Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/631



shall make to the said clerk and register of wills such compensation therefor as shall be agreed on between the respective parties, not exceeding six cents for each transfer on such lists.

. And be it further enacted, That the commissioner of the public buildings, or other person appointed to superintend the United States’ disbursements in the city of Washington, shall reimburse to the said corporation a just proportion of any expense which may hereafter be incurred, in laying open, paving, or otherwise improving any of the streets or avenues in front of, or adjoining to, or which may pass through or between any of the public squares or reservations, which proportion shall be determined by a comparison of the length of the front, or fronts, of the said squares or reservations of the United States, on any such street or avenue, with the whole extent of the two sides thereof; and he shall cause the curb stones to be set, and foot ways to be paved, on the side or sides of any such street or avenue, whenever the said corporation shall, by law, direct such improvements to be made by the proprietors of the lots on the opposite side of any such street or avenue, or adjacent to any such square or reservation; and he shall cause the footways to be paved, and the curb stones to be set, in front of any lot or lots belonging to the United States, when the like improvements shall be ordered by the corporation in front of the lots adjoining, or squares adjacent thereto; and he shall defray the expenses directed by this section, out of any moneys arising from the sale of lots in the city of Washington, belonging to the United States, and from no other fund.

. And be it further enacted, That the present boards of aldermen and common council shall, before the last Monday in May next, divide the said city into as many wards as in their opinion shall be most conducive to the interests of the city; and the boards of aldermen and common council, may, from time to time, as the interests of the city shall require, alter the number and boundaries of the said wards: Provided, That the said wards shall, at all times, be so laid off, altered, and bounded, that each ward shall comprise, as near as may be, an equal number of the inhabitants of the said city: And provided, however, That if such division shall not be made prior to the said last Monday in May, then the said city shall be divided into six wards, in manner following to wit: All that part of said city to the westward of Sixteenth street west, shall constitute the first: that part to the eastward of Sixteenth street west, and to the westward of Tenth street west, shall constitute the second; that part to the eastward of Tenth street west, to the westward of First street west, and to the northward of E street south, shall constitute the third; that part to the eastward of First street west, to the westward of Eighth street east, and to the northward of E street south, shall constitute the fourth; that part to the eastward of Tenth street west, to the westward of Fourth street east, and to the southward of E street south, shall constitute the fifth; and the residue of the city shall constitute the sixth ward. The expenses which may be incurred in improving and repairing the streets which form the boundaries of the several wards, shall be defrayed out of the taxes raised in the wards which adjoin the same, respectively, in equal proportions; and the present boards of aldermen and common council shall, before the first Monday in June next, apportion, by law, such portions of the debt of the city, as have been heretofore chargeable to the existing wards, amongst the wards established by this section, upon just and equitable principles. And the board of aldermen shall, so soon as the same shall have been organized, on the second