Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-08
The District ELL and Debt.

Ahc DbsNiiSt anu Dci'Ss
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The report in The STAR of what was said at
the meeting of the Northeast Washington Asso-
citation conveys an erroneous impression on
one point. The report makes me say that
the one-ha!f to be paid by the owners of the
abutting property applies to the street paving
rs well as to the sidewalks and curbs. This is
mistake. Mr.. Carr stated that the plan origin
atcd with Capt Rossell and that the explana-
ton given him by Capt. IL. was that il was to
enable citizens to get sidewalks where the streets
are not improved. In reply to that read the
clause III the bill which follows the approprii-
tiOn for street Improvements in the several Sec
hons ard Is in these words:
Provided. That hereafter when new side
walks or curling are Laid on streets being in,-
proved one-half of the total cost shall DC as
sessed against abutting property in like manner
and under the law governing in the case of
compulsory permit work" 1t is clear from
this that this provision applies solely to those
cases where the streets are being improved,
and there to the sidewalks or curbs, either or
both. and not to the street pavement. From its
specifying new" curb or sidewalk the suppo-
sItion would naturally follow that where street
was to be paved. and which was already pro-
vided with curbs or sidewalks, this proviso
would not apply; but as IL matter Of fact it does
or can be made to at the viii of the engineer in
charge. because it is optional with them to re-
IL.
and substitute new. as il frequently done, and
as was done with the curbing on and
streets northeast last at a cost of
Sc, SS4 0S. As the court has dccideded that the
property owner has no claim the curb OF
sidewalk he can get no credit for that removed
although it is used again on other streets This
was the practice of the board of works.
although subsequently drawbacks were allowed
for much of the material thus removed by
Them but now none is.
no 9th in h. L.
paving and curbing the roadway Of any street
in the District of Columbia. ordered by the
commissioners. upon payment in advance by
the owners of the abutting property Of one
half OF the estimated cost of said work, pro-
vlded that said pavement shall Join, abut upon
or connect with some existing pavement and
that the work so done shall be complete for the
entire width of roadway and shall be AT least
one square" For this SIS, 900 is appropriated
1t is understood that this is for the benefit of
some of the suburban additions, and would be
a trifing matter were it not that the revenues
are so deficient As stated in THE STAR last
fall. however. Capt. Rossell recommended or
suggested the adoption of this plan for all
future street improvements. because Of the
want Of means.
NV statements in reference to the District
debt were in answer TO a statement made in
the Senate when the bill for the Geological
Park was under discussion. which statement
can be found in the Record of April 4, 1880. and
N III ticcc NC government OF Inc
United States has assumed gas, 600 O00 ex-
pended in grading and paving the streets and
avenues of this city. and is paying now the
bonds issued by the District for that purpose
As l stated. it is surprising that any man,
and most of all one who has been in Congress
from 1850 to the present time, could make such
a statement, for the facts, shown BY the
records, are that when the board of works took
possession. in 1871, the total debt of tine Dis
trict was but -. IS, and which, at the
final winding up Of their operations. had been
increased to total of go, 500 900. or but two
thirds of the amount stated Moreover the
United States government did not assume the
payment Of even that amount. What it did do
was. first. to provide for the issue of 500 bonds
to the amount of about s14. 00O. 900 and compel
all holders Of the certificates of indebtedness
issued by the boar'i Of works to present
them in exchange for these bonds within six
months Gas i recollect it, or they should
be forfeited This, Of course, to get them all
in, and ascertain the total indebtedness created
by the board Of works. The act of June 20.
1874, abolished tie board OF works and the then
existing government in toto, and provided for
the appointment Of three civilian commits
sioRers TO act IN effect receivers of the bank
rupt estate and find out what its liabilities and
assets were, and forbade any further increase
of the debt. Section Z Of that act authorized
the sinking fund commissioners Of the District
to prepare the 3.65 bonds, and in it are these
words:
''And the faith of the United States is hereby
pledged that the United States will by proper
proportional appropriations. as contemplated
in this act and by causing to be levied upon
the property in said District such taxes as will
provide the revenues necessary to pay the in
terest on said bonds as the same may become
due and payable and create sinking fund for
the payment OF the principal thereof at ma
turity."
Now that is the only assumption of the Dis
trict debt made by the United States govern
ment, and a. the United States appropriates an
amount equal only TO the taxes collected from
the Citizen and paid into the Z. y. treasury il
follows. Of course. that if that plan shall be
continued until the entire debt Of 80, $50. 900
is paid the U. s. government will have paid
but one-half OF that sum, or Sl1, $50, 900,
almost exactly one-third of the amount stated
The reasons why the U. s. government should
pay one-half the expenses has been fully set
forth in reports OF House and Senate commit
tees time and again and that it was simply u
matter Of justice and not Of charity. Those
who are interested are referred to reports of
Senator Southland in 1895, Senator Morrill, of
1874 and H. X. reports Of Mr.. Poland. 1874 and
Mr.. Hunton OF 1916. The debt of the District
is today S19 7S1 0JO 1t liar greater than that of
any state or municipality in the United States
As q comparison take the southern states, as
reported by the census of 1880. With a popu-
lation of IA. 63S, 500 their total state county
and municipal debts combined is but S1Sg,-
S45, 4l4, or but SO. 90 per capita, against our
$s6 per capita Their proportion Of colored
population is the same as ours-a tribe over
one-third. 1t should always be borne in mind
that this debt of the District instead of being the
result Of popular government in the District as
stated by Hon. J. 4. kasson in the North Amer
lean Review of September, 1883, was created
almost entirely by the board Of works, officers
Of the United States goyernment-men ap-
pointed by the President and confirmed by tie
Senate. and over whom, as stated by Hon. H.
8. Neal OF Ohio, in his report to the House in
1881, 1.-THE people Of the district Of Columbia
had no control" and that ''they were in every
respect federal officers" II In therefore not
only unkind but grossly unjust for any man, be
he Senator or what he may. to taunt the people
of the District with the existence OF a debt
which they did not create and for which Con-
grcss alone is responsible, and to exaggernte or
misrepresent the facts Is adding insult 20 in
jury" Ii the United States government were
| 10 assume the whole of the present debt il
would not then pay its proportion from the
foundation OF the capital 70 the present time,
| as can be clearly shown from its own records.
ready and anxious TO do their whole share to
make the national capital what il ought to be-
what Washington aud its founders designed il
public i'm the world. All that is necessary il
4 and not impose upon the District burdens
| which do not belong 10 it. W. G. DoDax.
| Steinitz Wins Another Game.
The thirteenth game in the chess match for
the championship Of the world was won in New
York yesterday by steinitz. The score stands;