Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-05

new Connecticut Avenue bridge which
ought to prove a good investment by IN
creasing the taxable value of property IN
it's vicinity: S2..O0.GO0 for the municipal
building. S2.0O0.OO0 for the elimination of
grade crossings and large sums for hos
pitfalls and homes for the aged and in
firm.
A Tremendous Drain.
Necessarily, this expenditure of $1,000
600 has been a tremendous drain upon the
resources of the corporation. How has
this drain been met? We have paid every
cent of this enormous amount in cash,
with the exception of less than S4OOo,Ooo.
which we have borrowed from our largest
stakeholder at an interest charge of per
cent per annum, and in the meantime our
current expenditures have not materially
suffered, nor has our growth been checked
In fact we have also paid S1OOO,oOO a
year on the debt of the Shepherd regime
so that it is now only S10.OO0,oh.
1.-The wealth of the corporation is IN
creasing and, as natural consequence
the earning capacity is becoming greater
Ten years ago our real estate and per-
sonal property values, including corpora
ton franchise taxes, aggregated about
S19O.000,O00 today they are over 500
@O,00O. Then our local revenues from
all sources were a little over S3,000O00;
next year we hope to take in between So
900. 900 and S70OO,OOO. With these in
creased earnings your dividends will, be-
come greater.
High Ideals in View.
''In emphasizing the business side of the
District government l do not minimize
the high ideals toward which we ought TO
strive 1t is essential that our poor
should be housed in sanitary dwellings.
that our penal institutions should be con-
Quoted along lines which the most adj
vanced intelligence suggests. that the sun
light should flood the dark and noisome
alleys that children should not be ne
elected and that ample care should be
provided for the helpless sick. At the
same time, all these most desirable re-
suits will fail of accomplishment If the
which is to provide them Is
not managed with the highest degree of
business sense. We Will not, of course.
halt in our progress toward d higher civ
but If, at the same time, this
portrayal of your relations to the Dis
trict government through an unfamiliar
point of view has stimulated among you
a deeper and more enlightened interest
in our business management, and II.
above all, you have been brought into d
closer touch with the operations of the
great corporation of which you are part.
will feel that l have not encroached
too greatly upon your generous patience
nor taxed too severely your kind atten-
tion.'
Inadequate Police Force.
Maj Sylvester was given an ovation
when he arose to speak. He outlined or
ganized police history from the time of
it's inception in France in 400 down to
the present time. He declared that the
force Of the District of Columbia is we'll
organized, but is short numerically; so
short that overwork is often required of
the members. He asserted that many
residents of different localities protest
against inadequate protection, but he
could do nothing until Congress appro-
priated money for a larger force.
Lewis M. Miller, clerk of the House
District committee, maintained that the
best way to have a finger in the govern
ment pie was through the citizens as
sociations. and urged that they be sup
ported. He contended that it would be
we'll for the associations in the District
to be represented before the District Sem
ate and House committees. DR. TindalI
secretary of the board of Commissioners
told of the advances made by the District
government and related a few pertinent
anecdotes which We're heartily enjoyed
Prior to the banquet the guests assem-
bled in the hotel drawing room. where
Miss Grace Thomas a member of the
association. of Brookland, made a brief
address, in which she said it was time
for the women to stop keeping in the
background; that they should make use
of the broom and feather duster"
Officers and Banquet Committee.
The officers of the association are:
President. Edwin A. Mess first vice pres
ident. Calvin Farnsworth: second vice
president. DR.. A. B. Cooley; secretary, NJ
D. Kiefer. and treasurer, ]. NJ. Glover.
The banquet committee consisted of ID.
Sherman Hoover, chairman: B. A. Allen.
Charles r. Allen, Joseph w. Clary NJ s.
Cooley, George c. Frech. Charles w.
Goode, I. S. Hall. j. D. Kiefer, ]. La
roche, Benjamin lie Fevre r. E. Logan.
+. p. McDermott. l.. j. Matthews, Fred
erick c. Ohm. A. c. Perkins j. NJ Priest
William j. Ray. A. S. Riddle, F. A. Ruff,
H. NJ. Shannon. r. A. Smith, H. ThOma 9