Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-16

pose OF the lots in this way. Then the pur-
chasers of lots began to fail in making the de-
ferred payments and the commissioners could
not sell the property for the amount Of the
debt But worst Of all, Mr.. Morris and his as
sociates when the time came to make the very
first payment were unable to do SO, and they
also stopped further work on the twenty houses
which they had begun. The individual owners
who had made sales to this syndicate, as well as
the commissioners, we're seriously involved.
Gloom began to obscure the fair prospect and
bankruptcy and ruin threatened alike the indi-
vidual citizen and the city. The property sold
by the city had beef, transferred to Mr. Morris
and his associates and when disaster came to
them they decided their property to trustees. A
long period of law suits followed and the abb
stracts Of q good deal of the property in this
city shows the process by which it was finally
extricated from the meshes Of the law. mum
Der of the large owners of property in the city
we're seriously involved by this failure and
some of them never recovered from the blow.
EXPENDITURES ON PUBLIC BuILpINos.
This disaster as well as the general apathy in
regard to property in the city compelled the
commissioners In the year 1886 to appeal to
Congress for aid. The work of preparing
buildings for the use of Congress and the ex-
ecutive departments, however, had been going
on and during the five years from 1892 to 1885,
inclusive, the expenditures for all purposes
amounted to about $50 900 yearly The largest
Presidents House and the Capitol. Only the
north wing of the latter building was erected.
and there during the early years both houses
held sessions and there was still room for
the Supreme Court Today that portion Of
the building is occupied almost exclusively
by the Supreme Court. The two buildings at
the time the commissioners made their appeal
to Congress were in a very incomplete state.
the walls Of the Capitol having been built but a
short distance above the foundations. The
LII
seat Of government was removed here in 1900
was about $196 900 the White House and
$170, 900 on the Capitol. However. no such
amounts had been expended in 1855. for one
reason. if no other. that the commissioners did
not have the money to spend. Thus far they
had sold only about 200 lots. for which thew re-
ceived about $4,000. Then they had the pay
ments from Virginia and Maryland and in addi-
ton were in debt. They intended to erect two
buildings for the executive departments, which
they estimated would cost about 900. 900, and
also hall for the judiciary. 1t was clear that
the builders of the new city must have money
from some source or else sell the public prop
erty at a sacrifice. They therefore appealed to
Congress, not for money. for there
was a scarcity of that commodity in the public
treasury and but little credit All they
asked from Congress was authority to negotiate
q loan of $500, 000 secured on the city property
and guaranteed by Congress. As this PROPOSE
ton involved no ready cash the authority asked
for was granted and the commissioners pro-
ceeded to negotiate the loan. Their effort to
get the money either in this country or in
Europe utterly failed. The only loan which
could be obtained was 1900 600 in United States
per cent stock at par from the state of Mary
land. and for which the commissioners were
obliged, in addition to the guaranty of Con-
gress, to give bonds in their individual capaci-
ties This stock was sold at the market price,
which was considerably below par. and the en-
tire amount netted the commissioners only
S130,S73.
AN APPEAL TO CONGRESS-.
This money was soon expended and the COM
missioners being unable to proceed with the
work, they again went to Congress. but instead
Of asking for authority to make loan, which,
after their experience with the credit of the
United States they realized would only be a
waste of time. they requested Congress to ad-
vance, or. as it would be stated now appropriate
with considerable opposition from the states
men assembled in Philadelphia and one Of the
commissioners went on in the spring Of 1888 to
look after the interests Of this measure. There
were also one or two of the prominent prop
erty holders who visited Philadelphia to see
that Congress did not forget the new city. The
situation at Washington not Mt all encour-
aging and some Of those interested began to
despair Of the prospect of completing the build
ings in time for the reception of Congress and
took place. as directed by law. in 1900. Natur-
ally the citizens Of Philadelphia we're pleased at
the prospect of the failure of the scheme Of the
new city, AZ in that case Congress would prob
ably continue its sessions there. Then there
were a great many who were dissatisfied in gem
eral but in particular because money was asked
for from the public treasury. 1t was quite evil
dent from the start that the members of Con-
gress would not agree to an appropriation Of
$2O0, 900. They might be willing to grant half
that sum, but then it was asked was not the city
established on too lavish a scale? The commits
sioner in attendance upon Congress was made
nearly frantic by the propositions and suggest
ions offered by the committees of Congress-
Some were Of the opinion that the Presidents
house was too large and others that it ought
to be near the Capitol. One economist
favored the abandonment of the plan Of erect
ing building for the residence Of the Presi-
dent and the erection of q small house for his
use near the Capitol. Then, again. the propo-
sition was made to prepare the President's
house for the use Of Congress, and still more
economical scheme was suggested OF fitting up
the White Honse both for the use Of Congress
and the President. Finally bill was passed
appropriating 100000 and the plan of the city
was not interfered with.
A LOAN FROM MARYLAND.
This money was all expended during the fol-
lowing year and still the buildings were not
ready. The commissioners were at their wits
end. They did not know which way to turn
and finally an application was made to the leg
islature of Maryland for loan of S50.0O0. The
appropriation was granted, but with conditions
that showed plainly how low the credit of the
government and of the city had fallen. The
legislature agreed to transfer to the commits
sioners Of the city the sum of $4,000 Of the
stock Of the United States at par
on the condition that in addition
to pledging all the property in the city for the
payment of the money the commissioners
and two of the leading property owners in the
city should give their personal bonds. This
was done and the commissioners sold the stock
at discount, leaving a net sum of S40, 488.
The various loans of stock from the state of
Maryland were subsequently paid at their face
value by the United States.
WHEN CONGRESS CAME.
The condition of the city and OF the public
buildings when the capital was removed here in
the summer of 1900 has frequently been de-
scribed and no one now will accuse the COM
missioners of the city of having prepared
buildings of a luxurious character for either
Congress, the President or the executive de-
partments although the accounts Of the COM
missioners show an expenditure Of u little over
million OF dollars from the years 1899 to 1900,
inclusive. The proceeds of the sale Of the lots,
the grants and the various loans, the latter not
amounting much more than quarter of q
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