USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > The chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., from 1751-1878 > Part 2
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If the Board of Alderman shall be equally divided on any question before them, the Recorder shall have the casting vote, and determine such question to the same effect as if the same had been determined by a majority of the Aldermen present ; and similar power is given to the president of the second branch, in case of an equal division therein.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE TWO BRANCHES, TOGETHER.
If any ordinance, duly passed by both branches, shall
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- CHARTER.
be returned by the Mayor with his objections, in writ- ing, within forty-eight hours after the same is presented to him for his signature, and if, on reconsideration of the same, two-thirds of each branch shall be of opin- ion that the said law should be passed, it shall become a law, the objections of the Mayor notwithstanding.
The two branches may remove from office, or take such other measures thereupon as shall be just and law- ful, any officer of the corporation, upon the report of the Mayor and satisfactory proof of negligence or misconduct on the part of such officer.
On the first Monday in January, annually, the two branches by joint ballot shall choose some fit and proper person, learned in the law, to be the Recorder of the corporation.
In the event of an equal number of votes being given to two or more candidates for Mayor at the regular election, the two boards in joint meeting, by ballot, shall elect the Mayor from the persons having such equal number of votes.
In the event of the death or resignation of the Mayor, or of his inability to discharge the duties of his office, the two boards of the corporation in joint meet- ing, by ballot, shall elect some fit person to fill the office until the next regular election.
II .- JURISDICTION.
The following are hereby declared the limits of Georgetown, any law or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding: Beginning in the middle of Col- lege Street, as laid down in Fenwick's map of the town, at or near the bank of the Potomac River;
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CHARTER.
thence by a straight line northerly through the middle of said street to the middle of First Street ; thence by a line drawn through the middle of First Street to a point directly opposite to the termination of the eastern line of the lots now enclosed as the property of the college; thence northerly by the eastern line of said enclosure so far as the same extends; thence in the same northerly direction to the middle of Fourth Street ; thence easterly by a line drawn along the mid- dle of Fourth Street to a point at the distance of one hundred and twenty feet westerly from the west side of Fayette Street ; thence northerly by a line drawn parallel to Fayette Street at the said distance of one hundred and twenty feet west, from the west side thereof, until it intersects a boundary line of Beatty and Hawkins' addition to Georgetown; thence west- erly by said boundary line so far as it extends ; thence by the courses and distances of the several other boundary lines of Beatty and Hawkins' addition afore- said, that is to say, westerly, northerly, easterly, and southerly to a point opposite the middle of Road Street, and opposite to or nearly opposite to the mid- dle of Eighth Street; thence east by a line drawn through the middle of Road Street as it now runs, as far as it extends; thence casterly by a line drawn parallel with Back Street (now Stoddard Street) and continued in the same direction to the middle of Rock Creek; thence by the middle of the same creek and the middle of the Potomac River to a point directly opposite to the middle of College Street aforesaid ; thence to the place of beginning.
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CHARTER.
The said limits of Georgetown between Seventh and Eighth Streets, are further extended so as to ex- tend westwardly from Fayette Street three hundred feet.
So much of the territory of Georgetown as lies west of Fayette Street, and between the north line of Third Street and a line drawn parallel therewith from a point on the west line of Fayette Street at the end of sixty feet north of the line of Sixth Street, is ex- excluded from the limits of the town, except the fol- lowing lots in Threlkeld's addition, viz: One hun- dred and fifty-three, one hundred and sixty-one, one hundred and sixty-two, one hundred and sixty-three, one hundred and seventy-two, one hundred and sev- enty-four, one hundred and seventy-six, one hundred and seventy-eight, and the south half of lot one hun- dred and seventy-one.
The jurisdiction of the Corporation of Georgetown is extended so as to include the bridge across the Poto- mac River at the Little Falls, the site thereof, and all premises appertaining to the site.
