Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

Recent discussions before the House Dis
trict committee the subject of the public
schools lends an especial
government interest to the following
and Schools paragraph extracted from
The Star of April 1. 1856.
descriptive of report submitted In the Sem,
ate by Mr.. Brown from the District COM
uittee with reference to memorial of the
public schools of Washington asking a do
nation of city lots for educational purposes.
After considering the financial aspect of
the matter the committee went on to say:
ut is fair to say that the citizens of
Washington have the same interest in what
ever belongs to the government as citizens
of equal fortune in the states. and that
they contribute pro rata to the contents of
the treasury. It follows that in proportion
to their numbers and wealth they contribute
as much of what may be expected by the
government for schools here as any like
number of persons of like wealth anywhere
else and then If on account of their chosen
proximity to the schools they pay special
tax for that special advantage, 1t would
seem that they have obtained no special
favor
more right to appropriate money for schools
in this District than 1t has to make like ap-
preparations for like purposes In the states.
Your committee for.bear TO discuss the ques-
ton OF power IN this connection or to draw
the lines which mark the Jurisdiction of
Congress in the District and In the states
Nor Will your committee dwell on the fact
that In all new states especially Congress
has made the most munihcent land grants
to schools and colleges. If 1t shall be as
sumed that Congress Is as much restricted
insthe District as in the states, ther. we say
IL Congress owns one-half the taxable prop
a nd rr1ean fN hntd in
petuity, 1t ought to submit to taxation on
that property for the support of the schools
or else contribute from the genera. funds a
sum equal to the amount paid by private
persons In the states for that object"
The question Of bridges over the rivers in
this vicinity was attracting considerable at
tention at that time and the
0rlo8es citizens of the sections d.
and Flats. rectly affected were holding
meetings to express them
selves. In The Star OF April 3. 1856. is
found the following paragraph:
SAT the adjourned meeting Of the citizens
of the seventh ward. held at Island Hall on
Tuesday evening last to consider matters of
general interest to the ward, George w.
Garrett presided and L. R. Holmead was
appointed secretary. A committee, of which
of resolutions, in which earnest and ener-
getic grounds We're taken against the pro-
posed removal of the Long bridge and
able array of arguments and facts present.
ed, going TO show that the navigation of the
river had not been impeded by the Long
bridge, but that the impeachment had existed
previous to its erection, The resolutions
claim that the Long bridge affords the
most convenient and the shortest route be-
tween the north and the south. that the dis
tance from the city post office in Washing
ton Is five and three-quarters miles via the
Long bridge and ten and one-iialf miles be-
tween the same points by way of the Three
Sisters, above Georgetown. and that any
material departure from the present locality
OF the bridge must sacrifice the welfare of
the greater number for the benefit of the
lesser. A resolution introduced by DR.. G. E.
Morgan was also adopted declaring on the
experience of those residing In the ward
that the fats in the vicinity of the Long
bridge were not prejudicial to health
X X
In view OF recent developments regarding
the treatment of the park question in this
city. and particularly with
Ihe Old reference to the Mall the
"Armory." following paragraph in The
Star of April 4, 1856, will
show that the protest against permitting
constructions on that great central reserva-
ton was strong half a century ago:
I'm the Senate yesterday. Mr.. Brown,
from the committee on the District of Co
Iumbia reported the joint resolution chang
ing the location of the District armory from
the Mall to judiciary Square Mr.. B. ex-
planned the object of the resolution and ask
ed its immediate passage, detailing what
had been heretofore done in the premises
and speaking of the manifest improperly of
placing this armory on the Mall. and was
understood to say that a building had been
contracted for wlpich would cost more than
the appropriation originally made. and
which was limited by this resolution 10 $780,
Goo Mr. Adams expressed the opinion that
whenever any officers of the government
made contracts for any work beyond the eS-
innate they should be made personally re-
sponsible for the overplus and that the per-
sons so contracting should be forced to look
to the agent of the government in his indi-
vidual capacity. Mr.. Pratt thought 1t would
be better to make the officer Immediately
responsible TO his government for such de-
relictions and not make victims of the per-
sons contracting That remedy would be a
protective one. Every one who had looked
at the Mall would see the improperly of
such a selection. That spot was intended to
be reserved as a place of public resort in
times to come when the population of the
city would be greatly increased, to be plant
ed with trees and ornamented as a favora-
BILE and beautiful retreat for the city, and
certainly never contemplated by any one to
become q place for the display of troops or
a depot for keeping arms. The joint resolu-
ton then read a third time and
passed"
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