Evening star., 1896-01-21

awards for 100000 feet, which is esti-
mated to be the amount of land required
for these improvements, are made upon the
bass of the market value of Land, it IS evil
dent that 81, ,5OO,UOO the amount required by
the bill, will not pay for the land con-
demned. An additional appropriation of
millions more will be required to properly
i'm prove these streets over this large area,
and another enormous debt burden Will be
imposed, which in the future Will probably
result in municipal bankruptcy, as was the
case in 1885 and again in 1874, when the
city was unable to meet the debt liabilities
incurred in the Improvement of the streets
and avenues included within the 3,6O6 acres
OF streets In the city proper, and congress
ional relief became necessary. Now, 1t is
proposed to similarly improve territory
five times as large as the city proper, and
thus expend millions of the money Of the
people to develop region which will not be
necessary for fifty years in the future.
A scheme such as this to meet the ap-
proval of the peop.e should be fully under
stood. They should be informed of the cost
and extent Of those improvements. The
people have requested information upon this
matter from the Commissioners Of this Dis
trict, who were directed by Senate resolu-
ton adopted February %, 1885, to furnish
full information upon the subject to that
body. These gentlemen have persistently
and susplclousy refused to furnish any data
whatever, and the people are left in total
ignorance as to the stupendouSnesS of the
scheme and are asked to approach in the
dark vast abyss Of debt which would en-
gulf the residents Of this District for a
century.
Class Legislation Contemplated.
The bill contemplates the most insidious
kind of class legislation, being wholly in the
interest of a few suburban real estate specu-
lators who, Under the plea of providing a
system of sewage disposal, would tax the cit
izens OF Washington and extort from them
millions for correcting the mistakes made
in, fhoir rl~i ifyorx
In their speculative additions to the city.
We regard it as an outrageous imposition
upon the 24O,OOO residents of this city to
make them responsible for the enormous
expenditure which will be necessary to ex-
tend the streets, avenues and reservations
ever these speculative holdings. 1t is an at
tempt to secure legislation which was con-
ceived by few influential residents who
hold places OF honor and trust, who would
impose upon the owners Of $176, ,OOO, 600 of
real aid personal property in this city and
who annually pay 81, 100000 in taxes, to in
crease debt millions more for the benefit
OF the holders of $23, 100000 of property in
the county, and who pay only 1920, 600 an
nually in taxes, and which will finally result
in an expenditure largely in excess of the
assessed value of all the property in the
county.
Should this bill become law it will largely
increase the bonded debt of this District.
which is stated in the census of 1890 to be
$50 per capita, which is a heavier debt bur-
state or municipality in the United States.
Perhaps the cost of sewer extension be-
yond the city limits can be approximated
by reference to the report of Capt. Beach,
District assistant engineer, who has estf-
mated that it will cost 81, 1,0OS,95O to build
sewers in the District where needed now
within the city, without the fifty miles which
are now In such condition as REQUIRES to
be replaced, and also S404.672 which will be
required for water mains in the city. Ac-
cordmg to the report Of the board of san
itary engineers made in 1890, the estimated
cost Of extension of main trunk sewers and
sewer disposal within the city was given at
s., BOG, 600. In 1898 the Engineer Commits
sioner of the District reported that it would
require from 100000 to 100000 to re-
rert estimates are correct, who can esti-
mate the enormous cost of the extension of
sewers alone beyond the city limits, and
how much more will be required to grade
end pave the miles of streets?
We are not opposed to sewer extension
when necessary. 1t is a statistical fact that
Washington has more miles of sewer, ac-
cording to area, than any other city in the
United States.
The argument Of those who favor this
scheme, that additional sewers are neces-
sary for sanitary reasons, is disposed of by
reference to the local vital statistics. From
this source we learn that, as compared
with late years, the general health Of the
District of Columbia during the last fiscal
year is noticeably good. There were 474
deaths less than in the previous year, and
SS7 less than the mortality OF 1893. The
annual death rate for the year for the
total population was 2057 per 1000 in
habitants, while the average death rate
for the last twenty years was 23.66. Dur
ing the year the city was free from epi-
denies. there being but 187 fatal cases Of
II. however. immediate SAWYER extension