The limits of Georgetown are extended so as to in- clude " Pretty Prospect," the site of the Poors' house, contained within the following bounds: Commenc- ing at a stone marked No. 4, extending at the end of four hundred and seventy-six poles on the first line of a tract of land called the " Rock of Dunbarton," said stone also standing on the western boundary line of lot No. 260 of Beatty and Hawkins' addition to Georgetown; running thence north 78° cast, thirty- eight poles; south 80° east, three poles; south eigh- 3
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CHARTER.
teen poles; south 12º east, nine poles; south 11° west, twelve poles; south 72° west, twenty three poles, to the said first line of the " Rock of Dunbarton ;" thence with said line to the beginning.
III .- POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CORPORATION.
The corporation shall have power to impose and col- lect a tax of seventy cents in the hundred dollars on all property by law taxable in the town; shall have perpetual succession ; shall have power to regulate the inspection of flour and tobacco in the town; to prevent the introduction of contagious diseases; to establish night watches and paroles, and to erect lamps; to regulate the stationing, anchorage, and mooring of vessels; to provide for licensing and reg- ulating auctions, ordinaries, and retailers of liquors, hackney carriages, wagons, carts, and drays within said town; to restrain and prohibit gambling; to pro- vide for licensing, regulating, or restraining theatri- cal or other public amusements; to regulate and es- tablish markets; to pass all laws for the regulation of weights and measures ; to provide for the licensing and regulating the sweeping of chimneys, and fix the rates thereof; to establish and regulate fire wards and fire companies; to regulate and establish the size of bricks to be made and used in the said town; the in- spection of salted provisions and the assize of bread; to sink wells and erect and repair pumps in the streets; to ereet work-houses; to restrain, regulate, and direct the manner of building wharves and docks, and to direct the manner in which the improvements thereon shall be erected, so that they may not be injurious to
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CHARTER.
the health of the town; to direct or order the paved streets to be cleansed and kept clean, and appoint an officer for that purpose; to make and keep in repair all necessary sewers and drains, and to pass regula- tions necessary for the preservation of the same.
To appoint constables and collectors of taxes, and all other officers who may be deemed necessary for the execution of their laws, and prescribe their duties and powers ;
[To sue and be sued at law; to act and execute, do and perform, as a body incorporate; to have a com- mon seal, and alter and change the same at pleasure;]
[To cause, from time to time as they deem necessary, a correct survey of the town to be made, and estab- lish and fix permanent boundaries and stones at such places as they may deem necessary to ascertain and perpetuate the true lines of the town; to survey the streets, lanes, and alleys, and declare the same, and to adjudge as nuisances all encroachments thereon ;]
[To make such by-laws for the graduation and lev- elling of the streets, lanes, or alleys of the town as they may judge necessary ;]
[To erect wharves on all streets, lanes, or alleys of said town, provided no buildings be erected on the front of said wharves;] ,
[To pass, make, and ordain all laws necessary to take up, fine, imprison, or punish any and all va- grants, loose and disorderly persons, and persons hav- ing no visible means of support, that may be found within the town;]
[To make such by-laws for the regulation and good
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CHARTER.
government of the town, and the inhabitants thereof, and to restrain all disorders and disturbances; and to prevent all nuisances, inconveniences, and annoyan- ces within the said town, and other matters, exigen- cies, and things within said town, as to a major part of them shall seem meet and consonant to reason, and not contrary to the constitution and laws of this State;]
To provide for licensing, taxing, and regulating within the town all traders, retailers, pawnbrokers; and to tax venders of lottery tickets, money changers, hawkers, and peddlers ;
To abate, break up, and abolish, by such means as they may deem expedient and proper, all places and depots of confinement of slaves brought to the District of Columbia as merchandise ;
To introduce a supply of water into the town; and to cause the streets, lanes, and alleys, or any of them, to be lighted by gas or otherwise; and to provide for the expense of the same, either by a special tax or out of its corporate funds, or both, at its discretion ;
To lay, impose, and collect every year, a school tax of one dollar per annum, upon every free white male citizen of the age of twenty-one years and upwards;
And to pass all laws not inconsistent with the laws of the United States, which may be necessary to give effect and operation to all the powers vested in said corporation.
IV .- MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS-FINES-PENALTIES- AND FORFEITURES.
