Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-06
OLDEST INHABITANTS
Business Considered at Meeting
Held Last Night.
PAPER READ BY A. H. Raglan
Showing Receipts and Expenditures
in Washington to January /, 1880.
EXHIBIT AT JAMESTOWN FAIR
Proposition Referred to Committee
Discussion Of Climatic Changes
in This Latitude.
EXHIBIT AT JAMESTOWN FAII

The regular monthly meeting last night
OF the Association of the Oldest Inhabit-
ants, at its ROOM, No. 2 Corcoran. building.
was called to order by Allison Nailor. pres
ident. Mr. B. W. Re;ss the secretary, was
at his post, and there was goodly number
OF members present
The death of Francis II. Smith August 25
was announced
The application of VIM. NJ Stewart of
1914 H street northwest for membership
was presented, and he was elected.
Mr.. Raglan. from the committee on MGR
tuary exercises at the anniversary meeting,
reported progress. Mr.. Raglan also re-
archives that the property Of the
association is being kept securely under
lock and key, and, with the exception Of
late donati is properly listed.
The application of VIM. Sauter of 100 G
street northwest for membership was re-
ceived and referred to the proper COM
mittee.
The president reported from the COM
mittee on the resolutions respecting the
removal of the public pumps, stating that
he had called on Commissioner mcfarland
and presented the associations protest. He
was informed he said. that the matter had
been referred to DR.. Wyman of the marine
hospital service, and the authorities are
awaiting his report.
The president reported that he had had
some correspondence with the jamestown
exposition authorities, who had invited the
association to send an exhibit to the expo
sition. The president said he had written
that, the association being local. he doubt
ed if it should make an exhibit, having
little material which would interest the
general public.
After some discussion the subject was
referred to a committee, composed Of
Messrs. William r: Smith. F. G.; Calvert,
N. Watkins and the president, to report
at the next meeting.
Mr.. Reiss suggested the adoption of an
photographed card. which could be filed,
and thus the history of the members would
the suggestion as a good one and said 1t
would be better If accompanied by a pho
tograph of each member The Dlatter was
referred to B. w. Reiss, j. D. Cathell and
w. r. Smith, committee.
Mr.. Ragan's Paper.
Mr.. Andrew H. Raglan read paper show
ing the expenditures and receipts by the
general government in the city of Wash
ington prior to 1880, which was received
and placed on record.
The paper was as follows:
About 1880, or perhaps before, there was
an impression If not firm belief, that the
city had been and was a burden to the
United States. This opinion, or belief, was
held by many members of Congress, as well
as by citizens.
That such ideas were erroneous may be
proved by the following statement:
Expenditures for public purposes in the
city of Washington to January 1, 1880:
Prior to 1916, purchase Of ground for pub
lie purposes, $3s, 69792; purchase Of stone
quarries, $30.225.31; surveying and making
boundaries, S67, 1859. 70; opening and imprOv-
ing streets, $50, e45.s2; bridge over Rock. tt
Der and James creeks, $15,O41.99; building
wharves, 50, 1907; building sheds for work.
men. $4,631.23; digging canal from James
commissions, etc, $l65. bS3.98; salaries, ETC.,
$1199O6.65. Total, $3.50, 0O4. 80.
Prior to the burning Of the Capitol in Au-
gust, 1914, $7S8,071.2S; from 1914 to Janu-
airy /. 1880, sl,7O4.2 50.27; temporary COM
mittee rooms. s2.771:0 6; enclosing the square,
81, 6O257; alterations in the Capitol.
s., 5O7.S4 graduating and improving square,
$40, 1869; allegorical clock, $1,000; furnish
ing committee rooms in center building,
So, 57o3O; total, 81, 596 5O0.21.
Prior to the burning of the Presidents
house, August, 1914, $685.. Oh: from 1914
to January l. 1880. sSOO,O72.37: alterations
erecting walls and gates, $5.ss7.73: GRADUATE
ing and improving square, sl9.009.5l: total,
$685., 527.6 go.
Public offices. prior to destruction by fire
in August, 1914, 500 O13. 50; from 1914 to
1880, $685., s5O6S; total, 1891 1854. 80.
Contingencies between 1914 and 1920,
SIS. 673.02; engine house. engines, ETC.,
$12,917.37; paved footways, s9.084.O4; pur-
u
ETC., $4,000; purchase of square 249 for
water. $1,246.94: jail of Washington county,
"a. 1920: Jail Of Alexandria county,
1899; penitentarg yeo Of the District
"a, 254.S5753.
For City Improvements.
The foregoing statement of expenditures
the public edifices. which were destroyed
by fire in 1914. the building of jails in Alex
andria county and Washington county,
purchase of a court house for Washington
county. the erection of the United States
penitentiary and variety of other items
not chargeable to the sales of city lots.
For the improvements made in the city,
opening and graduating the streets and
States. adopted by General Washington,
the support of the poor. and all other ex-
penses of the city. the money has been
raised by assessments upon the private
owned by the United States, the public res
ervations and all other property Of the
government having never been assessed nor
subject to any charge whatever.
Sources from which the above was raised
and value of remaining property:
Donation from the common
wealth of Virginia. s120. 10000
Donation from the state Of
Proceeds Of sales Of building ~
iots SOLO. $1,000. ......... t6Z,fl1oS =,
g. 1865 lots unsold, at same
rate, viz. $3.50 each...... 927o oa On
81. acres of reserved ground,
distributed in such
as to give to the United
States the possession Of
, some Of the most valuable
well as the most beau
tiful parts Of the city,
timated at 10 cents per
square foot ............. Z, BIT, 1860
Deduct reservations, No. 10,
IL and IL, and
squares, A. B. c, D, given
up for building lots. and
the proceeds applied to
leveling the public ground,
and shifting the canal from
the line OF Pennsylvania
avenue to an east and
west line from the center
OF the Capitol. ........... Ii, 367 20
-------2 900 ooS an