Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-27
should enlist every energy of the Commits

During the last session of Congress bill
was introduced, but failed of passage, Gre
ating the office of collector of fines in the
Police Court. The necessity for this legis-
lation is both urgent and apparent, as the
laws which govern these collections and
their subsequent disposition are obscure
and contradictory in their terms.
The proposed act authorizes a collector
to be appointed by the Commissioners at a
salary of fifteen hundred dollars per an
mum, who shall receive all fines and for
FIXTURES imposed either in United States or
In District cases. and give bond with ap-
proved security for the faithful perform
ance or his duty. 1t provides also for a
system of checks and a regular and lnor-
ough auditing of his accounts
The Pension Funds.
Inc additions which it has been found
necessary to make during the past year to
the number Of those borne upon the pension
lists of the police and the firemen admon-
ish US that the present sources of revenue
Tor the payment of these pensions will in
the near future be inadequate
AS the recipients of this bounty are either
those who have lost their health or the
Families of those who have lost their lives
IN the public service, no other argument
IMAM the statement of its necessity should
De required in support of proposition to
rake sufficient provision for the mainten-
ance of the fund. To this end 1 would sug-
gest that the law limiting appropriations
therefor to the fines received in the Police
Court be amended SO as to authorize re-
course to the general revenues of the Dis
trict whenever deficiency may occur in
either the police or the firemens relief
fund.
To Meet Deficiencies.
l also renew and earnestly urge the
recommendation I have heretofore made
and which failed of accomplishment at the
last session. that Congress be asked to ap-
pre- pirate the sum of seventeen thousand
dollars to meet deficiencies in the payments
to police pensioners from June, 1894, to May
81, 1885, Ihls amount is the difference be-
tween what the government promised to
give and that which it actually paid and is
therefore. an undeniable debt of honor
In asking the enlargement of this fund at
the exclusive cost of the District l do so
from fear of failure if any other course
were suggested, and not through forgetful-
ness OF our compact with the United States
known as the organic act. The terms of
tnat act require the Commissioners to
transmit annually to Congress a detailed
estimate of the cost of all projected i'm
p1ovements the maintenance of public in
situations and the general expenses of the
government, with the pledge: ITO the ex-
tent to which Congress shall approve of
said estimates, Congress shall appropriate
the amount of 50 per centum thereof"
In the light OF this agreement and the
fact that the property of the United States,
comprising more than one-half of the realty
in the District, is equally, with that of the
latter, the care of the men of the two de-
partments who keep ceaseless watch and
ward about us. equity clearly requires the
general government to bear one-half of the
cost of caring for those disabled in the SER
vice, or the families of those whose lives
are yielded at the call of duty. If, how
ever, the needed relief cannot otherwise be
secured, feel confident that the citizens of
W wi
favor upon this appropriation wholly from
the District revenues, which would seem to
leave no room for the Withholding of con-
gressionai sanction.
Settlement of District Accounts.
Ever since the organization of the pres
ent government in 1875 the records of the
general treasury have been numbered with
numerous suspensions and disalowances
in our accounts. Their existence has been
fruitful of annoyance and their removal,
which has been recently effected. is a
source of unalloyed satisfaction. While it
is true that few cash balances of ad-
vances yet remain on the books of the
treasurer of tha United States, legislation
authorizing their settlement will be asked
at the approaching session of Congress:
and when this shall have been obtained the
accounts of all former boards of Commits
sioners will be fully and finally closed
In accordance with the requirements of
what is known as the Dockery law, an
examination of our disbursement, accounts,
including those of II. H. Darneille, dis
bursting clerk, was recently made, the re-
suit of which is set forth in letter from
Ernest G. Timme, auditor for the State and
other departments, of the 18th ultimo, a
copy of which addressed to the Commits
sioners, is as follows:
Il have the honor to inform you that,
acting under the authority of the act of
February 49, 1897, 1 have caused an exami-
a. 20, 90 NAlye
and accounts as disbursing officers of the
government. 1t affords me great pleasure
to state that l found the same neatly and
accurately kept, and that all public funds
which have been received by you were
found to be on hand OR properly accounted
for"
Eleven thousand six hundred and forty
one claims have been audited, in payment
of which $1,000 checks were drawn
Statement of the Revenues.
Accompanying Mr.. Petty's report is a
summary statement of the revenues of the
District of Columbia for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1897 which shows: Bal
aEce in the United States treasury July 1.
1896. ss45.235.93; balances from lapsed ap-
ISL, 219.T6; general taxes and
penalties s., s29, 96416; licenses. s342, 7O4.s9;
market rents, SIS, 427 Sc; rent of wharves,
street termini and hay scales, $3,261.24
fines, Criminal and Police courts, So, S35. 60;
fees from recorder of deeds 1851; fees
from register of wills, $412.95; fees from
surveyor, $3.37525; fees from sealer of
weights and measures. 81, 11o.53; labor and
sale of products, reform school, 1862
of labor municipal lodging house,
$167.96; fees for tax certificates, s2,067; per-
nit fees for sewers and gas, s2.0S0; permit
fees for water, 81 ,306.50; permit for rail-
ings, s5S7; building permits, s4,643.92;;
health department permits, sd; tax on
dogs, s14,469.72; pound fees, $501.75; fees
for inspecting gas meters, s622.65; engi-
neers licenses, 1874; sale of old material,
$225.72 advertising taxes. 49, miscel-
laneous, $2541.S4; total, ss4, 1s2, 236; contri-
button by the United States, s3,043, 2223 40,
which, added to receipts, makes the total
revenues from July l, 1896, to June 30,
1897, $7,225, 459.49.
Total appropriations paid from the reve-
nues July l, 1896 to June 80, 1897, IS, OIL
522. 60; balance in the United States treas
ury June 80. 1897, available for appropria-
ton, $685., 936.SO.
Expenses in Detail.
The summary statement of expenditures
of the District of Columbia for the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1897, shows: Improve
ment of streets, avenues and alleys, 1922
SIS. %; care and lighting of streets, alleys,
roads and parking, s414, 53o.54; bridges, $14,-