[The by-laws made by the corporation shall be ob- served by the inhabitants of the town, and all persons
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CHARTER.
trading therein, under such reasonable penalties, fines, and forfeitures as shall be imposed by the said by- laws, not exceeding seven pounds ten shillings current money, or twenty dollars; said penalties, fines, and forfeitures to be levied by distress and sale of the goods, or execution of the person so offending.]
[The corporation may pass, &c., laws to take up, fine, and punish vagrants, &c .: Provided, That they shall not, in any case, pass, make, or ordain any law to fine for any one offence a sum exceeding twenty dollars, or to imprison exceeding thirty days.]
The corporation shall have power to impose and ap- propriate fines, penalties, and forfeitures for breaches of their ordinances.
[If any person committed to jail under this act shall not, at the expiration of the term for which he was committed, pay the amount of his fine and prison fees, or give security therefor, it shall be lawful for the sheriff, with the written consent of the Mayor, to sell such person as a servant for any term that the Mayor shall prescribe, not exceeding four months.]
The corporation may recover all fines, penalties, and forfeitures incurred under their charter, laws, and ordinances, by warrant before any justice of the peace in the District of Columbia; subject to appeal to the Circuit Court, as in other cases of small debts.
BRIDGES-ROADS, &C.
The two bridges over Rock Creek, between the cities of Washington and Georgetown, shall be kept in repair and rebuilt at the joint expense of the two cities.
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CHARTER.
The Corporation of Georgetown shall contribute and pay to the levy court of the County of Washing- ton, one-fourth of the expenses incurred by said court on account of the orphan's court, the office or coroner, the jail of said county, and one-half the expenses in- curred by said court in the opening and repairing of roads in the County of Washington, west of Rock Creek, leading to Georgetown.
The Corporation of Georgetown shall keep the road leading to the bridge across the Potomac River at the Little Falls, and the bridge, free and in repair for- ever.
SPECIAL TAXES.
The corporation may lay and collect a special tax, annually, not exceeding seventy-five cents in the hun- dred dollars, upon all property by law taxable, and on all money vested or held in banking, exchange, insur- ance, or brokerage companies, upon all stocks, and money loaned, to pay their subscription to the stock of the Metropolitan Railroad Companies, and to pledge the same so that no part thereof shall in any event be applied to any other object.
TAXES.
Public notice of the time and place of sale of any real property chargeable with taxes in Georgetown shall be given once in each week for twelve successive weeks in some one newspaper printed in Georgetown and Alexandria, and in the National Intelligencer, in which shall be stated the number of the lot or lots, or part of lots, intended to be sold, the value of the assess- ment, and the amount of taxes due and owing thereon.
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CHARTER.
Public notice of the time and place of sale of any real property chargeable with taxes in Georgetown, in all cases (except where the property is owned by per- sons not residing in the District of Columbia) shall be given once in each week for twelve successive weeks in some one newspaper in the County of Washington, in which shall be stated the number of the lot or lots, or parts thereof, intended to be sold, the value of the assess- ment, and the amount of taxes due and owing thereon.
If, before the day of sale, the taxes, with all costs, shall not be paid, said lots, or so much as may be suf- ficent to discharge the same, shall be sold for cash to the highest bidder; a certificate from the proper offi- cer shall be issued to the purchaser, stating that he is the purchaser, and the amount paid by him. And if, at the expiration of twelve months from the day of sale, the amount of the purchase money, and costs, and taxes subsequently accruing, and ten per centum inter- est per annum on the purchase money, be not paid, a title in fee simple shall be made to the purchaser: Pro- vided, That no real estate shall be sold for taxes where there is personal property belonging to the owner or tenant sufficient to pay the same.
All titles to property sold for taxes shall be conveved by deed from the Mayor under the seal of the corpora- tion ; which conveyance shall be effectual in law to convey the title, the requisitions of this act having been complied with.
The amount of the purchase money over and above the taxes, costs, and charges upon the property, shall be paid to the owner, on his application for the same.
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CHARTER.
If taxes are collected from a tenant, he may retain possession of the property until the rent accruing shall discharge the debt so created, and twenty-five per centum on the amount of taxes so paid by him, except where he has previously been in arrears for his rent.
STREETS, ETC.
