure for
improvement of streets and avenues for the
lsst ten Years IN the northwest quarter, not in
cluding Georgetown, amounted to Fl. us. Oh. Al,
while Tor the entire eastern portion of the city
during that period it was only 1854. 73I1S
But, to avoid needless multiplication of in
stances, let us only refer further to the maps
herewith marked appendix A. showing at a
glance the
RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION OF STREET IMPROVE
MENTs.
and appendix B. indicating by stars the loca-
uons OF the residences of present and former
commissioners. and also to pages IA andt15 of
the printed report Of the committee on streets.
avenues and alleys herewith attached. and
marked appendix c. and to marked items in
pamphlet marked appendix
If now II should be urged that our COM
plants refer 10 the present and the past and
that they might be obviated for the future by
the selection Of fair and able Commissioner
duly made aware of our needs even Though
none OF them was resident of the eastern nor
ton OF the city, We must answer that we know
no way OF judging the future but by the past: as
II has been for 50 many years and is now so il
Will continue to be unless the remedy is an
Piled Weneed representation in the board of
Commissioners. not merely by Just and able
man, but by one whose residence among Us has
made him acquainted with our localities and
their needs. and who will have the strong and
necessary prompting of personal interest to do
his fair duty by US, instead of having that per-
sonal interest against that has always been the
case heretofore. Even then he will be in the
minority, merely one of three, so that he can
got possible obtain for more than the most
n1nr. AZ. s..-Xs