DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. WASHINGTON, D. C. : Printed by Judd & Detweti-er. (^ F 199 .U574 Copy 2 f;\ AN ACT PROVIDING A !l! % FOR THK DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. WASHINGTON, D. C. : Printed by Judd & Detweiler. 1882. V TRANSPfR. ^\ 1 INDEX A. , Page. Accounts settled in Treasury Department 13 Advertising for proposals 13 Agricultural lands, rate of taxation on 12 Appointed, two civil Commissioners 7 Appropriations by Congress, payment one-half of esti- mates 11,12 Assessors' duties prescribed by Commissioners 13 Assessments, how made and equalized 12 B. Board of Health abolished 17 Metropolitan Police abolished 17 Trustees of Public Schools abolished 17 Appointed 17 Sinking-Fund Commissioners abolished 17 Bonds of Contractors, how approved 14 for execution of contracts 15 to keep work in repair for five years 15 3.65, interest, how paid 13 C. Clerks to Health-Officer, number, and how appointed 18 to be fixed by Commissioners, salaries of 19 Collector of Taxes, duties prescribed by Commissioners. 13 to give notice of payment , 12 Commissioners Dist. of Col., present, cease 9 how, civil, appointed 7 officer detailed 8 civil, residents of District 8 take oath of office 8 civil, give bonds 8 detailed 8 civil, term of office of 8 shall choose president 8 disqualified as bondsmen n taxes and revenues applied to current expenses by. taxes and revenues applied to support of public schools by 9 taxes and revenues applied to support of Fire De- partment by ^ shall take possession of public property, offices, books, «&c •' See Kr. 4 3 5 1 3 20 2 1 o 10 ,n 4 1 o •J 18 6 1 6 1 G 2 7 - 5 8 5 8 5 9 4 4 10 - 11 3 4 1 3 21 3 1 2 1 2 3 2 4 2 6 2 7 2 3 2 8 2 5 2 9 3 2 8 2 3 2 Page. Sec. Par. Commissioners of Dist. of Col., power to make contracts limited to contracts authorized by law and ap- proved by Congress 9 contracts for public works require assent of all — 14 shall locate hack-stands 9 shall collect all lawful taxes 10 shall not anticipate taxes 10 maj' make loan for current year 10 powers as to officers and employees 10 maintain lamps beyond city limits 10 itemized estimates made by 11 submit estimates to Secretary of Treasury 11 transmit their estimates and estimates of Secretary to Congress 11 prescribe time of payment of taxes 13 prescribe duties of Assessors 13 prescribe duties of Collector of Taxes 13 certify vouchers 13 accounts settled by Treasury Department 13 advertise for construction and repair of public works I 13 may reject all proposals 14 sign and record contracts 14 approve contractor's bonds 14 draw warrants for costs of public works 15 to issue certificates of indebtedness against street railroads, when 1(> costs not paid by street railroad, property sold 16 see that water aud gas-mains and pipes are laid, when 1 16 appoint Trustees of Public Schools 17 appoint Health-Officer 18 prescribe duty of Health-Officer 18 appoint sanitary inspectors 18 appoint clerks for Health-Officer 18 adjust salaries of clerks for Health-Officer 19 report draft of laws to Congress 19 report annually their doings to Congress 19 Compensation of Civil Commissioners 8 Health-Officer 18 Sanitary Inspectors 19 Clerks of Health-Officer 19 Contracts, proposals for, how advertised 13, 14 shall cover entire work, when 14 require unanimous assent of Commissioners 14 must be signed and recorded 14 invalid unless sii^ned and recorded- 14 3 3 5 5 3 4 3 6 3 7 3 8 3 9 3 10 3 13 3 12 3 15 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 2- 4 3 5 1 5 3 5 6 5 8 5 14 5 16 5 17 5 19 G 2 8 - 8 - 9 1 10 - 11 3 12 1 12 2 2 7 11 1 11 2 11 g 5 1 5 4 5 5 5 5 6 2 1 5 21 3 13 3 15 3 1(5 3 16 3 17 Pa^p. So: Par. Corporation, District of Columbia, remain a municipaU 7 13 Cost of construction and repairs of public works adver- tised 13 5 1 of proposed public works 11 3 13 of public institutions 11 3 13 D. District of Columbia a municipal corporation 7 13 how governed 7 12 Drainage 18 9 1 E. Engineer OflBcer detailed as one Commissioner 7 two detailed subordinate to Military Commissioner 17 Estimates, itemized, made bj- Commissioners 11 approved by Secretary of Treasury 11 approved by Congress 11 one-half paid by United States 11 one-half paid by District 12 E. Fire Department supported by Commissioners 'J 3 2 G. Gas-Light Company, Washington 17 5 20 * to lay their mains and pipes 17 5 20 Gas-mains and pipes laid, when and how 16 5 19 H. Hack-stands established by Commissioners 9 3 4 penalty for violating orders in reference to, and how enforced U) 3 5 Health, Board of, abolished 18 8 - Officer appointed 18 8 - qualification and duties of 18 8 - duties of, prescribed by Commissioners 18 8 - shall have control of Sanitary Inspectors 18 9 1 control clerks of 18 10 shall make annual report to Commissioners 18 9 3 I. Inspectors, Sanitary, appointed by Commissioners 18 9 1 number, qualification, duties 18 9 1 shall make reports semi-monthly to Health-Officer 18 9 2 Interest on taxes, rate of 12 8 23 1 2 2 1 3 lU 3 18 2 (J 2 1 5 21 2 8 •2 !» 