The corporation may tax any particular portion of the town, for paving the streets, lanes, or alleys, or for sinking wells or erecting pumps, which may appear for the benefit of such portion : Provided, The rate of tax so levied shall not exceed two dollars per front foot.
In addition to the above, the corporation shall have power upon petition, in writing, of the majority of the holders of the real property fronting on any street, lane, or alley, if, in their judgment, it shall be deemed necessary, to lay such additional sum on each front foot as will be sufficient to pave said street, or part of a street, lane, or alley petitioned for.
[The corporation shall have full power and author- ity to make such by-laws and ordinances for the grad- uation and levelling of the streets, lanes, and alleys of the town, as they may judge necessary for the benefit thereof.]
The corporation may lay out, open, extend, and reg- ulate streets, lanes, and alleys under the following reg- ulations : The Mayor shall summon twelve freeholders, inhabitants of the town, not interested in the premises, who, being first sworn to assess and value what dama- ges would be sustained by any person, by reason of ex- tending or opening any street, lane, or alley (taking all benefits and inconveniences into consideration), shall
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CHARTER.
proceed to assess what damages would be sustained by any person, by reason of such opening or extension, and shall declare the amount, in money, each individual benefited thereby, shall contribute and pay towards compensating the persons injured thereby; and the names of the persons benefited, and the sums which each shall be obliged to pay, shall be returned under their hands and seals to the clerk of the corporation, to be kept in his office; and the persons benefited as aforesaid, and assessed as aforesaid, shall pay the sums charged and assessed to them, with six per centum in- terest thereon from the time limited for the payment, until paid ; and the sums assessed and charged to each individual benefited, shall be a lien upon and bind all the property so benefited to the full amount thereof : Provided, No street, lane, or alley shall be laid out, opened, or extended until the damages assessed to in- dividuals shall be paid, or secured to be paid : And provided, also, That nothing herein shall authorize the laying out or opening of any street, lane, alley, or other way, through any of the squares or lots in Thos. Beall's second addition, north of Back Street, without the con- sent in writing of the owner or proprietor first had and obtained ; which consent shall be acknowledged in the presence of, and such acknowledgment certified by, the Mayor or some justice of the peace for the County of Washington.
GENERAL ASSESSMENT.
The corporation shall, on or about the first day of April, 1825, and every five years thereafter, cause three respectable freeholders, resident in said town, be- 4
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CHARTER.
ing previously sworn, to assess and value, and make a return of all and every species of property by law taxable in said corporation ; and in making their said valuation, they shall determine it agreeably to what they believe it to be worth in cash at that time.
SCHOOL FUND.
The school tax, which shall be levied and collected every year, shall constitute a fund, or be added to any other fund, now or hereafter to be constituted by act of said corporation, for the establishment and support of common schools, and for no other purpose.
ELECTION PRECINCTS AND JUDGES.
The corporation shall establish not less than two election precincts, and appoint not less than three judges of election for each precinct.
NON-RESIDENT INSANE PERSONS.
Upon the application of the Corporation of George- town, and at their expense, any indigent insane per- son, who did not reside in the District when he or she became insane, may be admitted into the Insane IIos- pital of this District.
BUYING AND SELLING VOTES.
If any person shall buy or sell a vote, or shall vote more than once at any corporate election, or shall give or receive any consideration therefor, or shall promise any valuable consideration, or vote in consideration of such promise, he shall be disqualified forever thereafter from voting or holding any office under said corpora- tion.
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CHARTER.
CLERK OF THE CORPORATION.
The clerk shall record in a book, to be kept for the purpose, all the laws and resolutions duly passed by the corporation, and deliver a copy of them to the pub- lic printer, to be printed by him for the use of the people.
The clerk shall, on the presentation of the collector's receipt showing the person has paid his school tax, enter the name of the payer on the books of the cor- poration, and furnish the judges of election at each precinct, before or on the morning of the day of elec- tion before the hour of opening the polls, a list of the names of all persons who shall have paid their school tax for that year.
FIRE REGULATIONS.
The corporation shall annually appoint an inspector of fire engines, whose duty it shall be to examine and report the condition of the fire apparatus belonging to each fire company once a month.
