Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-09

to a few of the leading cuts which have
been made, so that the committee of the
whole may see the general purpose and
scope of the bill. Take. for instance, the
matter of streets; and / may say in pass
ing that there could be expended today
profitably and wisely on the streets of
Washington and its suburban cities any
where from a million and a half to two
million dollars. This amount, / say, could
be wisely expended. Now, let us see what
the Commissioners ask for; and they as
sured us that they had been guarded and
careful in their estimates. appreciating the
general situation of the country. They
asked for SAFE, 900 for the improvement and
repairs of streets. The current law appro-
priated S2OO.UOO This bill gives only 800.
600 being a "cut" of 100000 below the
that the Commissioners asked to have APP
propriated.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, I come to another
and a very important branch of the APP
preparations for the District-a feature OF
appropriations which wise legislators should
never disregard in appropriating for a
great city or a small city; and this after
room we are here rather in the nature of a
city council than of a Congress represent
ing the whole country. Take the matter of
sewers-relief sewers, etc. The amount ask
ed for these was $4,000; the current law
gave $4,000; this bill gives only StO,UO0-a
cut of $4,000 below the current law. and
$4,000 below the amount asked for by the
District government.
Need for Sewers.
"Coming to main and pipe sewers. the
amount declared by the Commissioners to
be needed was $4,000: the amount appro-
priated in the law for the current year was
s123,955; we give in this bill but $4,000
cut of s4S,a55 below the law for the current
year, and $4,000 below the amount which
the Commissioners declared to be necessary
for the health and other interests of the
District. Now, we come to suburban sew
ers; and want to call the attention OF this
committee to the fact that outside of the
old boundaries of the city of Washington,
there is rapidly growing up another city of
Washington, which may be called the subur-
ban city, contributing literally in the form
of taxation, and furnishing beautiful homes
for the people and an overflow region for
those who are not able to occupy the more
expensive homes in the central part of
Washington. The amount asked for these
suburban sewers was slOO,Ooo; the amount
given by the current law was SS2,2o5; in
this bill they receive only S20OOO-a cut
below the present law of $62,2o5, and cut
of $4,000 below the estimates. The total
asked for for sewers, inside and outside the
boundary, those great health preservers of
the city, was $3.50, The amount allowed
was $lS3,5O0. This bill cuts the amount
S199 500, or nearly $20O,OO0, in round num-
bers.
School Houses Needed.
NOW, Deg tne dttentlon VI the Coihiiiit-
tee to the subject of schools. This city is
suffering from overcrowded school houses.
and it needs a continual appropriation,
year after year, for new school buildings.
1 think that one need not argue to any body
Of any kind in this country in favor of
standing by the educational institutions of
the country. Let us see what we do in this
bill In regard to the education of the
young. Here are the new school buildings
which the District Commissioners said were
needed to accommodate the children of the
District They wanted one eight-room
building in the fourth division, which would
cost $50, 900; one eight-room building in the
sixth division, which would cost $4,000; one
four-room building in the sixth division,
which would cost $4,000.
For reconstructing the Stevens School
for colored children, $50, 900: one eight-room
building in the eighth division, $39Uo0. For
an addition to the Brightwood School build
in, $4,000: for an addition to the Brool1land
School building, $4,000; for an addition to