Evening star., 1896-01-21
Opponents to the Issue for Sewers
and Street Extension.
FEDERATION OF LAB0R's PROTEST
Commissioner TruesdelI Shows the
Necessity Of the Work.
SPEECHES FOR AND AGAINST

DedTluS To-Day 10 Ine advocates ana OppO-
ncnts of what is known as the bond bill
This measure provides that the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia be au-
thorized to proceed, as soon as may be
practicable, with the work of continuing
the system of trunk sewers in the District
of Columbia, and also to proceed with the
work Of completing the system of sewage
disposal and protection against foods in
accordance with the plans recommended by
the board Of sanitary engineers in their
report to Congress upon the sewerage of
the District of Columbia in 1890: Provided,
That the cost of the extension of the sys-
tenn of trunk sewers herein provided for
shall not exceed 100000, and that the
cost of continuing and completing the sys-
tenn of sewage disposal and protection
against floods herein provided for shall not
exceed the sum of s., $50 900.
That the treasurer of the United States
Is hereby authorized. in carrying out the
provisions OF the act entitled IAN act to
lay out system Of highways in that part
of the District of Columbia lying outside
pend, without further authority from Con-
gress, not to exceed the sum of 81, $50, 600.
That in order to provide the money neces-
sary to defray the costAand expense Of ex-
ecuting the works authorized by this act,
the treasurer of the United States, as ex-
officio sinking fund commissioner of the
District Of Columbia, be, and he is hereby,
authorized, and it shall be his duty, to
be prepared in denominations of $4,000,
and $1,000, and 800, to the amount of
S,5OO.OOO, bearing date January /, 1896,
payable fifty years after date, bearing in
terest at the rate of three per centum per
annum, payable semi-annually on the first
days of January and July of each year, to
be signed by him as ex-officio commissioner
of the sinking fund, and be countersigned
auditor nf ooid lot nd
the seal of said District, which bonds shall
be exempted from taxation by federal,
state, or municipal authority, and shall be
engraved and printed at the expense of the
District of Columbia, and in form not in
consistent herewith. And the faith of the
United States is hereby pledged that the
United States will, by proper proportional
appropriations, as contemplated In the act
OF June II, 1873 to provide a government
for the District Of Columbia, pay the in
terest on said bonds as the same may be-
come due and payable. and create a sink
ing fund for the gradual redemption or
payment Of the principal thereof at ma
turity, one-half the amount which shall be
expended under the authority of this Sec
the District of Columbia. The principal
and interest upon said bonds shall be made
payable at the treasury of the United
States.
The bill also provides rules and regula-
tions for conducting the work.
A Postponement Asked.
Wh.n the committee was called to order
Mr.. Babe ock stated he had received letter
last night from the Comm. ssioners, stating
that certain features of the bill are in
court and that the board of trade have not
made up their minds upon the sections in
controversy. The board of trade, there
fore. asked for a postponement of the
hearing.
Commissioner Truesden stated for the in
frr ton, Of fhoo %lnk
in court is now pending over the constitu-
tionality of certain awards under the high
way act, which is also involved in this bill
and decision may soon be expected.
are complaining of the highway act that it
bears grievously upon them. While the de-
ciSiOn of the court may not have any ef-
feet upon this bill. which is purely a meas
ure of ways and means, there will certainly
be filed a separate bill. The board of trade
is to report upon the highway act, and 1t
may be advisable to postpone the hearing.
Mr.. G. D. Cook Of the Federation of Labor
said committee was present and ready to
proceed with business. The action of the
court, he said, would have no bearing upon
the fact that $7,5OO,OOO Of bonds are to be
issued, and this is the point Of opposition.
The Hearing Goes On.
1t was thereupon decided to proceed with
the hearing. Mr.. Milford Spohn, Mr.. E. j.
Rae and Mr.. Geo. o. Cook, the committee
from the Federation of Labor, were recog-
rized in opposition to the bill, also Mr.. R.
J. Beall and Mr.. w. c. Dodge to oppose it.
Mr.. Milford Spohn of the Federation of
to the committee the protest Of the Fedora
ton Of Labor, prepared by the committee
as follows:
Federation of Labor's Protest.
The undersigned, committee Of the Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor, representing ten thousand
workingmen Of the District Of Columbia
hereby protest against the passage of H.
r. bill 2649, entitled: "a bill to provide for
the continuing Of the system of trunk sew
ers in the District Of Columbia and for
completing the system of sewage disposal
and for protection against floods and for
other purposes"
This bill is a scheme which is only favor
ed and supported by interested parties to
extend the streets, avenues and reservations
Of the city of Washington to the District
line. This extension includes an area Of
territory five times as large as that within
the city proper, which contains an area Of
Gill acres, while the county outside of the
improved agricultural land.
The cost involved, cnly In the condemning
of lands and buildings to extend the streets
avenues and reservations through this ter
ritory, Is estimated to vary from Sc, ,OOO 900
to $SO.OOO,OOO. The latter estimates we be-
leve to be approximately correct, If the
awards of the jury in the Dennison and
Layton subdivisions are made a basis In
this instance the amount awarded for land
alone averaged fraction over one dollar y
foot in ten lots. If this land, which is not
the most valuable of the five sections in
cluded IN this scheme, is to be paid for at
this rate, what will be the cost when con-
demned lands and buildings in lie Droit
Park and on Columbia Heights are submit
ted to jury? In the awards referred to it
Is stated that the sum granted was in ex-
cess of the assessed value of the land
Such has been the case in all condemna tion
proceedings. Capt. Rossle, former Ensi-
neer Comm1ssioner. In report made in
1893, stated that there was paid the holders
Of lands condemned for park purposes along
Rock creek an average Of seven times the
assessed value, and that the site for the
city post office cost four times more than
the assessed value. If we admit that the