Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03

IN EoUALZISG THE ASSESSMENTS
About thirty residents of Northeast Washing
ton assembled at the Peabody School last even
ing in response to a call for public meeting
under the auspices of the Northeast Washington
Citizens Association to protest against the
passage of a District bill row before Congress
charging half the cost of improvements of
streets. sidewalks and curbstones to owners of
abutting property. DR.. A. H. Taylor was chair
man and E II. Brown secretary.
Mr. w. c. Dodge read the clauses in the bill
in question relating to the subjects before the
meeting and spoke of the appropriation Of
$4,000 contemplated to be used in such work.
VERY LARGE AMOUNT.
THAT'S a very large amount indeed" re-
marked the secretary.
That's only the entering wedge to begin
with" replied Mr.. Dodge.
Mr.. Loring Chapel inquired when, where
and BY whom this bill started. The secre-
tary said that so far as he had observed he sup
posed 1t originated with the Commissioners
and asked Mr.. Dodge if he was not correct.
The latter replied that Nj. Brown had the
same means OF ascertaining that he had
WHAT CAPT RossELL had SAID.
Mr.. Carr told of a conversation that he had
had with Capt Rossell- So far as he had been
able to learn he was of the opinion that the
bill did not relate to general street improve
ments: that ii related only to sidewalks and
curbstones- lie said that Capt. EOsseil was the
one who suggested the bill 10 the Commission
ers- He spoke of the unfairness of the bill
Snd how it would operate IN case 4 man wanted
the Improvement and paid for it and then the
government improved his neighbors at no cost
TO him.
ME- DODGE THINKS CAPT. RossELI. Is MISTAKEN.
Mr.. Dodge said that if Capt. Rosseu had told
the gentleman what lie had said about the effect
Of the bill he was laborine under a In;stake
The bill. lie said refers 20 the streets as well as
to the sidewalks and cGrbstones. What the
gentleman has spoken of wa the form followed
under the permi. system. Mr.. Dodge said tina.
since 1874 all work of improvements except
under the permit system had been paid for out
of the general fund. Before that time the citi-
zens hal paid One-sixth of The cost. He then
spoke Of the cost OF aying the wooden pave
ments and then replacing them with concrete
The whole northwest and heart of the city he
said had been paid fer out of the general fund.
This new idea. sud Mr. Dodge. Il think
originated with NJ. Truesdell. VINO had dis
cussed il iii the board of trade Good reasons
were given Tor II. namely. that the Districts
finances were SO reduced that they had not the
money tn continue he work ii had been
done The matter was discussed with the Com
missioners AID AIr. Douglass at inst favored it
WHERE THE INJUSTICE COMES IN
Il thought it WAS unjust" continued Mr..
Dodge. because for tweaty years the citizens
OF East Washington have been paying taxes
which went to make up this general fund, from
which the northwest was paved at no atldi-
t:onal expense 20 the property owners- And
many Of the streets were given two sets of
payements. Irst a wooden pavement and then
concrete. In replacing the old wooden rave
raents with concrete four and half millions
were spent. and the bulk of it was spent in the
northwest and heart of the city. and now / as
sert II Is unjust TO say that musg put our
hands IL our pockets and pay Tor cur own i'm
prorements after we have helFcd pay Tor our
neigEbozs'-'
Referring to the appropriation of SOS. 900.
Mr.. Dodge read from the bill 20 show TIA. the
money must be expended or streets abutting on
improved squares. and the consent o. the prop
erty owners must t:rst be obtained.
IT'S An OUTRAGE AND uyFAIE"
That provision. Mr. Dodge declared. was put
in the bill fer the benefit of some one who has
such subdivision. It's hard. he said, to get all
persons On q square To agree. bu. in these sub
divisions there viii be no trouble as tie own
ers Can easily expead $4,000 and get that
amount from the government. Its an out
rage, he said Its unfair and unjust"
The money that would be spent in such man
Ee- By the citizens. he said. would no 90 in az
taxes and the District would lose that much
more from The general government. In further
explaining why the proposed bill was started
NJ JOA3r SAtl I.sL the expenses E:lC greatly
increased without corresponding increase in
the resources. Then he referred 20 the money
expended on the tunnel and the investigation
that followed the cost of street extensions and
other large expenditures.
OLD MATTERS BROUGHT UP.
When the board of public works took charge
the District debt was 80. los 900 and three years
later when they were legislated out the debt
had been increased to So. 500 600 ..And that
sps.-a h.so -. Il,
law They could not legally increase the debt
more than 5000 600. the law placed the
Eni. at not more than 10 per cent of the as
sessed value Of the property. Statements have
been MATE IN Congress and in newspapers that
this was the result of popular government, and
yet those men were appointed by the Presi-
dent and confirmed By the Senate and the
people nad no voice in the matter. The debt
to-day Is GIG 'ol.O1O, or so per capita, while in
the southern states the debt is not more than
Sl2.per capita. or one-seventh of that Of the
people Of the District"
The speaker then referred to the engineer
corps Of the District and condemned the ac-
taon OF Congress In rewarding Commodore Pat
terson by relieving his property of SO MANY
thousands dollars OF taxes
EeUALIzE THE AssEssNESrs
The assessments are not anywhere like what
they ought 10 be-" continued Mr. Dodge.
The smaller houses are taxed in MANY in
stances as high a. 20 per cent Of their value.
but some of the large and more valuable prop
erty Is taxed at the rate Of from one-tenth TO
one-fOrneth its price. Just think of it. EQUAL
He the assessments and another half million
will be added to the revenues and with an
equal amount from the general government the
necessity FOR the bill under discussion would be
avoided.
CHANGE TIE FORM OF GOVERNMENT
what Is your remedy! A change in the
form of government" lApplause.I Then Mr.
Dodge spoke in complimentary terms of Hon.
w. l. Wilson, who had said that the govern
ment Of this city came nearer being military
government than other city tina. he had seen
Mr. Carr said that in justice to Capt. Rossell
he wanted 1t understood that he had not at
tempted to repeat what the captain had said
Il am opposed to the present system of gov
ernment, said Mr.. Dodge. bat We never had
better engineer officers than now" Mr. Dodge
also remarked that the District paid more money
for the support of the general government than
any one Of the states
axLFIsHSEss AGAINST THE ASSOCIATION CHARGED
Mr.. Frizzell of the county association took
exceptions to the manner in which the men,
bers Of the association had been conducting
their affairs. He charged that the association
had been selfish in that il wanted all the i'm
provements to begin about the CAPITOL. He
was talking for the people who lived in the
vicinity of and north OF II street.
President Taylor interrupted the speaker
and asked II there was any resolution to be
offered. so that there would be something for
those present to discuss.