The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
DISTRICT. NATIONAL AND WORLD EVENTS OF 1911
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.

DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
For the fiscal year ending June 80.
1916. the commisiohers have esti-
mated $I2.77Le54ss for general ex-
penses. this amount being s2.52S.215.77
less than the estimated amounts avail
able for appropriations. During the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1914. the
District discharged 8, ,sO6.ss6 of its
indebtedness. Ss75.40S OF this amount
being applied in reduction OF its fund
ed debt and interest thereon and $685.
745 reimbursement to the United States
OF ar cunts charged for the maintsn-
ance of INDECENT insane sent to the
Government Hospital for the Insane
during the fiscal years 1851 to 1911, in
aelusive, leaving ss.ssS.15e'o of the bond
ed debt yet due and only $7s,2s229 re-
naming to be paid on the floating
debt.
The collection of revenues for the
Districts share of appropriations for
the fiscal year 1914. with the Districts
share OF unexpended balances of un-
used appropriations, gave the District
Q total credit of S7.445,124 the total
charges against which for the year
were S6.093.662.77, leaving an excess of
collections over the charges payable
therefrom OF S1.351,461.49 which was
applied to the discharge of the several
forms of Indebtedness above mention
ed.
One of the gravest needs OF the Dis
trict is an elastic provision for pay
ment of the police and firemen's pen
sions. the fund for which ran short
during the fiscal year 1914 in the sum
of S55,693.
The assessed valuation on real and
personal property in the District for
the year mentioned was on land Sl6S,-
212.099 and on improvements Sl75,912,-
045 at not less than two-thirds of its
true value. and on $32,319,71S Of tan
Eible personal property at its fair cash
value. on all of which the tax was $3.50
per 500. In addition, assessments were
levied on gross receipts and gross
earnings Of public service corporations
and other intangible sources in the sum
of -S16,4S3.9O0.
The District government is no insig-
nifcant storekeeper, as will be shown
by the report of the purchasing officer
that the supplies and materials pur-
chased by the District cost $1,64S,55359
during the year and embraced hard
items of domestic subsistence and ma
teriaIs for the construction of street
Improvements.
On, o. the most important cases
which occupied the attention of the
corporation counsel was the loan shark
law litigation. Test cases were tried
and taken to the Court of Appeals
which sustained convictions in the Po-
lice Court. Every violator of the law
was informed against and a fine of
$500 imposed upon a plea of guilty in
each case and q jail sentence of thirty
days SUSPENDED on condition that
usurious interest be refunded and
three-fourths of the principal be ac-
cepted in payment OF UsuriOus loans.
The insurance business in the Dis
trict has steadily increased. During the
calendar year 1913. the residents of the
District paid $6,S35,766 for various
kim of premiums. Losses paid on Dis
trict property amounted to S2,576,1O9.09.
The risks written during the year were
S176,722.O55.
The business of the wholesale mar
ket for the fScal year 1914 showed a
marked increase.
The total enrolment of public
school pupils during the year in day
schools was b6,563, of whom l7,75j
were coIored. The Public library
shows a remarkable development.
The public Fairgrounds and the
bathing beach afford excellent recrea-
tion facilities, the extC- sion of which
the Commissioners have recommended.
The fire losses during the year we're
$S54,11S, an increase of $51O.351 over
the preceding year, covered by an in
surance Of over S6.OOO,OOO. The total
number of fire alarms was 1880.
Six Thousand nine hundred and three
live births of children were reported
slight decline. The workhouse at Oc-
coQuan has developed until it repre-
sents the most advanced step In the
treatment of prisoners yet adopted
anywhere so far as record appears;
but its efficiency would be materially
furthered by legislation providing an
indeterminate sentence law under
which prisoners would be subject to
discharge or parole upon a record of
good behavior for a reasonable length
of time.