3 y rivj.0. Sec. Par. Liiws now existing in force in District 7 shall be drafted by Commissioners for Congress-. 19 Lamps and lights maintained beyond city limits 10 Liens of taxes enforced, how 12 O. Oath of office of Commissioners 8 Officer, Engineer, detailed as Commissioner 7 two assistant, for Military Commissioner 17 Official term of Civil Commissioners 8 Officers of District disqualified as bondsmen 'J Offices may be consolidated or abolished 10 P. Penalties for violation of Kules for hack-stands 10 increasing debt of District 19 are saved to the District 10 President of United States to detail Military Commis- sioner 7 Engineer's subordinates 17 appoint Civil Commissioners 7 Police Commissioners abolished 17 department supported by Commissioners 9 Property sold for taxes 12 redeemed when sold . 12 rate of taxes on, when in cities 12 agricultural 12 Public works, bond to keep in repair 15 cost ef, how paid 15 proposals for, to be advertised 13 warrants for payments for, drawn by Commis- sioners 15 5 14 proposals for construction and repairs of, to be ad- vertised _ 13 5 1 when to be advertised in Washington ; 13 5 1 when to be advertised elsewhere 13 5 1 of lowest bidder for, to be accepted 14 5 2 proposals for, may be disregarded by Commis- sioners 14 5 3 when proposals for, to be done under one contract only 14 5 4 all contracts for, to be assented to by all Commis- sioners 14 5 5 contracts for, to be signed and recorded 14 5 6 invalid, unless signed and recorded 14 5 6 g 5 3 2 3 11 2 1 5 21 2 1 6 1 3 2 3 18 3 18 3 19 3 20 5 9 5 11 5 1 Page. See. Par. Public works, work und material for, to be of best known kind 14 5 7 ten per cent, of cost of, retained to secure repairs. 15 o 10 cost of, how paid 15 5 11-14 shall continue under control of United States, when 11 3 14 water and gas-mains and pipes, when to be laid-- 16 5 19 K. Kedemption of property sold for taxes 12 3 18 Eeport estimates to Congress, Commissioners to 11 3 15 annually to Congress,- Commissioners 19 12 2 Health-Officer to, to Commissioners 18 9 3 of Sanitary Inspectors to Health-Officer 18 9 2 llevenue shall be applied to current expenses 9 3 2 S. Sanitary Inspectors appointed, number, qualification, and duties 18 y 1 shall make reports 18 9 2 Secretary of Treasury shall receive estimates of Com- missioners 11 3 12 shall revise estimates, and return to Commis- sioners 11 3 15 shall pay interest on 3.05 bonds on warrant of Commissioners 13 4 4 Sewers, cost of construction and repairs of 13, 14 5 1-3 Street railway companies pave their tracks, &c 15 5 11 neglecting to pave tracks, done by District 16 5 15 refuse to pay costs, Commissioners issue certifi- cates of indebtedness against property 16 5 16 certificates not paid, property sold 16 5 17 may use cobble-stone or Belgian block, as Com- missioners may direct 15 5 12 Schools, Public, supported by Commissioners 9 3 2 property, act in reference to, construed and ap- plied—. 19,20 14 1-3 Suits pending not to abate 10 3 11 T. Taxes, how applied __. 9 3 2 to be collected 10 3 6 not to be anticipated 10 3 7 assessed and collected, how 12 3 18 rate of, on property in cities 12 3 19 6 Pago. Taxi'S, agi'luulturiil jiroperty 12 property sold for delinquent 12 how redeemed 12 enforcement of liens for 12 if paid in 30 days, deduction made 12 interest on, under act of March 3, 1877 12 under act of March 3, 1877, paid, when 12 time for payment of, fixed by Commissioners 13 on personal property in the District not taxed else- where 12 what, and how assessed, on agricultural lands 12 paid by District into Treasury of the United States 13 disbursed on itemized vouchers 13 school property exempt from 19,20 Trustees of Public Schools, number and appointment 17 to. serve without compensation 17 Tracks of railroads to conform to grades of streets at crossings 16 5 18 V. Ventilation 18 9 1 W. Washington Gas-Light Company to lay gas-mains, pipes, &c. J. 17 5 L'O Water-mains, pipes, &c., to be laid, when 10 5 I'J Ser. Piir. 3 20 3 18 3 18 3 18 3 22 O 23 3 23 4 1 3 19 3 20 4 2 4 2 14 1-3 6 2 6 2 ^ AJS^ ACT PROVIDING A PERMANENT FORM OF GOVERN- MENT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. SECTION 1. