Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-21
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.


peeled to say, is it possible that edihce has no
owner' Indeed, according to the disposition
and Information Of the observer, the remark as
10 the appearance OF the ediice might wear any
one Of an innumerable variety of shspes Ali
however, conveying the idea of noticeabie decay
Wneh 10 making rapid inroads and destroying
what, with little attention, would be truly an
ornament to the city But we could hardly ex-
pect anybody, either citizen or stranger, to speak
OF the City Hall without making some comment
abandoned
Viewed from any direction, the structure should
d0,act admiration because Of its size, design and
a'Shtecturej but il must likewise awaken the
painful Consciousness that our municipal author
IIes maze been very careless of 10, and through
'helt indifference II IL fast becoming more of an
se-sore than feature OF attraction. The shut
ters to the lower windows are nearly all more or
less broken, and some are entirely gone The
dirt and broken glass In several of the other win
dows spoil their appearance. The doors are sadly
IN want OF cleansing, either with soap and water,
or the application OF a coat of paint The walls
are defaced In many places, with divers marks,
&C, ana various other signs Of neglect appear on
us outward surface. The corridors, passages,
stairways, and some Of the rooms of the interior,
also convey similar impression. The plateau
on the south front, between the two wings, ex-
hlOits more tirsIy evidence of neglect still,
than We have yet alluded to- That Is In the lux
uriant crop of grass which is growing up between
ths nagstones with which it is paved.
t6nis building was erected we believe, about
thirty years ago-a proportion Of its cost being
PAID by the General Government. The Corpora-
Ton R5 since had charge Of it, and is expected
totdke care Of it, and make repairs when they
heS9ff necessary. IL Is, in every particular
yer9h0pf the best care, well on account of its
rsoensfions and architectural beauty, as because
eftesssts II occupies, which is such as to admit
o. ~ fing viewed to advantage from several
dHRm points. Standing Us Il does too in the
nSi&hborhOod Of numerous handsome residences
~ seems that the inducement to keep il in good
FePsir should be sufficiently strong to secure that
ocect. III taken in hand at once, the expense of
MAKING the necessary repairs will not be of great
moment, but II let alone the diIapidation must
continue until entire rtttting at heavy cost will
shortly become essential. We hope therefore
that our city fathers will to the matter at once
ana remember the maxim that g stitch in time
CHOKED ur SEwERs.-The subject of drainage
has been fruitful topic of discussion in the
City Councils for a considerable period and nu-
anefous and long speeches have been made In the
two chambers upon the best modes of drainage
snc sewerage. Almost every year brings 10
agnt some new plan of sewerage which bides
- day, and then Is superseded by the next new
Invention The traps along Pennsylvania ave-
pnt, leading into the principal sewers, which
are so well calculated TO prevent the emission of
tna6 disagreeable stencil, that, before their ad-
ssss tsea 70 salute the nostrils Of passers-by
moahtneplerably, are now complained Of because
o. tnem tendency to choke up during heavy
EW sn& tOod the contiguous CUTTERS Those
IxfM arg Certainly the most complete which
Y4fxfffBe ep tried in this city, for the purposes
A4D R4nt.9ned; and, could this one drawback
OF CHOKING up be avoided, would be perfect n
Zss5 ssgeested to US, by one wei versed in
ec3eetDf sewerage and drainage. that the
ssntscemPtAned of could be easily avoided by
ne ensrod urtlon of more drops. fhe amount of
vnseh Is conveyed into the main sewers
Ihrougn them is, our informant says too great for
tneM capacity, and part of IL should be e rried
on through other drops Of precisely similar
cgsssnction, placed at other points. For in
tae drops al the corner of Pour aud-a-
o3lf, sixth. seventh
pal rece ptacles Of the water which flows
yen eerloas of street, ID street, and T. street,
oesiees mat which comes pouring through Four
sod'1.naif, sixth, Seventh, and Eighth streets
lnan heavy body Of water ACCOMPLISHING and
Ssmmg aceessions from the adjacent CUTTERS
En,sen are but poorly supplied with drops ,rushes
NIfn great velocity down the descent bearing
Al before 1t; and the consequence is, thai the
large drops at the above indicated points along
sae avenue, are inevitably choked up, and the
cutters around them flooded with the surpIux
Vow, " the Corporation ordinances concernino
the throwing of dirt and garbage of all sorts INTO
me CUTTERS, could by any possibility be enforced,
doa lne pfacuce, which is almost universal in
tbas eity be prevented, and the stencil DION,
now complained OF be reinforced by auxiliary
-ooss Of the same sort, at the proper places, the
esm now urged as a reason for their removal
weusd be obVisted efectuslly ~
So THEkIvER. Business about the coal and wood
~shzsves IL almost at a stand still this morning
onfr one arrival has been announced there since
ahe day before yesterday. The fisheries are. how
ever, yielding tolerablY well arrivals from the
rover Ilver being frequent, and large Quantities
OF hsh being brought up daily The sloop Sea
DPPer arrived up last night from Blakiston,s
island with 40 punches Of fine fish for the Cen.
tire market.
AT Arlington Spring foot-racing Is the order Of
the day. number OF spirited trials of heetnes,
came on there yesterday afternoon, the principal
one OF which was between J. Skidmore and WIN
Horner, Of the auxiliary guard. The rsce being
the best In fifty yards, at S25 per side SkidmoTe
won handsomely by making the distance inside
OF stL seconds, and beating his competitor by
tnIee Ieet The money was forked over sew
eraI scrub races were afterwards improvised al
IS side, which excited considerable fun TO the
four hundred spectators, or Whereabouts, who
swere present '1O
a. AT MagTuder and stones wharf, on Thursday
last, horse attacht d to wood cart backed over
board into the stream, but was luckily ished out
again without serious damage by two men named
King and simpson.
This morning, The schooner Mary Virginia.
ltePtaln Dentie, ssiled from Riley's wharf with
n company Of gentlemen from this CITY on an er
petition against the sheephead, crabs &c, which
abound IN the PotG mac about Cone river Tbev
were well supplied with the necessaries and lux.
n.les ior long IMP May their cruise Of pleasure
Arrived in the City Camel, sloop st. Cloud. 3
Trader, from Potomac Greek, with wheat to
Metropolitan Steam MIL. Also schooner Sarab
Gdtnarine Robinson, Daggs, from Arkendale,
Va, wheat 20 same.
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, the jury In this case
(Which has given rise to much litigation and
legal cost, returned verdict for the claimants
In the sum Of one hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars Twelve Of the seventeen iurors signed the
verdict, after most disputations Retirement
lasting Tor tweniy-fonr hours, In which the diff.
ference OF opinion between the members wan
deIed over the scale from onS cent nm In h.If .
iuil1oh. Two OF them were favorable to bringing
IN one cent damages; two for one dollar damages
ana one Tor one hundred dollars: and neifhas ~
t<ness would sign the verdict. A number Of them
astIs IN i4Eor OF returning an nQuistion of half
milion, while one WAS for two hundred tbon
sand dollars. AT one time SO great was tbs Al
YES sIsly Of opinion that IL was aPprshended the
Jury would be unable to agree upon anything in
Sthe shape Of a verdict ID Is understood thai tbs
syefdict gives general dissatisfaction to both
sors; out IL Will BE- remembered that Il can be of
no erect until confirmed by the Circuit Cont Of
montgomery county, which meets next October
or November; and even should the Circuit Court
connrm II, the Government need not take the
land nc such an assessment, unless they choose;
ana ana Y said the jury made up their award with