Evening star., 1927-11-20
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

With the expectation that action to
define the relations between the Dis
trict and the Federal
DistTlct Governments would be
T;rarcae taken by Congress dur
ing the current session
OF the Forty-fifth Congress half a
century ago, Citizens Committee
of One Hundred was organized
to present the Districts case effec-
lively to Congress. In The Star of
November 13, 1877, is printed the text
of a report made by the improve.
ments subcommittee of that commit
tee and an editorial comment thereon,
in part as follows:
ut appears that the present site of
the city of Washington embraces an
area of 7,161 acres of ground, of which
the land reserved by President Wash
ington and still held by the United
States aggregates SAL acres. The Gov
ernment paid for the lands thus Sc
lected the trivial sum of $66 per acre,
and the remainder of the lots were to
be divided between the United States
and the proprietors. Thus the United
States for the consideration of $36, 900
acquired title to 5,653 acres, or nearly
four-fifths of the entire area of the
city. The title of the Government to
these lands is so complete and absolute
that it may, whenever so inclined,
| close and occupy and even ALLEVIATE
any of the streets, and the owners of
lots affected thereby be without re.
dress. Even the moiety of lots which
fell to the proprietors in the division
of the residue above referred to was
reconveyed to them subject to such
regulations as might be prescribed by
the President in regard not only to the
improvements of the streets, but also
as to the materials and manner of
buildings to be erected thereon.
"The plan of the city, as approved
by Washington, is on a scale of un.
precedented magnificence. with streets
from 19 to 160 feet in width, covering
more than half it's area, and at the
period of it's foundation and for many
years thereafter it was without popu-
lation. The committee are justified
in thinking it clear from the facts set
forth that Washington was projected
by it's founders for a purely national
city, to be governed and improved ex-
clusively by Congress. 1t appears fur
ther that in the deeds of the proprie-
tors it was stipulated that the moiety
of lots donated to the Government
should be sold and the proceeds of
such sales, after the payment for them
of the $36, 900 due for the public res
ervations, should be held by the Gov
ernment as grant Of money to be
APPLIED toward the erection Of the pub
lie building, etc.
"An examination of the comparative
expenditures by the local and Federal
governments in this District for streets,
sewers and other improvements for
the common benefit shows that while
the appropriations of the General Gov
ernment for these objects up to the
present time do not exceed $6,000,-
900, the District government has eX.
pended for these purposes not less
than S35, 900 900. which sum is repre-
sented by a debt of about $4,000, 900,
and the balance has been furnished In
cash by the taxpayers of this District.
Further, it appears that these expendi-
lures by the local government, except
So, ,000, 900 expended prior to 1871, were
made and $4,000. 600 of this debt con-
tracted by agents of the United States,
over whom the citizens of the District
have no control whatever and for
whose acts, therefore, they are in no
manner responsible. A large portion
of these expenditures by the local gov
ernment has been made for improve
ments in front of the various reserva-
tons, and the Federal property equally
with that of private owners has shared
the general benefit of all these ex-
penditures, and the committee cite the
case of the old canal. where more than
so acres of land. valued at $3,500 900,
have been reclaimed and added to the
Government grounds at the expense
of the District.
"The summing up by the committee
Of the facts bearing upon the issue,
and their arguments upon those data,
showing clearly and conclusively the
extent of the obligations of the Gov.
ernment to the District and the utter
inability of the people here to shoulder
the vast expenses of improving and
running the magnificently planned
Capital City, merit the closest attention
of our guardians in Congress-. to whom
the appeal Is directed"