The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-10-24
RULERS OF CAPITAL
HOW DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IS
GOVERNED.
City Under the Direct Control Of Con.
sress-Was Incorporated in 1902
with . Population Of Only
5000.

with 4 Population Of Only
The city Of Washington was not in
corporated until 1902, at which time
its population was only about 5000.
The government then was entirely diff.
ferent from the present form.
Its charter provided for a mayor, to
be appointed annually by the presi-
dent, and for a city council of IL mem-
bers, to be selected by the white male
inhabitants who had paid taxes the
previous year.
The corporation had authority to
levy taxes. provide police, health and
building regulations, to maintain and
repair streets and to do other things
usually done by municipal corpora
tons.
In 1872 slight change was made,
the mayor being selected by the quail
fed voters. This act also gave en-
larged powers to the corporation. It
Is interesting to note that prior to 1872
neither the mayor nor the members
of the council received any pay for
their services.
Slight changes were again made in
1920, from which date until 1871, when
the charter was revoked and a new
form of municipal government was es-
tablished, the mayor was elected by
the vote of the qualified electors. The
board Of aldermen and common coun-
Gil elected by the taxpayers continued
to legislate for the city.
Considerable diplomacy had to be
used in securing the land necessary
for the city. Nineteen Of the proprie-
tors, in consideration of the great
benefit they expected to derive from
having the federal city laid off upon
their land, finally agreed to convey all
their land to the president or the COM
missioners appointed by him under
these conditions:
Ffrst-They were to receive no com.
pensation for the land taken for
streets, the title to which should be
in the United States.
Second-The president was author
ized to retain as many squares as he
thought necessary for public improve
ment or other public uses, for which
land they should receive $66 % an
acre.
Third-The balance was to be laid
out in lots, one half to go to the
United States, the other half to the
owners of the land.
The money received from the sale
of lots belonging to the United States
was to be used in paying for the land
taken for public use and in erecting
public buildings. Other land was OBJ.
! tanned by condemnation.
The changes made in 1871 provided
municipal government for the entire
district. The executive officer was a
governor, appointed by the president,
for term of four years. The legisla-
tive body was an assembly composed
of council and a house of delegates,
the members of the former being ap-
pointed by the president, the mem.
bers of the latter elected by the quail
Ted voters.
The district was allowed a delegate
in the house of representatives, who
was also elected by the qualified
voters, and who was member of the
committee on the District of Columbia
of the house of representatives. There
were several boards provided, the
principal one being the board of pub.
lie works, composed of the governor
and four other persons, which had au-
thority to make building regulations,
build bridges and sewers and to per.
form other similar duties.
In the District of Columbia all real
and personal property, except the
property of the United States and the
District, property of foreign govern.
ments used for legation purposes,
church property, property used for
educational property and farm land
are taxed at the rate Of one and one
half per cent. Land used for farming
purposes is taxed at one per cent. The
law provides that to the extent con.
gress shall approve the estimates
made by the commissioners It shall
appropriate one-half thereof from the
revenues of the District of Columbia
and one-half from the treasury of the
United States, SO that the general gov.
eminent pays one-half, the other half
being raised by taxation.
The district has no delegate in con
gress as the territories have. The
commissioners appear before the COM
mittee of the house and the commit
tee of the senate on the District Of
Columbia to urge the legislation they
think necessary, and before the appro.
priation committee to explain the
financial needs of the district.
The schools are under a board Of
education appointed BY the Judges Of