Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16

| departments The frequent changes there
| in and recent reductions Of force have left
| large number of these persons in our city
without means of support upon the charity
! of this community, which at this time is
| scarcely. if at all. able to take care of its
resident poor We beg to urge this as
strong reason for liberal appropriations in
behalf of our charitable institutions.
In conclusion, your petitioners would
refer to their record in the past as law
abiding and taxpaying community, and ex-
press an earnest desire to cooperate with
the representatives of thes general govern
ment in making this the worthy capital of
great nation.
Active Steps Taken.
This memorial was first submitted to the
inspection of Governor Dennison, the presi-
dent of the board of District Commission
ers and meeting his cordial approval was
communicated to Messrs. Crosby s. Noyes,
John A Baker, Robert c. Fox NJ w.
Beveridge w. G.. Metzerett and John T.
Given. With their cooperation a meeting
was held at the office of Fitch, Fox &
Brown, when the subject of the formation
of committee of 100 was debated and de-
cided upon. meeting followed at the
residence of Mr.. Lewis j. Davis when the
outline of the public meeting to be called
was agreed upon and the invitation to said
meeting was framed and sent out, dated
October o. 1877. The proceedings at that
meeting are found in the following account,
the first quotation being editorial in The
Evening Star of october 20 1877:
Every body admits the urgent necessity
for united action by citizens to secure
from Congress legislation imperatively
needed in behalf of our District, but the
trouble is that what is everybody's bust
ness is nobody's business. good many
In fact, are disposed to despair of getting
anything like combined energetic action
In view of the general listessness displayed,
and the disposition, on the other hand, by
some to raise a madGog cry of interested
motives against any citizens of public
spirit enough to attempt to rescue the com
munity from the slough of despond. I'm
PEELED, however, by the urgent nature of the
emergency, quite a number of our citizens
interested In the prosperity Of the District
have entered upon the thankless task in
dicated. After consultation they appointed
a committee with Instructions to send out
the following invitation addressed to con-
siderable number of prominent citizens of
the District, who 1t was thought. would be
willing to give active cooperation Tor the
object in view:
WASHINGTON, D. c., October 8, 1877
Dear Sir You are respectfully invited
to unite with certain other fellow-citizens
with view to the formation of commit
tee of 100 to endeavor to procure from Con-
gress such legislation as will secure the
objects set forth in memorial now before
the public for signatures, of which copy
is herewith submitted
Please signify your acceptance on re-
ceipt of this. Respectfully yours,
'Committee--Lewis j. Davis, r. o. Fox,
Joseph Casey S. V. Niles, John A. Baker,
John T. Mitchell, William Nj. Gait Joseph
C. Semmes, George w. Riggs, George ray
lor. Crosby S. Noyes, John Hitz, NJ. w.
Beverage John 7. Given, William Dixon.
E. ]. Middleton, jr'
THE answers to this invitation have been
so hearty in promising the active co-opera-
ton asked that there is encouragement to
believe that a real working organiza ton of
Jealous, energetic men can be effected IN
the shape of citizens committee OF 100
or more. But one defamation mas been re-
ceiyed and that comes from Mr.. Columbus
LAexander who thinks he smells some
ring jobs In the movement While he ad-
mits that there is much in the memorial
that is very just and commendabe, he
thinks the reference to the Improvement of
the Potomac river may be construed to in
volve a Job which may result In mourning
a further debt to the District and increased
taxation This objection from Mr. Alex
ander illustrates the difficulty-we might
say the utter hopelessness-of securing en-
tire harmony of action on behalf or vital
District interests or of bringing forward
any measure of public good that will not
be straightway denounced by some clique
OF some suspicious individual as having
some wrong motive at the bottom. All in
the world the clause in regard to the Poto-
mac river contemplated was to induce Con-
gress to make such appropriation for the
Improvement of the river and harbor at the
>
the inproVeme nt of rivers and harbOrS all
over the country. There was not shade
of shadow of a foundation for suspicion
that there was any Job in this matter 1t
would seem to be impossible that any man
interested in the welfare Of the city could
be found to oppose the effort to get an ap-
preparation from Congress to improve the
navigation and abate the malartal scourge
of the Potomac. But the Potomac river
improvement and other matters referred to
IN the memorial are, as heretofore ex-
planned In this column, only incidental OBJ
3ects to the great paramount one set forth
In the memorial of procuring from Congress
the legislation fixing definitely the proper
ton 1t will pay toward the expenses of the
District. 1t Is SO vital to the interests Of
the District that this matter should be set
tied that all other District needs and griev-
ances can afford to wait until this Is ar
ranged"
The report Of the meeting thus called was
printed In The Star of October %, 1877:
a Spirited Start.
'In response to personal notices sent by
a committee selected from among our citi-
Gems interested in the prosperity OF this
District, quite large number of property
holders, representing pretty fully the va
rious local interests Of the District. met at
Wizards Hall Saturday night, for the pur-
pose of securing unity Of action in seeking
needed legislation from Congress. Among
the prominent citizens present were George
w Riggs, Lewis ]. Davis, Judge ]. w.
Wright, Josiah Dent, s. H. Kaufman, R.
C. Fox. John A. Baker. Judge Joseph Ca
sey, Crosby 8. Noyes. William Dixon, Judge
Vail, Henry Semken, John Marbury. P. M.
Dubant r. w. bowman. William Petit
bone George oyster, c. M. Matthews, Co
lumbus Alexander. John 7. Given, William
M Shuster. ]. G. Berret. Joseph L. Simnls,
John E. Thompson. James H. Goddard,
Samuel Bacon. S. Norment H. A. Willard,
r. S. Davis. DR.. ]. B. Blake. w. r. Smith,
Thomas P. Morgan, William H. Clagett,
DR.. ]. c. Morgan, August Kock, c. B.
Church. A T. Britton. VIM. NJ. Beverage,
John Pettibone, William B. Reed, John
Hitz, ]. C. Wilson. w. G. Metzerott, John
F. Ennis, A. Ross Ray, DR.. A. Y. P. Car
nett, VIM. Ballantyne, VIM. NJ. Gait, VIM.
Birney, ]. E. Fitch. Horato King, S. V.
Niles. Gen. Beale., John T Mitchell, VIM. S.
Thompson, Horatio Browning, Horace Ca
prom. John Saul. VIM. Dickson, w. j. Ste
phenson. B. F. Lloyd. A. L. Barker, Sayles
J. Bowen. w. D. Baldwin, S. A. H. Marks,
George White. John f. Cook. NJ. w. Gait,
Y. F. Peck. DR.. Christie ]. w. Boteler, d.
B. Clarke DR.. c. B. Purvis. A. NJ. Clapp, 1.
L. Burritt, W. II. Morrison, James Worm
ley, DR.. S. c. Busey, Thomas Somerville,
e. J. Middleton, jr., and r. w. Tompkns.
Mr.. L. j. Davis called the meeting to
der and read the notice indicating the pur-
poses of the meeting. He nominated George
w. Riggs, esq.,. president, and he was