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen- ''DistrictofCo- tatives of the United States of America in Congress as- ^'"^ '"" sembled, That all the territory which was ceded by the State of Maryland to the Congress of the United States for the permanent seat of the government of the United States shall continue to be designated as the District of Columbia. 2. Said District and the property and persons that How governed. may be therein shall be subject to the following provisions for the government of the same, and also to any existing laws applicable thereto not hereby repealed or inconsis- tent with the provisions of this act. 3. The District of Columbia shall remain and continue a municipal • . 1 ,. . , 1 . . ^ I, corporation. a municipal corporation, as provided in section two or conimission- tlie Revised Statutes relating to said District, and the District.*"" ' Commissioners herein provided for shall be deemed and taken as officers of such corporation ; 4. And all laws now in force relating to the District r-aws contin- ° 118(1 m loree. of Columbia not inconsistent with the provisions of this act shall remain in full force and effect. SECTION 2. 1. That within twenty days after the approval of this Two citizens -' •' ^ ^ and othcer of act, the President of the United States, by and with the engineers ap- ' . . pointed and advice and consent of the Senate, is hereby authorized detailed. to appoint two persons, who, with an officer of the Corps of Engineers of the United States Army, whose lineal rank shall be above that of captain, shall be Commis- sioners of the District of Columbia, s ''"fifiv ""iKTs*"^ ^- ^^'^ who, from and after July first, eighteen hun- dred and seventy-eight, shall exercise all the powers and authority now vested in the Commissioners of said District, except as are hereinafter limited or provided, and shall be subject to all restrictions and limitations and duties which are now imposed upon said Commis- sioners. '^'o'^peHorm'no ^- "^'^^ Commissioner who shall be an officer detailed* Keceive onK' ^^'°™ time to time, from the Corps of Engineers, by the office*^ ^^ '^" President, for this duty, shall not be required to perform any other, nor shall he receive any other compensation than his regular pay and allowances as an officer of the Army. ^^of personsap' ^- The two persons appointed from civil life shall, at pnintefi. ^j^g j.jj-^g Qf their appointment, be citizens of the United States, and shall have been actual residents of the District of Columbia for three years next before their appointment, and have, during that period, claimed residence nowhere else. cornmissioneis 5_ ^j^j quc of Said three Commissioners shall be shall elect a president. choscu president of the Board of Commissioners at their first meeting, and annually and whenever a vacancy shall occur, thereafter ; oath of ottiee. 6. Aud Said Commissioners shall cach of them, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States, and to faithfully discharge the duties imposed upon him by law ; Compensation 7. And Said Commissioners appointed from civil life, of civil Com- , n i . ^ , . missioneis. shall each receive tor his services a compensation at the rate of five thousand dollars per annum, and shall, oivebon(is. before entering upon the duties of the office, each give bond in the sum of fifty thousand dollars, with surety as is required by existing law. Term of office 8. The official term of said Commissioners appointed of civil Com- . i n i i ., , . missioners. irom civil lite Shall DC three years, and until their suc- cessors are appointed and qualified ; but the first appoint- ment shall be one Commissioner for one year and one for two years, and at the expiration of their respective terms their successors shall be appointed for three years. 