Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-11
DISTRICT INTERESTS
As Presented at the Annual Meeting
Of the Board of Trade.
PRESIDENT WARMERS YEARS REVIEW
The Need of the City for Better
Railroad Facilities.
A COLL TON SERV ED
A COLA TON WE'D

The board of trade held its annual meet
ing last evening in the assembly hall OF
the Builders Exchange. with upwards OF
half hundred members present President
Warner presided. and called the meeting to
order at about S:15. He began work at
once by reading his annual address. which
was as follows:
Il was elected president SO late in the
season, after the adjournment Of the regular
session Of Congress. that my report must
be meager as to any important work ac-
complished. This organization has been
principally valuable to the city of WASH
.ngton, because 1t could be called together
at any time and take up any enterprise
which seemed to demand unusual attention.
have at various times welcomed conven-
tons on behalf of the citizens Of Washing
ton, and had the honor Of being elected
temporary chairman of the sound money
convention, assembled last July. So many
organizations meet In Washington that 1t
has become quite a feature in the duties
Of the board Of trade to welcome them to
the national capital
Perhaps the most important change az
fecting the people Of the city has been that
OK the assessments. which were equahzed
by board of appraisers appointed by the
President. under the act of Congress an
proved August II. 1892 The work of this
board resulted in the increase over Last
year Of 80 per cent for the city, 81 per cent
for Georgetown, and ~ per cent for the
county, an average increase over last year
OF about 80 per cent. Although this board
performed their duty to the best of their
ability many reasons make 1t very desir-
able that there should be a permanent boar I'd
OF three citizens Of the District with power
to Immediately revise and equalize the pres
ent assessments of property and with power
TO make future assessments. The fact that
since the last assessments were made the
financial stringency and depression in the
real estate market have produced material
changes IN the values. renders it exceed
ingly desirable that the burdens should be
removed from many Of our citizens, who
would be compelled under the present
method OF assessments to pay larger taxes
than are required either in the spirit Of
fairness or public demands.
business Interests Affected.
Business has been stagnated for much
Of the time during the past year, because
of financial depression. Yet the values have
been affected less In the District of Column
bia than elsewhere. as the number OF peo-
pie employed in Industrial pursuits is COM
paratively small. Persons interested in the
building business have been much affected:
the falling Off in this branch Of business
may be easily judged from the following
figures: $2,697, 764 represents the total
amount OF money spent in private building
In the District during the past year, against
$S9TI. ITO in 1893. or this sum 81, us. sol was
expended in the northwest part of the city;
$'Ss,0o In the northeast; $412,9l3 in the
southeast. and $29S, $50 In the southwest
The Sanitary League which includes in
Its membership some of the best people of
Washington, during the past year had CO.
operated with us as well as stimulated the
authorities of the District in the employ
ment or better measures for preserving
health and preventing disease The result
Is that today our city Is in a most desira BILE
Gondition from the standpoint Of health
The total deaths during the past year were
only 6O69. or 347 less than the preceding
year.
The greatest disaster occurring during
the year was at Ford's Theater. which was
the whole country. Twenty three persons
were killed and nearly one hundred in
1ured. some of them almost completely
disabled. The people Of Washington, with
their usual generosity, formed a relief COM
mittee. and in a very short time nearly
$4,000 was raised to be expended for the
burial of the dead and in caring for those
who were rendered destitute by the acci-
dent.
1T Is a matter for congratulation that
during the past year the legal controversy
over the Rock Creek Park has been settled
by the United States Supreme Court. and
all obstacles removed that were in the way
OF completing the purchase of this most
desirable addition to the health and pleas
ure, not only Of the people Of the District,
but to all who visit the attractions Of the
national capital
Local Public Library,
1T is also gratifying to the people of the
District that work is progressing rapidly
on the great national public library and
that soon 1t will be one Of the greatest at
fractions In the city. Yet as 1t rises in
beauty and approaches completion, it re-
minds all public spirited citizens that It is
the property Of the general government
and was not specially designed to furnish
library facilities for our own people The
board of trade may well turn its attention
to supplying the local public with a library.
The subject has been talked Of and written
about for many years. yet we are today
without any special provisions for the pro-
motion and development Of the literary
tastes of our people. 1 recommend there
fore that a special committee on library
be added to those already existing in the
board Of trade.
1T has been suggested by one Of our
members that in order to stimulate work
and provide employment for many deserv-
ing parties who desire 1t at reduced COM
pensadon, that property holders endeavor,
as far as possible, to Improve and repair
their property and that each expend
minimum Of per cent in betterments BY
such action large amount Of money will
be put in circulation in channels where
great good will result and no hardship be
worked by the outlay.
Washington has a wonderful future
What 1t most needs Is unity on the part of
its public spirited citizens, which will re-
suit in concentration Of action that will
make success of almost any project which
wise Judgment deems best to undertake"
After the reading Of the report of the
president, which was greeted with applause
followed the reports Of the various commit
tees. Some of these were very short. con-
sisting Of mere verbal assurances that
nothing had been done. while others were
long and carefully prepared. Mr.. Warner
read the report of the committee on rail-
roads, of which he is chairman 1t set
forth as follows: every effort was made
to aid in securing the entrance Of the Nor
folk and Western railroad, but without
avail. 1t was deemed most desirable for
the District that this road should effect an
entrance into the capital, but the opposi-
ton of rival interests succeeding in defer
ring the passage of the bill before Congress
until the day of adjournment came Prob
ably the season of depression will prevent
the energetic renewal Of the efforts of the
friends Of this company to the accomplish
ment of this result"
The events of the year are then reviewed
and then the report concludes: ut was