Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-04
HoPEWELL n. DARNEILLE,
Assessor District of Columbia.


."rhe most important steps taken during
the wear 1904 for the Improvement of To-
cal corGitions in the District of Column
bia are those looking to the elimination
of the Embarrassing evil and the centrali-
cation of steam railroad traffic.
THE maintenance of steam railroad tracks
on grade with the surface of streets and
street railroad tracks has always been a
menace to the safety of life and limb of
, pedestrians and passengers on surface
roads The lives of many persons includ-
ing prominent and valuable citizens. have
been lost as a result of this crude and
antiouated arrangement of traffic By the
maintenance of grade crossings. both street
and steam railroad traffic is retarded and
the speed of both classes of cars i'm
peded. Real estate values in/the vicinity
and within large radius contiguous TO
steam railroad tracks are deprecated and
comfortable, peaceful and quiet living is
Impossible.
1.-The depots heretofore maintained by
the railroad companies in the District of
Columbia have been anything but a credit
to the national capital and the changes
contemplated and now in course of con-
struction will be a blessing, not only to
the residents of Washington. but to the
hundreds of thousands of people who an
nually visit the capital of the nation.
The one thing for the advancement of
the District and its people that l consider
best worth striving for during the yelr
1905 is to induce Congress to make ample
and adequate appropriations for the con-
struction of the new municipal building
and for the proper maintenance of The
government of the District of Columbia;
and also to authorize the loan by the
United States of sums sufficient to meet
the extraordinary expenses which the Dis
t-in hos f1tr Ihe, l11I 70 hno,
and which will be continued for some
time to come.
1.-The need of municipal building COM
mersurate with the dignity of the gov
eminent of the capital of the nation is
imperative The renting of headquarters
for any municipal government is false econ
omy, and the present District building Is
so cramped and crowded that the public
business cannot be properly performed.
The new municipal building should be one
of the finest government buildings in the
United States, and should be completed
at early a date as possible
The heads of the several District de-
partments annually forward to the Com
nissioners their estimates of the amounts
necessary for the maintenance of their re-
spective offices during the ensuing fiscal
year. These estimates are carefully consid-
cred by the Commissioners and all items
which in their opinion are unnecessary
eliminated. They are then forwarded 20
the Secretary of the Treasury. and by him
to Congress. When these estimates go be-
fore the appropria ton committees they
represent the least possible amounts nee
essary for the maintenance of the District
government.
''It is true that tho maintenance of a
vigilant police force and efficient fire de-
rartment, a competent tax department,
watchful health office, ETC., is expensive,
but in the capital of the United States
each and all of it's Institutions should be
of the best, and this they cannot be with
out sufficient funds
''The District of Columbia is in debt
L his Indebtedness is largely due to the
fact that Congress has, from time to time,
directed that certain extraordinary ex-
penses, such as street extensions etc. be
paid entirely from the revenues of the Dis
trict, and that the United States should
not pay its half, according to the original
covenant made with the District. There
are many improvements which should be
Tade and which are not under way because
Of lack of funds. An advance from the
United States to the District of Columbia
is the easiest and most equitable way in
which to adjust this difficulty
1t Is not fair to the present generation
to require it to pay for improvements
which will rebound to the benefit of its
posterity. Such expenditures should be
from funds derived from obligations ma
turing In the future, and which are to oe
paid from a sinking fund gradually accu-
INFLATED. In this way the burden of these
expenses is distributed, and citizens of the
p1 esent day will not be compelled to stand
the entire cost of improvements which
will be enjoyed by succeeding generations"