9 1). Neither of saitl Comiuissiouers, uor auv officer Commissioners ' •' and omcers whatsoever of the District of Columbia, shall be ac- Ji^qiiiiii^ed ' as h:ill. cepted as surety upou any bond required to be given to the District of Columbia ; 10. Nor shall any contractor be accepted as surety ^°q"laiified\s^^" for any officer or other contractor in said District. '^*''" SECTION 3. 1. That as soon as the Commissioners appointed and ^°Jucces!sors^of detailed as aforesaid shall have taken and subscribed ^vho^°fiJue. the oath or affirmation hereinbefore required, all the ju|y I'^^'^nltii powers, rights, duties, and privileges lawfully exercised stats, "o.sec. by, and all property, estate, and effects now vested by law in the Commissioners appointed under the provisions of the act of Congress approved June twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, shall be transferred to and vested in and imposed upon said Commissioners ; and the functions of the Commissioners so apjDointed under the act of June twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy- four,'shall cease and determine ; 2. And the Commissioners of the District of Colum- powers and du- bia shall have power, subject to the limitation and pro- uussioners. visions herein contained, to ajoply the taxes or other revenues of said District to the payment of the current expenses thereof, to the support of the public schools, the fire department, and the police, and for that purpose shall take possession and supervision of all the offices, books, papers, records, moneys, credits, securities, assets, and accounts belonging or appertaining to the business or interests of the government of the District of Colum- bia, and exercise the duties, powers, and authority afore- said ; 3. But said Commissioners, in the exercise of such Limitation of ' powers to coi duties, powers, and authority, shall make no contract, tract. nor incur any obligation other than such contracts and obligations as are hereinafter provided for and shall be approved by Congress. 4. The Commissioners shall have power to locate the power over places where hacks shall stand and change them as often as the public interests require. 10 ^^aMnK orders' ^- ^^"3' pcrsoii violating any orders lawfully made in to had[-f "'^*''' pursuance of this power shall be subject to a fine of not less than ten nor more than oue hundred dollars, to be recovered before any justice of the peace in an action in the name of the Commissioners. Lawful taxes to 6_ ^j} taxes heretofore lawfully assessed and due, or be Collected. -' to become due, shall be collected pursuant to law, ex- cept as herein otherwise provided ; ''^be^ant'iciprt^* "• ^^^ ^^^^ Commissioners shall have no power to ^'^- anticipate taxes by a sale or hypothecation of any such taxes or evidences thereof, ^lloooo™" ^- ^^^ t^^y J^^y borrow, for the first fiscal year after this act takes effect, in anticipation of collection of rev- enue, not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars, at a rate of interest not exceeding five per centum per an- num, which shall be repaid out of the revenues of that year. ^jTces and'^em- ^* '^^^ ^^'^^ Commissioners are hereby authorized to pioyees. abolish any office, to consolidate two or more offices, re- duce the number of employees, remove from office, and make appointments to any office under them authorized by law ; Power to main- IQ. Said Commissioners shall have power to erect, tain lamps out ... of city limits, light, and maintain lamp-posts, with lamps, outside of the city limits, when, in their judgment, it shall be deemed proper or necessary : All rights under H. Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall pending suits ° saved. be construed to abate in any wise or interfere with any suit pending in favor of or against the District of Colum- bia, or the Commissioners thereof, or affect any right, penalty, forfeiture, or cause of action existing in favor of said District Commissioners, or any citizen of the District of Columbia, or any other person, but the same may be commenced, proceeded for, or prosecuted to final judgment, and the corporation shall be bound thereby as if the suit had been originally commenced for or against said corporation. 