Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-06
WILL FIGHT FOR BOND BILL
One Reason Assigned by Commissioner
Black for Limited Estimates.
Work of Completing Sewerage System
to BE Done on borrowed Capi-
tnl-Other Points.

In estimating for the support of the Dis
trict government for the next fiscal year
the Commissioners have followed new
policy. For the first time in the history of
the present form of government, it is
nounced, their estimates of the amount
Quired for tie proper conduct of the nlu-
nicipality do not come up to the esti-
mated revenues. 1t is argued that it is
bad policy to go to Congress with esti-
mate for appropriations which the Com
missoners, through past experience, are
confident they will not get; that it is better
to only ask for those thin gs which could
reasonably be expected, and for which they
can earnestly and conscientiously fight.
Under these considerations the estimates
for tAe next fiscal year are some $4OU,OuO
less than the estimated revenues would
seem to warrant.
Commissioner Blacks Statement.
There has b.en criticism of this course
by the property owners who have been
struggling for some time to have certain
streets improved, but Captain Black de-
Tended it as follows:
Il have always thought it mistake TO
petition Congress for appropriations which
could not reasonably be expected, and i'll
my experience before that body in asking
for appropriations for river and harbor
work. l have always made it a point TO
estimate only for those things which were
actually necessary and upon which l could
make strong fight. The result has been
that few of my recommendations were dis
approved.
I'm my opinion there is To earthly use
for the Commissioners to load up their
estimates with items which will not be
granted. We have street schedule, as
you know. which is years behind. and
which shows the streets which are to be
improved in the order of Importance as
settled by Congress. and new streets are
added yearly as necessity requires. IhlS
process can be continued until every un-
improved street in the District is named,
but it is useless to ask for more money
in any one year than We can reasonably
hope to obtain
For instance, last year the Commits
sioners asked for s6oO.UO for street i'm
provements, which went into the amount
Try, but of this sum only S150,oIO was ap-
propriated by Congress. leaving a useless
charge against the estimates of SI5O,OO0.
More Potent Argument.
There is another and more potent argu-
ment this year why the Commissioners
should net estimate up to the full amount
of the estimated revenues. They conf
IDENTIFY expect legislation at the coming
session of Congress which will abolish
grade crossings along the line of the Penn
sylvania railroad and We do not want to
argument against this much-reeded i1i-
Irovement that the District has not the
money to carry out its share of the work
in the plans which it has adopted
You will also notice that we have left
out the small driblets of appropriations
for completing the great system of sewage
disposal. 1t is absolute folly to go along
year after year with the small appropria-
tions that Congress gives US and do this
work piecemeal. The system cannot be
us ed Until the whole is completed, and
work done long before any benefits
accrue is, to say the least. very unwise
investment At the present rate of ap-
preparations this very necessary work
would not he completed until about 1850.
Bond Measure.
THE Commissioners are impressed with
the immediate necessity of completing this
system of sewage disposal, and they pro-
pose to go to Congress this year and fight
with all their might for a bond bill. which
will give the authority 10 commence {
once this important work, dividing the cost
between the United States and the Dis
trlct- The Commissioners, of course, eX-
pect criticism from some quarters of this
action, but we believe it is thoroughly con-
sistent and that our position before Con-
gress Will be materially strengthened
Il would like to call attention to another
important feature of our estimates. 1t
relates to the schedule of suburban street,,
ana county roads TO be improved. Here
tofore these improvements have been
recommended somewhat at random ana
have been appropriated for without regard
to sections or Importance. We have put
In our estimates this year a suggestion
which We hope Congress- will approve that
these roadways be placed upon a schedule
in tie order of their Importance, and I'M
proved according to that schedule, the
same as streets within the city"
a