Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-13
STREET EXTENSIONS
Commissioner Powelrs Reply to Senator
HcMillan's Request
Amendments SuEgestel to the Re-
OF Local Interest.

Whenever Of late the Senate District
committee has taken up the street extern
SION system for considerations there has
been strong pressure adverse to action
brought to bear by residents Of the unsub-
divided suburban sections, farmers and
others with more or less agricultural in
terests in the land. The chief point of OBJ
lection seemed to be the fear that street
extension necessarily involved the imposi-
ton Of city taxes, and especially the as
sessment of water main taxes. Some of
the small farmers whose lands were in
volved have complained that they could
not afford to have the Commissioners lay
a water main under q street run through
their property, and 1t has lately been ap-
parent that there was q considerable an
tagonism to street extensions developing
among these classes, based wholly on this
apprehension.
Accordingly, Senator Mcmillan, as chair
man Of the Senate District committee, re-
Gently wrote a letter to Maj. Powell. the
Engineer Commissioner, calling his atten-
ticn to the matter, and suggesting that
something might be done to allay the ap
prehensions of these property owners by
amending pending Legislation relating to
water main assessments, and SO clear
away at least that obstacle to the SYSTEM
attic extension Of the city's streets and
avenues.
Maj. POwelPs Reply.
Mai. Powelrs reply has been received. In
it he proposes certain amendments to the
bill to authorize the reassessment of water
main taxes now under consideration. The
bill as outlined by him directs the Com
missioners in all cases where water main
taxes have been quashed or set aside to re-
assess all lots, with power to collect accord
ing to the existing law. 1t Is provided tnat
the reassessment shall be made within one
1otA nF hn
act in all cases Of assessments nullified
prior to that date. Section z, suggested
by the Engineer Commissioner. provides
that no water main tax or assessment shall
any lard within the District OF Co
lumbia held and used exclusively for
agricultural purposes. or upon any un-
subdivided land not used for business
purposes but it is further provided
that this exemption shall not apply to any
land into which Potomac water has been
or shall be introduced from public water
main In the street, avenue, alley or roao on
which the land abuts. In such latter case
the assessment shall be levied within thirty
days after 1t has been introduced. When
water has been heretofore INTRODUCED the
assessment or reassessment snail De mace
in ninety days after the passage OF the act.
Whenever the land is rot subdivtded into
building lots the water main tax or assess
ment shall be levied on frontage OF not
exceeding 100 feet for each lot into Whlcn
HOJOmaC
sessment shall be considered in any subse-
ouent subdivision of such property as hav-
ing extended on the premises to depth OF
100 feet fro m the front.
Major Powell, in his letter to Senator Nc
MILAN, said: The object of the additional
section is to exempt agricultural or un-
subdivided land from the water main tax
until Potomac water Is introduced. Section
2 is liberal in that by its provisions unsub-
divided land along whose front main Is
laid cannot be taxed for the main II sub
divided later than thirty days after the
main is laid. unless Potomac water Is IN
troduced. These provisions would Ger
tainly remove some serious obstacles to the
opening of streets and avenues.
II do not think 1t advisable to reduce the
rate of water main assessments: the last
Congress changed the standard of assess
ment from area to frontage against the
recommendation of majority of the Com
missioners. This change will result in a
decrease of revenue, although 1t works to
the disadvantage of small lot owners. and
to the advantage of large lot owners.
Neither do 1 think the whole cost of
laying mains should be charged to the gen.
eral water fund. The present system has
existed for long time, and 1t would not
oe fair to increase the water rents of A
and B, who have paid water main assess
ments, to provide free mains along C's
property. I know many persons think the
cost of laying mains, ETC., is much less than
the assessment. But this is a mistake as
shown by the figures in the Commissioners
report of March g. The water fund has
actually lost money in the work Of laying
mainS.''
The Title Valid.
The bill for the relief Of Sigmund ].
Block and Augustus P. Baurman, s. 2275,
which was referred to the Department of
Justice for ruling, has been returned to
Senator Mcmillan, with a letter from the
Attorney General, in which he says that, in
his Judgment, the title of the United States
to the lot in Question, lot I, in square 113,
is good aud valid.
Approve the 18th Street Extension
bill.
Senator Mcmillan has received a notifica-
ton from George Simmons, secretary, that
the Columbia Heights C.tizers' Association,
at meeting held April Z, approved the
pending bill providing for the extension Of
14th street.