Evening star., 1894-01-12
SOME TELLING FACTS
Continued from Ninth Page).

CONTINUED from Ninth Page).
Improved are: Pennsylvania avenue. In
diana avenue; opening and improving
streets and avenues, Maryland avenue;
paving, 18th street. New Jersey avenue,
1-2 street. 18th and 14th streets, 18th
street. Delaware avenue, b street south;
4th street. sewer traps; improvements, per
act of May II. 1S4S Maine avenue; tagging
sidewalks. Missouri avenue. East Capitol
street, Virginia avenue, 9Th street west
arch over Tiber creek, Executive avenue,
Il street south. 9Th to 9Th west: miscel-
laneous improvements. sewers under Penn
sylvania avenue; completing the grades.
sewer under 18th street.
The above expenditures began in the last
century and ended in the first half of 1876
II to the more than s. 1.265.o0o expended by
the United States could add all the eX-
penditures made by the city corporation and
the special taxes paid by the property own
ers and the expenditures of the territorial
government during the same time, and the
subsequent expenditures by the United
States, We would have the sum total up to
1876 of the cost of street improvements in
the national capital But. although the city
corporation and lot owners have contributed
to the expenses of the avenues and streets.
they have never had, or pretended to have.
any proprietary right in them.
Congress the Sole Owner.
This has been asserted and exercised by
the United States. From the time when it
gave away to colleges and charitable socie-
ties lots decided to it for other purposes by
the original proprietors. the government has
been the master in this matter. Congress
has ordered the sale of reservations and
parts of streets, has appropriated to it's own
uses land reclaimed by filing up the canal.
and has granted to railroad and other cor
porationS. with or without consideration,
franchises worth many millions in the
streets of the capital and even in the roads
OF the District IL is but a short time since
the 1th street road. one of the Oldest ap-
proaches to the city, built and kept in re-
pair by the levy court. and used chiefly by
farmers for the transportation of their pro-
ducts to our markets, was, without consid-
Grafton. practically confscated by the gcv-
eminent for the benefit of passenger cleo
tric railway line. The consent of citizens
has not been asked to the grant OF these val
liable franchises. In assuming the sole
sponsibility or ownership and management,
Congress admits its liability for necessary
expenditures.
Departures From the Organic Pledge.
The fifty per cent clause in the ''perma-
nent form of government act of June IL,
1878. was understood when made to be in
the nature of a pledge of honor and good
faith of the United States to the citizens of
this District. In the general run of legis-
lation it has been observed by Congress.
but there have been several depa rtures from
1t by inadvertence or misinterpretation of
the pledge Among them u few may be
mentioned.
(dD Inc local United states court eXpen-
ses- These were not included in the annual
estimates" but, for several Years. half of
them have been imposed upon the District
taxpayers. For this there was no prece-
dent either in the District or the states.
(b3 The empty reservoir. This work was
ordered by Congress, and done unde-' the
supervision of the United States engineers.
at the cost of nearly s2.6OO.OOO. Though not
included in the annual estimates half this
cost has been imposed upon the District
taxpayers The injustice of this is fragrant:
The United States owns the site and is to
get free water supply forever for its pub
lie buildings; the taxpayers acquire no right
OF ownership and have individually to pay
water rent forever the aggregate being
Unfortunately for both parties, the reservoir
Is useless The taxpayers are charged a
million and half for what now seems to
be useless hole in the ground" But the
United States owns the property.
CO Maintenance of the Geological Park.
This park was originated by Smithsonian
scientists for the preservation of specimens
of the rapidly disappearing wild beasts of
America. In its design it is purely national
and defensible- In no sense is il properly
a municipal affair. 1t not asked for
by our taxpayers; yet. half the mainten-
ance. improvements. repairs, etc, is charged
TO them annually. This annual half is now
$1,000
(dl Rock Creek Park. This is purely a
national affair and intended to eclipse the
great national parks in England, France
and Germany The taxpayers of this Dis
trtct have the same relation TO il which they
nave to the Yellowstone Park in Montana. |
AS Americans. We approve. and have ap-
proved. the creation of the park; and we |
know posterity will be proud of it, but we |
fail to see why a few resident taxpayers |
OF this locality should pay s6UO,OOO of the |
purchase money. and half the annual ex-
penditures made on the park, whose beauty
VIII not be fully brought out for half a cent
ury. Is it right to tax us half the cost of |
the army and navy monument because we
tens Of rhai
navy yard and arsenal. because some of us |
visit and enjoy their well-kept grounds?
AS yet. We can pay our half of expenses |
purely municipal. but We are quite unable |
70 stand up under half the cost of sustain |
ING the national glory. Our will is good. |
but our purses light.
(e) The Suburban Street Extension Law
Marcn = 1888 Congress passed IAN act to |
provide permanent system of highways
IN that part of the District of Columbia /
lying outside of the cities" The system is |
the extension over the District of the street |
plan Of Washington city. the highways to |
De not less than ninety nor more than 16O |
feet wide. and to have circles and reserva-
tions at their intersections as in Washing
ton In short. the national capital is to be |
extended on its present plan to the boun-
daries of the District,
The Future of Washington
The scheme is brilliant. worthy to be |
ranked with the Panama canal and the
railroad of the three Americas In grandeur
Falls and the inland of the Mississippi /
1t stirs the blood of patriotism, expressing
unbounded faith in the stability of the re-
public and the future glory of its capital
city.
Examine ii for a moment. The territory
10 be thus added to Washington comprises
about jl,S2S acres in all; but, excluding
l,3SS for villages and the Eastern branch,
SO,Oo acres. These, under the proposed |
system, are to be divided between the
United States and private owners as the
site of Washington was, except that no
reservations are TO be bought for public
buildings and uses. In the original WASH
ington the 900 acres, excluding the pur-
chased reservations, were divided as fol-
lows:
Acres.
Streets ana aVenues-............... ,6D6
-
IOtdI .0,5IU
For the proposed addition to the city, fol-
lowing the proportion of the division be-
tween the United States and the original
proprietors, the 10000 acres of the county,
according to the scheme of the suburban
street law. will be divided as follows:
Acres.
Taken by the United States for streets.
avenues. tc------------------------- BE-
II a 70 No