The Washington times., 1902-02-08
Mr.. Mcmillan Introduces
Bill in Senate.
TREASURY TO ADVANCE AMOUNT
Measure Provides for Expen-
diture of SII,oo7,I6o.5 50.
HALF TO BE PAID BACK
Amount to He Used for Filtration
Reservoir Construction, system of
Sewage Disposal. street Improve.

A bill to authorize the loan to the Dig
trict from the United States, favored by
the citizens associations. was introduced
in the Senate yesterday by Mr. Mcmillan,
chairman of the Senate District Com
mittee.
The title of the measure is "a bill
authorizing certain municipal improve
ments in the District of Columbia. and
the anticipation OF the revenues of tho
said District on account thereof"
To Share the Burden.
1t is provided that the sum Of 81. .OS1.-
1880 shall be appropriated out of tho
Treasury. and out of the revenues of the
District of Columbia. in equal parts. for
the following purposes:
l. Constructing filtration reservoir.
2. Completing !. system of sewage dis
posai.
| 3. Improving streets
4. Reclaiming the Anacostia Flats, and
converting them into public park.
1t is provided that of the total sur,
named s1,7s7,277.50 shall be used for tho
filtration reservoir. s2,6S0,O97 for sewers,
$4,000 900 for street extensions, and 81, ,620,-
| 095 for the Anacostia Flats.
Improvement of Streets.
The money for street extension is to
be expended throughout the entire Dis
trict ''as requirements may be manifested
by schedules and recommendations SUBJ
mitted to the District Commissioners by
the citizens of the several sections"
number of streets arc especially named for
extension in the bill, as follows: Fifth,
Thirteenth and Fourteenth to the District
line, and Twelfth Street. New York Ave-
nue., Rhode Island Avenue, Michigan Ave-
nrc, ana NJ Street or Maryland Avenue to
the Eastern Branch
The District Commissioners are author
lied to improve other streets as they find
sueh improvements expedient.
II is provided that none of this fund
snail be expended in the purchase OF land
for street extensions except where at
least IS per cent of the land in any pro-
posed extension shall have been donated.
and the provision is added to this section
that the donators of land for extensions
shall not be assessed for benefits on lands
owned by them adjacent to their dona-
'ioAo' II ID piohiutu tIdl tUe meLEOu TO
be pursued in condemning lands for ex-
tensions shall be similar to that in the
Sixteenth Street extension law
Annual Estimate to He Submitted.
The District Commissioners are direct
ed to submit each year to the Treasury
Department an estimate of the amount to
be expended under the provisions OF the
bill until all the improvement projects
shall have been completed.
The loan provision of the bill provides
that the Secretary of the Treasury shall
advance each year to the District from
moneys in the Treasury any sums neces-
sary to carry on the improvements One
half of this advance shall be charged
against the District, with interest at
per cent.
4 Sinking Fund.
a sinking fund is provided for. so that
the advance to the District shall be paid
back in thirty years.
This bill is the one that was recently
submitted to representatives of the
various citizens associations of the Dis
trict by the Northwestern Citizens Asso-
citation. 1t met with general approval
and was adopted as the plan of the asso-
ciations. 1t is understood that it was pre-
pared by Mr.. C. c. Lancaster, of the
Northwestern Association.
Views of the Committee.
The position of the Senate District
committee on this project has been stated
n The Times heretofore. The committee
S in sympathy with the improvements,
and realizes that they must be made in
he near future 1t is willing to have the
Government tn he -,
or them. But it is very positive in its
stand that no loan shall be made and no
Improvement bills passed until it can see
where the District revenues are to be in
reased sufficiently to meet the annual
on the loan.
The tax. assessors and the District Com
nissioners have informed the committee
hat their assessments now being made to
o into effect for the coming three years
'ill increase the revenues materially. but
is not believed by the committee thai
his increase will be sufficient.
The Personal Tax Law.
The other proposed method of increas
az the revenue is the personal tax law
S to which there has developed a differ
nee Of opinion. The Board of Trade and
iany OF the citizens associations are op-
osed to such tax. and it is understood
rat the District Commissioners also do
OF favor the project very strongly.
The Senate Committee. on the other
and, has up to this time been strongly
favor OF the tax. but some of the Dis
'ict people who have seen the committee
xpress the hope that they will modify
leir opinion. 1t is thought by some that
bill imposing tax on business personal
roperty only may be the compromise re-
llt of this difference.
A Gin tt,.+ int ;,,t ba
enate by Senator Mcmillan was intro
iced in the House by Representative
tey Dem-, Va) yesterday.