11 12. The said Commissioners shall submit to the Sec- Shaii submit es- timates to retary of the Treasury for the fiscal year ending: June Secretary . . *' •' ^ Treasury. thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, and an- nually thereafter, for his examination and approval, a statement showing in detail the work proposed to be undertaken by them during the fiscal year next ensuing, and the estimated cost thereof; 13. Also the cost of constructing, repairing, and main- Shaii submit es- . . . . C5' i &> timates lor taming all bridges authorized by law across the Potomac bridges, char- T»- • 1 • 1 TN i^ ities, &c. River within the District of Columbia, and also all other streams in said District ; the cost of maintaining all public institutions of charity, reformatories, and prisons belonging to or controlled wholly or in part by the Dis- trict of Columbia, and which are now by law supported wholly or in part by the United States or District of Columbia ; and also the expenses of the Washington Aqueduct and its appurtenances ; and also an itemized statement and estimate of the amount necessary to de- fray the expenses of the government of the District of Columbia for the next fiscal year : 14. Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be ^^"ItthisUs^* construed as transferring from the United States au- present con; '^ trol of public thorities any of the public works within the District of *orks. Columbia now in the control or supervision of said au- thorities. 15. The Secretary of the Treasury shall carefully See. Treasury consider all estimates submitted to him as above pro- mltel^**' vided, and shall approve, disapprove, or suggest such changes in the same, or any item thereof, as he may think the public interest demands ; and after he shall i have considered and passed upon such estimates submitted to him, he shall cause to be made a statement of the amount approved by him and the fund or purpose to which each item belongs, which statement shall be certified by him, and delivered, together with the estimates as originally submitted, to the Commissioners of the District of Col- ^°e^™i.f i°?f ^""^ umbia, who shall transmit the same to Congress. mates to cou- 16. To the extent to which Congress shall approve oi congress ap- said estimates, Congress shall appropriate the amount ot l^e-uall fifty per centum thereof; 12 '*'b 'rx'tion ^''' -^"'^ the remaining fifty per centum of siicli ap- proved estimates shall be levied and assessed upon the taxable property and privileges in said District other than the property of the United States and of the Dis- trict of Columbia ; How taxes as- ^8. And all proceedings in the assessing, equalizing sessecl and ^ ~ to' ^ d» collected. ^nid levying of said taxes, the collection thereof, the listing return and penalty for taxes in arrears, the advertising for sale and the sale of property for delin- quent taxes, the redemption thereof, the proceedings to enforce the lein upon unredeemed property, and every Act March 3, other act and thing now required to be done in the 1877, (It) Stat., . 1 „ , T in 1 1 • 1 sees. 5-io.)3 premises, shall be done and performed at the times and in the manner now provided by law, except in so far as is otherwise provided by this act : Kate of taxa- l^. Provided, That the rate of taxation in any one in citics?''^'^*^ year shall not exceed one dollar and fifty cents on every one hundred dollars of real estate not exempted by law ; and on personal property not taxable elsewhere, one dollar and fifty cents on every one hundred dollars, according to the cash valuation thereof: Kate- of agrieui- 20. A)i,d provided further. Upon real property held in county. and used exclusively for agricultural purposes, without the limits of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, and to be so designated by the assessors in their annual returns, the rate for any one year shall not exceed one dollar on every one hundred dollars. Collector to 21. The collector of taxes, upon the receipt of the publish no- _ . . tiee of pay- duplicate of assessment, shall give notice for one week, ment of tax- , ^ . . . • . es. in one newspaper published in the city of Washington, that he is ready to receive taxes ; i^'eductionof 22. And any person who shall, within thirty days made. after such notice given, pay the taxes assessed against him, shall be allowed by the collector a deduction of five per centum on the amount of his tax ; ^deSMTch 2^- -^^^ penalties imposed by the act approved March •■' 1SJ7, sus- third, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, chapter one hundred and seventeen, upon delinquents for default in the payment of taxes levied under said act, at the times specified thereiu, shall, upon paymeut of the said taxes '''gecUon '.r*' assessed against such delinquents within three months from the passage of this act, with interest at the rate of six per cent, thereon, be remitted. SECTION 4. 