Evening star., 1909-05-04
Three Municipal Bodies.

the line of municipal and civic improve
ment caused 1t TO wake W and take no.
tice.
Three Municipal Bodies.
There were three distinct municipal
legislative bodies in this District--a
mayor. board OF aldermen and common
council for each of the cities OF Wash
ington and Georgetown and levy court
for the county outside OF the two cities.
These municipal bodies had been able TO
do but little toward the improvement or
city laid out on such broad plans.
Streets and avenues were unpaved. except
with cobblestones In some instances. The
broad sidewalks were generally out OF re-
pair: no general system of sewerage: the
people disheartened by their inability 10
act and by what they regarded as the
neglect OF the general government Then
came the civil war. attracting thousands
to the city. Army and supply wagons and
the activities which naturally centered
here during the war left its highways at
its close In a horrible condition. many
of them utterly impossible. filled with
mud and muddy pools after every rain
fall. ard i'm dry spells with every. wind
the dust was at times Is thick as Lon
don fog, penetrating business places and
homes and human tempers. The city
authorities did what they could to
remedy the evils. but could not do much.
Its condition as the federal capital was
mortifying to its citizens. was considered
disgraceful by visitors from other sec
tions of the country. and by representa-
tives of other nations who were compelled
TO come here was regarded with con-
tempt and disgust. In fact. agitation for
removal of the seat of government to
some place In the west had begun and
shepherd. In 1881. at the outbreak OF
the war, with the National Rifles OF this
city. volunteered his services under the
call of the President for three months
rxyira hor fotn nf ank
makes no impression upon your mind.
beyond that Of knowledge of the fact.
yet 1t Is suggestive of the character OF
the man-bold. independent and self.re-
liant. At that time Washington was a
southern city. The sympathy of the ma
jority of its stable citizens was with the
south. and Shepherds volunteering I'm the
federal service and running for member
ship OF the common council on the repub-
lican ticket, when the city was under the
domination of the federal government
was not calculated to win for him the re-
gard Of his fellow-citizens. At this sad
period. when bitterness Of feeling and an
tagonism were violent he simply did what
he deemed his duty to his country and
the city of his birth demanded of him.
regardless of breaking ties of friendship
and consequences to himself.
President Of Common Council.
'He was elected a member of the COM
mon council and was chosen president Of
that body. In 1867 he became a member
of the levy court.
His attention being thus attracted to
municipal affairs he naturally took q
broad view of the situation, and. depIor-
ing the disgraceful condition in which the
city was. he concluded that a change I'm
the form Of municipal government was
necessary. and determined II possible TO
bring II about. The basic idea. of his
thought was that the administration Of
ri fno1 6oi ruhf 70 kn ta6
closely to the national government-the
closer the better. His own idea was that
the government of the District ought. to
be placed under one Of the executive de-
partments of the United States, prefer
ably the Department Of the Interior. But
recognizing that SO radical a change at
once might be impracticable and utterly
fall. he called a meeting Of some half
dozen progressive citizens and friends
who were in sympathy with him to con-
slider the matter and consult as to the
best means of accomplishing something
practical in the betterment Of municipal
affairs.
line Of action was decided on. and the
result was that I'm 1859 a committee Of cit
izens was selected, of which Shepherd was
member. to draft bill for the better
government of the District.
I'm 1870 he became president Of the
Citizens Reform Association, and was
elected to the board of aldermen. At
this time the population of this city was
tire District about 131,O00
This agitation for a change In the mu-
ntcipal governments OF the District re-
suited In the act of Congress of February
y, 1871. whereby the District Of Columbia
was created a body corporate for munici-
pal purposes. The act provided for a
governor. secretary. legislative rs
sembly consisting Of council Of eleven
members and a house of delegates OF
twenty-five members. delegate to the
House of Representatives and board Of
public works.
ITO preserve the elective franchise the
members of the house Of delegates and
the delegate to the House Of Representa-
tfves were to be elected by the qualified
voters; the governor was ex-officio presi-
dent Of the board of public works. The
eleven members OF the council and all the
other officials were TO be appointed by
the President and confirmed by the Senate
of the United States. The act was to go
into effect June /. 1871. Henry u. Cooke
was appointed governor and Alexander
r. Shepherd vice president of the board
of public works. and in 1878 he was ap-
pointed governor.
THAT you may appreciate what en-
sued desire to call your attention to two
sections of this act of Congress relative
to the board of public works
Section u. The board OF public works
shall have entire control of and make all
regulations which they shall deem neces-
sary for keeping I'm repair the Streets,
avenues, alleys and sewers OF tho city.
and all other works which may be in
trusted to their charge by the legislative
assembly or Congress.
'''Section Is. They shall disburse upon
their warrant all moneys appropriated by
the United States or the District of CO.
lumbia or collected from the property
holders in pursuance of law for the i'm
provement of streets, avenues, alleys,
sewers and bridges.
Citizens Watched Experiment.
THE new government being, fully or
ganized. the citizens watched. some with
hope and confidence, others with appre-
hension and fear, to see how the experi-
ment would turn out
Shepherd regarded this new municipal
machinery as an instrument by means OF
which he could accomplish vast improve
ments in the physical betterment of the
city which he had long thought out and
sonality he impressed his associates and
those who came in contact with him with
the correctness of his views and their
feasibility. He infused not only hope.
but belief and enthusiasm By his man
hood, courage and strength of character
he naturally dominated.
"A bill was introduced in the legislative
assembly providing for loan of $4,000
600. evidenced by bonds of that amount.
to be used for public mpvements. The
legislative assembly, sing thus early
the principle of the referendum, referred
it to vote of the citizens at an election
to be held November q, 1871. At the
election 1t was approved almost unani-
onstrated that the mass Of the voters
were i'm fulI sympathy with the efforts To