Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-08

sixty now at work at 18th and c northeast,
grading the streets OF East Washington,
thus making the work house more than self
supporting, and accomplishing an immense
amount OF work that must be done sooner
or later, and free of cost to the District
AS the work of these convicts never con-
fiicts with that of the honest laborers of the
District; as their labor benefits not only the
individual property holders along the streets
graded, but indirectly every resident of the
District. and as the keeping of fifty of these
suits in loss to the District, and increased
viciousness among themselves, we ask that
the two committees of Congress upon ap-
preparations at once take steps to have an
appropriation made that shall be immediate
ly available. SO that the whole working
force of convicts can be kept busy on the
streets the balance of this fiscal year"
We recommend change in the law re-
quiring the municipal improvements in the
grading and matchmaking of streets I'm the
District to be given to the lowest contract
bidder, and suggest that all such improve
ments be placed wholly in charge Of the en-
gineer department Of the District. for the
following reasons:
The work can be done cheaper, as the con-
tractors profits will be saved.
The department in charge ha wing no in
terest al stake. will have better materials
and do better work.
The time usually spent in getting bids will
be saved, the work begun sooner and finish
ed the same year, instead of leaving the
streets torn up all winter, and only finished
the following spring.
Employment to the resident laborers will
be more regular.
No large bodies of outside laborers. many
of whom are not only worthless as citizens
but vicious, will be attracted here for short
terms, to do work that must be completed
in haste to comply with the contracts
The honest resident laborer, being provid-
ed with regular employment, and not SUBJ
jected to competition with worthless class
of outsiders who drift from place to place
will not become objects of charity in the
winter. and thus large saving to the char
liable organizations effected, to say nothing
of the gain in morality and self-respect
We earnestly ask the committee on ap-
prop-tations OF Congress to entirely ignore
the suggestion of the Secretary of the
Treasury that the asked for appropriat ton
for the District for the ensuing year be re-
duced to the figures of the present one
Under an increased taxation OF about thir-
ty-one per cent in the District, we regard
his proposed cut of 81, 10000 as extremely
erroneous. Under the small appropriati ton
for this year, in the entire eastern portion
of the city but nine steets have been i'm
proved, and proportionally small number
in the western portion. Improving the
streets at this time at the same time that
our taxation is increased nearly one-third,
is not only unjust to the citizens and rob-
bling the District of the increased revenue
which naturally arises from the added value
to the property thus improved, but is delay
ing the completion of the street and sewer
age system of this city indefinitely. Being
the capital city, and freely acknowledged to
be the most beautiful one in the world, as
long as the citizens are willing to pay their
half for the improvements, we believe IL to
be niggardly and mean on the part Of this
great government to hold back even a por-
ton OF its share. For this and many other