1. That the said Commissioners may, by general regu- i^iay prescribe J ' - o o duties of as- lations consistent with the act of Congress of March sessors and time of pay- third, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, entitled "An ment of taxes act for the support of the government of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, and for other pur- poses," or with other existing laws, prescribe the time or times for the payment of all taxes and the duties of assessors and collectors in relation thereto. 2. All taxes collected shall be paid into the Treasury ^ p^td and how of the United States, and the same, as well as the ap- disbursed. propriations to be made by Congress as aforesaid, shall be disbursed for the expenses of said District, on item- ized vouchers, which shall have been audited and ap- proved by the auditor of the District of Columbia, certified by said Commissioners, or a majority of them ; 3. And the accounts of said Commissioners, and the aii accounts tax-collectors, and all other officers required to account, Treasury De- shall be settled and adjusted by the accounting officers of the Treasury Department of the United States. 4. Hereafter the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay '^ Trelsmy pay the interest on the three-sixty-five bonds of the District Bs'bondVaiid of Columbia issued in pursuance of the act of Congress to^Untt'ed""'' approved June twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy- ^*^*®^- four, when the same shall become due and payable ; and all amounts so paid shall be credited as a part of the appropriation for the year by the United States toward the expenses of the District of Columbia, as hereinbe- fore provided. SECTION 5. 1. That hereafter when any repairs of streets, avenues, costs for public alleys, or sewers within the District of Columbia are to mh-s^ &c^ be made, or when new pavements are to be substituted tfsed.'^^'^^^ 14 iu place of those worn out, uew oues laid, or new streets opened, sewers built, or any works the total cost of" which shall exceed the sura of one thousand dollars, notice shall be given in one newspaper in Washington, and if the total cost shall exceed five thousand dollars, then in one newspaper in each of the cities of New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore also for one week, for proposals, with full specifications as to materials for the whole or any portion of the works proposed to be done; '^iou'e.st bidder! -• And the lowest responsible proposal for the kind and character of pavement or other work Avhich the Commissioners shall determine upon shall in all cases be accepted : *' mayrefeTaii '^- Provided, however, That the Commissioners shall bids. have the right, in their discretion, to reject all of such proposals : ^\Tibd?vkied^° "^- Provided, That work capable of being executed under a single contract shall not be subdivided so as to reduce the sum of money to be paid therefor to less than one thousand dollars. contiaets only ,")_ ji^\\ contracts for the construction, improvement, made by the ' ^ ' coQciuTence alteration, or repairs of the streets, avenues, highways, Commission- alleys, gutters, sewers, and all work of like nature shall be made and entered into only by and with the official unanimous consent of the Commissioners of the District, valid unless B. And all coutracts shall be copied in a book kept for that purpose and be signed by the said Commis- sioners, and no contract involving an expenditure of more than one hundred dollars shall be valid until re- corded and signed as aforesaid. Best material 7_ j^^q pavement shall be accepted nor any pavement and work to ^ x j i- be used. Jaid except that of the best material of its kind known for that purpose, laid in the most substantial manner ; Contracts se- S. And good and sufiicient bonds to the United States, tia[ bonds. iu a 2)enal sum not less than the amount of the contract, with sureties to be approved by the Commissioners of 15 the District of Columbia, shall be required from all '^'^•mmilsion- contractors, guaranteeing that the terms of their con- ^^'^■ tracts shall be strictly and faithfully performed to the satisfaction of and acceptance by said Commissioners ; 9. And that the contractors shall keep new pavements ^""e'^^^woH- in or other new works in repair for a term of five years lepair five ^ •' years. from the date of the completion of their contracts ; 10. And ten per centum of the cost of all new works ^^fnrthllse-^' shall be retained as an additional security and a guar- seemed. antee fund to keep the same in repair for said term, which said per centum shall be invested in registered bonds of the United States or of the District of Colum- bia and the interest thereon paid to said contractors. 11. The cost of laying down said pavements, sewers, pubHc^orks and other works, or of repairing the same, shall be paid p*'*^' for in the following proportions and manner, to wit : When any street or avenue through which a street rail- way runs shall be paved, such railway company shall bear all of the expense for that portion of the work ly- ^^^^ ^^.^.^^j. ing between the exterior rails of the tracks of such railroad com- ° _ _ panies. roads, and for a distance of two feet from and exterior to such track or tracks on each side thereof, and of keeping the same in repair. 12. But the said railway companies, having conformed Commissioners 1 1 T T 1 1 1 1 /-( • • direct how to the grades established by the Commissioners, may traciisbe use such cobblestone or Belgian blocks for paving their tracks, or the space between their tracks, as the Com- missioners may direct ; 13. The United States shall pay one-half of the cost United states . , . . pay half of all of all work done under the provisions of this section, costs under , 1 , , ., . , . 1 see. 5, except except that done by the railway companies, which pay- that done by railroad com- ment shall be credited as part oi the iiity per centum panics. which the United States contributes toward the expenses of the District of Columbia for that year ; 14. And all payments shall be made by the Secretary ^''^.'"n^sVf com- of the Treasury on the] warrant or order of the Com- missioners by •' ' _ Secretary ol missioners of the District of Columbia, or a majority Treasury. thereof, in such amounts and at such times as they may deem safe and pro2:)er in view of the progress of the work : 16 ^Ivork'ofstreet ^^- '^^^^ ^f •''"7 strect railway company shall neglect |wnior«*iro7i" ^^ refuse to perform the work required by this act, said pavement shall be laid between the tracks and exterior thereto of such railway by the District of Columbia; may issue 16. And if such Company shall fail or refuse to pay Indebtedness ^^^ sum due from them in respect of the work done by pfoperty!'Ac.' ^^ uuder the orders of the proper officials of said Dis- trict in such case of the neglect or refusal of such rail- way company to perform the work required as aforesaid, the Commissioners of the District of Columbia shall issue certificates of indebtedness against the property, real or personal, of such railway company, which certi- ficates shall bear interest at the rate of ten per centum per annum until paid, and which, until they are paid, shall remain and be a lien upon the property on or against which they are issued together with the franchise of said company ; ^*paid°proper°y l'^- ^"d if the Said Certificates are not paid within ^°''^'' one year, the said Commissioners of the District of Col- umbia may proceed to sell the property against which they are issued, or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the amount due, such sale to be first duly adver- tised daily for one week in some newspaper published in the city of Washington, and to be at public auction to the highest bidder. Duties of rail- jg^ When street railways cross any street or avenue, road compa- •' -^ ' nies where the pavement between the tracks of such railway shall tracks inter- ^ •' sect. conform to the pavement used upon such street or ave- nue, and the companies owning these intersecting rail- roads shall pay for such [)avements in the same manner and proportion as required of other railway companies under the provisions of this section. AVater and gas 19. It shall be the dutv of the Commissioners of the mains and • p /->< i i • "^ i n i pipes to be District 01 Cohimbia to see that all water and gas mains, service pipes, and sewer connections are laid upon any street or avenue proposed to be paved or otherwise im- proved before any such pavement or other permanent works are put down ; laiiJ, wlien. 