The corporation shall have full power and authority to make all necessary provisions for the prevention and extinguishment of fires; for the preservation of order and protection of property at any fire ; for the removal from any fire of suspicious persons, and those who are disobedient to the regulations of the corporation; for the punishment, by fine and imprisonment, of such person as, being present at, refuses to assist and obey the commands of the proper officer in extinguishing any fire ; for the removal of such property as may be necessary to be removed; to prevent and arrest the
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SKETCH OF THE TOWN
progress of any fire; and to aid, protect, and obtain obedience to the officers in command of the several fire companies, and to protect the members thereof while in the discharge of their duty at any fire.
SKETCH OF THE TOWN AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.
To have a good view of our town let the specta- tor ascend the heights to Holyrood Cemetery, at the intersection of High and Fayette Streets, and take a glance over the horizon, he will discover that the town is situated at the confluence of Rock Creek and the Potomac River, about three miles from the Little Falls, to which tide-water rises, and is separated by Rock Creek from Washington City, with which there is ready communication by means of four bridges crossing the creek at the intersection of Water, Aqueduct, Bridge, and West Streets. Cars run every few minutes over the M Street and West Street bridges, from the centre of the town to the Navy Yard. The position of the town is salubrious; and, being elevated on hills that slope towards the creek and river, it has ample drainage, and has always escaped certain epidemies that have pre- vailed in other cities. In the distance we behold the heights of Arlington, late the residence of G. W. P. Custis, now made memorable by the late war, in laying it out as a cemetery for the dead. Not far from the mansion is the famous springs where the inhabitants of Georgetown and Washington would congregate to enjoy a conversation with the "old man eloquent," or step it off on the light fantastic toe; Mr. Custis having erected, at his own expense, a pavilion for
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AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.
the accommodation of all parties who came, with or without music, to spend a pleasant day. Above the town is the rocks called " the Three Sisters," on which it was proposed to build a wire suspension bridge for railroad and common travel, the plan of which was furnished to the town at a cost of two thousand dollars, but never erected, although a bill is now re- ported upon favorably by the District committee for the construction of a permanent bridge in that locality.
Near the Aqueduct stands the brick mansion where lived the author of " the Star Spangled Banner," Fran- cis S. Key, when he was a citizen of Georgetown, and prior to being appointed District Attorney, when he transferred his residence to Washington.
Southwest of us is the Georgetown College, known to fame as the alma mater of many distinguished men who have here received their education and gone forth in the world to fill various offices in church and state. A little north of the college is the Monastery and the Academy of Sisters of the Visitation, embracing a large extent of ground, some thirty-three acres, with ample buildings fronting on Fayette Street. We will leave a further description of these institutions until we come to treat on education.
Alexandria can be seen in the distance, with its church-spires and thousands of houses, over which rolled the clouds of smoke and flame on the 18th day of January, 1827, when from eighty to one hundred houses were destroyed.
The Long Bridge extends itself across the Potomac from the District to the Virginia shore, and looks as if
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SKETCH OF THE TOWN
it might be carried away by a freshet. Away to the east is seen the dome of the Capitol, and the Wash- ington Monument in an unfinished condition. Also the National Observatory, located on Camp Hill, where the professors record the appearance of the planets and comets. It is said that General Braddock landed his army and drilled his men here preparatory to his toil- some march with colonial troops to Fort Duquense, by a route through the city of Frederick to Cumberland. On the borders of Rock Creek stands Lyon's Mill, a great place of resort in the summer season. A little to the east is " Kalorama," famous for having been the residence of distinguished men. Joel Barlow, the au- thor of the " Columbiad," once resided here, also did Fulton, the inventor of the steam engine, make here his home when experimenting on the powers of steam. Here, also, were interred the remains of Commodore Decatur, who fell in a duel with Barron on the 22d day of March, 1820. Here, also, lived Col. George Bomford, when at the head of the Ordnance Bureau.
Immediately west of Georgetown is the Alexandria Aqueduct, which connects the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal with Alexandria. The architect of this mag- nificent work was Major Turnbull, of the United States Corps of Engineers. It cost about six hundred thous- and dollars to erect the aqueduct, of which amount Congress gave four hundred thousand. As we shall write a chapter on this work, wo leave its history to a future page.
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