The Washington times., 1894-05-11
sUBsTITUTEFoR PEFFER's BILL.
Commissioners Recommend the Issue Of
District Bonds for improvements.

Commissioners Recommend the Issue of
District Bonds for Improvements.
The District Commissioners yesterday sent to
the Senate District Com mittee, addressed to
Chairman Harris, a report on the bill introduced
by Senator PETER on the a5th of April, entitled
"a bill to provide work for the unemployed per-
sons in the District of Columbia"
Senator PETERS bill provided for a joint COM
mittee composed of the two District committees
of Congress TO lay out plans for the improvement
of the grounds of the District by opening needed
highways improving existing ones, the construc-
tion of bridges, the opening OF needed sewers,
etc not including however, streets and sewers
of the city of Washington. II provided for the
employment of persons within the District who
had no other present employment at wages OF
S1.50 for eight hours work, and made an appro-
priation of 81 OO0 90 TO carry into effect the pro-
visions OF the bill
The Commissioners sugges. number of
amendments TO the PETER bill in case IL should
be considered by Congress, but send with their
report the draft of what they urge as a subst-
tute for the bill making provision for the execu-
tion of the plans made for providing for sewage
disposal in the District, and also for a compre-
hensive improvement OF the highways OF the
District, and in lieu OF n direct appropriation
from the Treasury propose that the expense be
betrayed from the proceeds OF an issue OF Dis
irct bonds
The substitute bill prepared by the Commits
sioners is entitled "A bill TO provide for continu-
ing the system OF trunk sewers i'll the District OF
Columbia, 10 provide Tor sewage disposal, 10 lay
out highways, and for other purposes" Ii
authorizes the Commissioners 40 proceed, as
soon as may be practicable, with the work of
continuing the system of trunk sewers IN the
District of Column biH, and also t. proceed with the
work of completing a system Of sewage dis
posal and protection against floods IN ac-
cordance with the plans recommended
by the board OF sanitary engineers in their re-
port to Congress upon the sewerage of the Dis
trict Of Columbia in 1880 lex. Doc No 4i5, Fifty
frzr fF.fs Tod hlf he
cost OF the extension OF the system. OF TRUNK sew
eIs herein provided for shGl. not exceed Sl,OJO,-
600, and that the cost OF continuing and COM
pleting the system OF sewage disposal and pro
lection against floods herein provided for shall
not exceed the sum of sj,3j1,U0U.
Sec. , That said Commissioners be and they
are hereby authorized in carrying out the pro-
visions OF this act, entitled AN act to lay out
system Of highways in that part of the District
OF Columbia lying outside of cities" approved
March =. lS.3, TO expend, without further au-
therity from Congress, not to exceed the sum OF
sI,I50OO0. And said Commissioners are also
hereby authorized to expend i'll improving any
of the streets or avenues. and i'll grading reser-
vations, heretofore hereafter laid ont and
opened under said act, or any of the
existing streets, roads or avenues in the
District OF Columbia. including neces-
sGry bridges and cuiverts, the additional sum of
two million dollars. Provided, That in making
such improvements said Commissioners shall
employ many persons as may be necessary TO
do tho work speedily and properly, at wages cur
rent at the time in said District And provided
further, That it shall be the duty OF said Com
missioners, so far as they may deem it COM
patibe with the public interest, in making i'm
proyements authorized by this section to give
preference to those streets and avenues where
the largest part of the right of way is Dedicated.
after having first graded all the ungraded
streets in the cities OF Washington and George
town.
Sec. 3. That in order to provide the money
necessary TO defray The cost and expense OF exc
cliing the works authorized by this act the
Treasurer OF the United States, as eI-officio
sinking fund commissioner of the District OF Co
lumbia, be, and lie is hereby. authorized. and it
shall be his duty, 10 cause tonds of the District
OF Columbia TO be prepared to the amount OF
10000, bearing date July ], 1891 payable fifty
years after date bearing interest at the rate of
per centum per annuri, payable semi-annTally,
to be signed by him as ex-onicio commissioner OF
the sinking fund.- and be cOuntersigned by the
auditor OF said District, and sealed as the
Board Of Commissioners may direct, which
bonds shall be exempted from taxation by fed
eral state and municipal authority, and shall
be engraved and printed at the expense of the
District of Columbia, and in form not incon-
sistent herewith And theNfaith OF the United
States is hereby pledged that the United States
Will by proper proportional appropriations, as
contemplated by tie of June II, 1878, TO pro-
vide government for the District of Columbia,
pay the interest on said bonds, the same may
become due and payable, and create sink
ing fund for the payment of the principal
thereof at maturity. One-half the amount which
shall be expended under the authority of this
section to be charged against the revenues Of the
District of Columbia The principal and inter-
est upon said bonds shall be made payable at
the Treasury of the United States Said bonds
shall be numbered consecutively and registered
in the Office of the Register of the United States
Treasury, for which registration the Secretary
of the Treasury shall make such provision as
may be necessary
Sec. t. That whenever any money shall be
required to meet the obligations incurred under
this act the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia shall notify the Secretary of the Treas
ury of the amount required, and in order to pro-
vide for the same the Treasurer of the United
States shall be, and he is hereby authorized
and directed from time to time to sell and dis
pose of any of the bonds prepared under this
act at not less than their par value, to the most
favorable bidder or bidders, after having adver-
tised the same for ten consecutive days in
two daily newspapers in Washington city
and two in the city of New York, the bids to be
opened under such regulations as may be pre-
scribed by the Secretary Of the Treasury, and
the award to be subject to his approval; and the
proceeds Of all such sales shall be covered into
Treasury of the United States subject TO the
requisition of the Commissioners OF the District
OF Columbia, to be applied by them solely in
payment Of expenses incurred under the provi-
sions of this act, and to beaccounted for as is re-
quired in the settlement Of other expenditures
of the District
Then follow provisions as to the manner of ad-
verfising for proposals, making contracts, etc
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