17 20. And the Washington Gas Light Company, under ^^'^^'^'J^fght the direction of said- Commissioners, shall at its own ex- compauy to ' cai-e for its pense take up, lay, and replace all gas-mains on any mains, &c. street or avenue to be paved, at such time and place as said Commissioners shall direct. 21. The President of the United States may detail ''^Z^eS-' from the Engineer Corps of the Army not more than edfromarmy two officers, of rank subordinate to that of the Engi- neerofficer belonging to the Board of Commissioners of said District to act as assistants to said Engineer Com- missioner, in the discharge of the special duties imposed upon him by the provisions of this act. SECTION 6. 1. That from and after the first day of July, eighteen '^^1*^,^?°' g'^o^j.^ hundred and seventy-eight, the board of metropolitan abolished. police and the board of school trustees shall be abol- ished ; and all the powers and duties now exercised by them shall be transferred to the said Commissioners of , . . Board of Trus- the Distnct of Columbia, who shall have authority to tees of Public Schools abol- employ such officers and agents and to adopt such pro- ished. visions as may be necessary to carry into execution the powers and duties devolved upon them by this act. 2. And the Commissioners of the District of Colum- ^'.^poln'tTus- bia shall from time to time appoint nineteen persons, schools. ^^ ^^ actual residents of said District of Columbia, to consti- tute the trustees of public schools of said District, who shall serve without compensation and for such terms as said Commissioners shall fix. Said trustees shall have the powers and perform the duties in relation to the care and management of the public schools which are now authorized by law. SECTION 7. That the" offices of sinking-fund commissioners are sinking fund --,. -, - Commission- hereby abolished ; and all duties and powers possessed ers abolished, by said commissioners are transferred to, and shall be formed by exercised by, the Treasurer of the United States, who u. s. shall perform the same in accordance with the provisions of existing laws. 18 SECTION 8. suoceeci'ed by That iu lieu of the board of health now authorized under contioi by law, the Commissiouers of the District of Columbia sioneis""""' shall appoint a physician as health-officer, whose duty it shall be, under the direction of the said Commission- ers, to execute and enforce all laws and regulations re- lating to the public health and vital statistics, and to perform all such duties as may be assigned to him by said Commissioners ; and the board of health now ex- isting shall, from the date of the appointment of said health-officer, be abolished. SECTION 9. '^ appoint^'l'an^ ^- ^^^^ there may be appointed by the Commissiouers tors of ofif-' ^^ ^'^® District of Columbia, on the recommendation of tnct. i\^Q health-officer, a reasonable number of sanitary in- spectors for said District, not exceeding six, to hold such N 1 . • • appointment at any one time, of whom two may be phy- tinaiifieatioii. giciaus, and one shall be a person skilled iu the matters of drainage and ventilation ; and said Commissiouers may remove any of the subordinates, and from time to time may prescribe the duties of each ; Inspectors re- 2. Aud Said iusDCctors shall be respectively required port, how and ^ . j i when. to make, at least once in two weeks, a report to said health-officer, in writing, of their inspections, which shall be preserved on file ; Heaitii-otticer 3. And Said hcalth-officer shall report in writing an- aiinual report ,, • i /-i • • n i t\- • <• r-i i to Commis- uually to Said Commissioners or the District ot Colum- bia, and so much ofteuer as they shall require. SECTION 10. ^'offieer^^'*'*^^' That the Commissioners may appoint, on the like recommendation of the health-officer, a reasonable num- ber of clerks, but no greater number shall be appointed, and no more persons shall be employed under said health-officer, than the public iutei*ests demand aud the appropriation shall justify. SECTION 11. ^Ifeauh 1- That the salary of the health-officer shall be three officer. thousand dollars per annum ; 19 2. And the !