The morning times., 1896-11-15
BYLAWS AGAINST PR0GRESS
Commissioners Make New
Rules Against Factories.
ARE UNWELCoME GUESTS
No New Enterprises to BE Per-
mitted Except by Impossible Re-
trictions-H Industry
and Driving Away Capital-BOard
of Trade Blocked.

In some cities of the Union, and es-
pecially in the Southern States, there is
premium offered to capitalists who
Will invest their money in manufacturing
enterprises. This premium takes the shape
OF an exemption from taxes for a number
of years, or until any new enterprises
shall have become established.
Washington is one OF the Southern cities
which were originally built not for trade"
or manufactures, but as pleasant places to
1--we. At other places in the South the
people have gone in for industries to keep
pace with the new conditions after the
war. In Washington the biggest and most
numerous of all industries is the boarding
house business. They are the best board
ing-houses in the world, but they seem tn
flourish continuously, to the exclusion OF
the big manufacturing industries which
have made metropolises out Of Philadel-
phia, New York, Chicago, Boston, Bal
timcre and dozen others that could be
mentioned.
Every visitor to Washingt on, when asked
his opinion of the Capital of the Nation,
says: .Oh, yes; this is one of the pref
test towns in the world"
BEHIND OTHER CITIES.
merchant even yesterday said that
any other city in the United States of the
age Of Washington would have long since
doubled its population and multiplied its
manufactures many times. This is, In
fact, common comment
They say that Washington Is provincial
| in almost everything except pictures, monu-
ments, sculptures, and carriage drives.
Whenever IL public speaker touches on
Washington he is bound to say that Wash
| ington will one day he tie most beautiful
| 1ity in the world, although it is generally
! believed that it has already reached its
ma lorty in that respect.
| Congressman catch the Inspiration from
| the clubs and boards of trade, and the
| perorations of all their speeches are TO
| the same effect that they are willing to
| appropriate some more millions to make
| Washington beauty. Ten speeches We're
delivered at the last annual meeting OF the
board of trade down the river, and every
4 cne of the speakers went in for making
| Washington an indisputable belle.
BUILDING MORE OBSTACLES.
People read i'll The Times yesterday
! that the Commissioners had formulated
| some new building rules, which II they do
anything at all, discriminate against
| factories in the large sense OF the word.
| The rules provide that no furnaces, found
ries, glass works. machine shops, and in
| fine, no useful arts, shall be permitted
within the fire limits without the con-
| sent in writing of the owner OF two
| thirds of the property within ninety feet
| of tie outline OF the new or proposed
building. This practically banishes all
future enterprise to such points in Wash
ington shall be nearest to Raltimoreor
| Philadelphia.
Some time ago it was said that the
| Navy Department was anxious TO bring
TO Washington certain iron works or
foundTies to be used in connection with
the navy yard works, and not more than
| a few days ago il was said that there were
some capitalists who saw an opening in
Washington for glass works.
II is not known what difficulty, If any,
the government would have in getting
the cnnsent OF the Commissioners and two
| thirds of the property owners in any
locality TO permit 1t TO erect a government
foundry, but ii Is certain that when II
goes out To the world that in this city
the latest Legislation is against the intro
duction Of valuable enterprises, the city
will continue to be full of beauty and moth.
ing else for some more generations of
suburb road building.
BLOCKING THE BOARD OF TRADE
In this connection it would be we'll TO
recall hat the last report OF the committee
board OF trade, which is composed largely
OF business men, the report stated the
| necessity for ''other manufacturing inter
eSts than those We have at present"
The report made the poing that in / S95
the increase in the number of pupils in tn e
public schools was IL, ,555 over 24,337
in 1880. The openings FOR these Eeopie
were too few among the merchants of the
city, and it was shown that there were
| 5000 families which were ready to work
il they could get it.
The committee, however. also believes
in restricting newcomers to certain terri
tory, probably in order that late sIeepers
may not be awakened from further drea ms
OF the beauty OF tine city. The comuittc,
also appears to favor only light manu-
factures," no big wheels, no noise in fact
norhlng more noisy tnan a sewing machine
or a tatting frame.
The action OF the Commissioners and the
expressed desire of the board that Con
gress shall be asked to foster manufactur
ing enterprises form one OF the vivid con.
traSts which will interest all the thriving
goahead, Industrious merchants OF Wash
ington.
In the big stores of the city are many oi
the most progressive men OF the age anC
| also in the few manufactures which ar,
here. but it is admitted that they cannot
| help the growing and increasing genera
| tions with all the work that ought to b.
afforded in a city Of this size.
The committee in closing its report said
YOUNG MEN DRIVEN AWAY.
Comparatively few young men hav
| tastes for clerkshipS and clerical work
| By far the greater number prefer som,
branch of mechanics, civil or electric en-
gineering, and to crafty these tastes the
must leave Washington and go elsewhere
and thus we lose those who later woul,
become our best class OF citizens.
I'm the opinion of your committee Wash
inGton has two sections well adapted TO
such manufacturing interests: First, THAI
portion Of the District lying west of Rock
Creek, between the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canala Ia nd the Potomac River, where therein
a strip of land two miles long and from
; thee hundred to four hundred feet wide
which is not adapted to any uses except
railroad and manufacturing purposes.
! There we have the main channel of tn
Potomac River twenty.two feet in dept
bordering one side, and on the other, fift,
feet above the river, the Chesapeake ant
Ohio Canal, ready To furnish deep water
power for manufacturing purposes Al
present the Baltimore and Ohio Railroa
Company are extending their Metropolita
branch through this entire strip.
1.-The lands bordering the eastern branch
J Of the Potomac, where a certain amount o
dredging and filling (Which is imperatively
demanded by the laws Of healthy woul(
make a desirable location for light manu-
featuring establishments, while the sur
rounding country would furnish eXcellen
hGmes for people employed by such estab
liShments.
I'm conclusion, your committee recon-
mendS to the board of trade the framiu,
1 of bill, with proper restrictions, for re
t mission OF taxes for period OF years a
an inducement to manufacturers to locate
within the District
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