Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-24
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lars of this was paid under the circum-
stances hereinafter stated for the total sur
render of the interest of the District of Co
lumbia In the building
THE city seems to have been compelled
to receive boarders to enable it to bear the
heavy expense it incurred in its struggle
to keep up appearances, for we find 1t on
October 5, 1922, and again >on March 27,
1898, seeking to get occupants for the I'M
finished rooms in the building. and event.
ually succeeding in inducing the courts to
take up their quarters there.
This joint occupancy continued until
1871, when the local government of the en-
tire District of Columbia consolidated
into municipal corporation known as
the District of Columbia The mayor and
city council continued to occupy the build
ing until the LIST of June of that year. but
the governor and board Of public works
thought it best to occupy rented buildings.
The city hall was, therefore, never used
by the authorities of the new municipality,
except the surveyor who remained and who
still has his office there.
The Governors Recommendations.
1.-THE governor In his first message to the
legislative assembly In June, 1871. discussed
at length the inadeauacyS Of the city hall
for the accommodation of both the munich
pal authorities and the courts, and recon-
mended that the interests of the District in
the city hall be disposed of and the pro-
ceeds used for the commencement of the
erection Of new municipal building on one
of the reservations. On January 2, 1873,
the governor and board of public works
memorialized Congress, representing that
$4,000 would be just and reasonable sum
to appropriate as the value Of the Dis
trict's interest in the building, and asked
for appropriation of that amount
laIy 49, NM
was finally appropriated by Congress,
March 8, 1873. for purchasing the interest
of the District in the city hall Congress
at the same time authorized the governor
and board of public works to make arrange
ments to secure sufficient land fronting on
Pennsylvania and Louisiana avenues be-
tween 18th and 9th streets Pursuant to the
authority given by this provision an agree
ment was made, March IS, 1873, between
the Washington Market Company and the
board of public works, by which the COM
pany was to transfer a site for suit
able building for District offices the reser-
walton at the intersection of It'll street and
Pennsylvania avenue. For this conveyance
of portion of it's territory the rent required
of the market company was reduced from
$4,000 year to 81 800
Disposition Of the Fund.
DR.. Tindall then tells of how only 5000
of the $4,000 paid by Congress was kept
intact for the purpose for which it was ap-
propriated, except such of 1t as was used
to make a slight excavation for the new
building on the site referred to. The re-
mainder appears to have been used by the
board of public works, and the specific OBJ
ject of its appropriation protected, as the
treasurer Of the board of public works tes-
testified before the congressional committee
of investigation. by the deposit in the bank
under the orders of the board Of $50 600 in
sewer certificates (worth about 80 cents on
he ~ for he hna I'd holt Io
these certificates were invalidated by the act
of Congress of June 90 1874 which abol-
ished the territorial form Of government,
and were subsequently Cancelled leaving the
District with nothing but site with a
small excavation on it to show for the s75-
900 it had received to commence the cree
ton of a city hall, and for reducing the
market company's rent from $4,000 to
81, 500.
The Executive Offices.
In pursuance Of the policy of the governor
and board of public works to abandon the
city hall three sets Of apartments were
rented and fitted out for the accommodation
of the several branches Of the new govern
ment The offices of the governor and the
secretary were established during the
month Of April. 1871, in the building still in
existence at the northwest croner Of 18th
street and Pennsylvania avenue northwest
The secretary's Office occupied the entire
ground floor and the governors Offices the
second story. The legislative assembly held
it's sessions in building on the north side
Of Pennsylvania avenue between 9th and
10th streets, popularity known as Metzerott
Hall, where 925 Pennsylvania avenue is now
located. The board Of public works and its
vice president, treasurer and other officials
were uuartered in the building on the west
side of Az street between Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and street northwest, called the Nor
rison building Between $4,000 and $50, 600
was expended IN fitting these buildings for
the boards occupancy.
Sessions at Arlington Hotel.
1.-THE first meeting and a few of the sub
sequent meetings OF the first temporary
board Of Commissioners appointed under
the act Of June 20, 1874" says Dr. .Tindall,
were held in the II street parlor Of the
Arlington Hotel. The first meeting was
held on the Sd Of July. 1874. The next aft
ernoon will be remembered by all who were
in the city at that time as the date of one
of the most terrific torpadoes that ever
occurred in Washington within the memory
Of the present Inhabitants.
1.-The Commissioners met several times In
the governors Office at 18th street and
Pennsylvania avenue but soon moved to
the Morrison building on AZ street, and
surrendered the building at 18th and Penn
sylvania avenue and Metzerott Han.
1.-The latter building IL inseparably as
ISOLATED with the epoch in our municipal
history known as the Heather buster af-
fair. The distinguished citizens who then
constituted the house Of delegates, con
sisting of twenty-five members elected
from that number Of districts. had passed
but one bill during the session then in
progress. This bill was one making APP
preparations for their own salaries Some
of them received, in the stngle-minded
compensation. the information that the act
of June 20. 1874. which ended their OFF,
eial existence. had passed, and forthwith
began to appropriate to their own use the
oh nj nd hap h~tn X -eS-
fancy led them to select as souvenirs OF
their recent honorable estate.
Legislated Out Of Existence.
1.-The law which Terminated the career Of
the legislative assembly also legisiated the
OFFICES Of the governor and the secretary Of
the District out Of existence, SO that at the
time there was no chief executive Of the