Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-06
LOCAL NEWS.
CORPORATION AFFAIRS.

Lewis, Canfeid, Quick Turton, Noyes, and
| McCathIan.
| ceiyed frcm the Mayor Acts pndatory Of
| an act autboIIzipe the laying OF water mains;
| ior making gutter across Sd street east on
on tie south side OF f2tR street south; anthoriZ-
ing The laying OF a flag footway on the north
| sioe Ot Z street south, across Ain street west
Also, IeuIned without his approval:-An act
Because it must be Improperly En- ros sed, there
| being NO STREET in that neighoorhood and
| Cd, because in all such cases improvements
should te paid fer by q tax op the property
| benefited. Referred 10 committee on improve
| mems.
Also, transmitted to the Board the following
report r. ceiyed from Joseph II. Bradley, ESQ,
| Corporation Attorney, relative to cases which
have beer decided and others now pending IN
| The Supreme Court of the District OF Colum-
hia, In which the Corporation party, and
TO " hich he invited the most earnest attention
| of the Board:
! WAsHINeToN, Dec. 3, ls64-R Wauach, Esq,
MGlor, dc.- Sir: / have 10 report to you the
| result of the case Of Henry Turn er against the
| Corporation, for injury received by him IN
| passing along the south side of E street north,
| betv 11ih and lsth streets west, in October,
| 1868 1t appears that that portion of f. street
| was graded and sravelled, and the sidewalk
graded about Is years ago. that for several
years past the water coming down the east
| side of 18th street has been turned down the
| Eorth side OF L until it meets with the water
draining from the square on the north side of
| street, and near the middle of the square
where 1t turns and runs across T. street ob-
| Hqueiy, and thence through the next square to
The low ground. In its course IL has rendered
the street almost impossible, and cut the side
| walk on the south side so as to form gulley
| between4 and feet deep. There was no light
or any thing to guide or protect persons passing
there IN The mig ht time. Turner was passing
| on a lark Eight, fell in, broke his leg and 9TH
erwise IL jHred himself, and ter this the jury
has given him $3.50 damages with the costs Of
tire snit 1t is in 4 condition to emf orce imme-
| oiate payment by execution, and recon-
| mend an appropriate ion Immediately to pay
| him.
| The case Of StaDs bury, decided at this court
| In favor OF the Corporation, was of similar
| character; but there vas room in that to
insist be1ore the jury that Mr.. Stansbury was
! chargeat tie with negligence, and the jury took
that view OF it, In Turner's case there was no
| such defense,
| / canuot too earnestly press upon the atten-
| ton of the corporate authorities the necessity
! OF some leg gIslation and The enforcement of it,
| to provide guards w herever there is open
| iLg OF any KIND either in the sidewalk or the
Cal riage way of q street, however apparently
| trivial 1t may be. There are now penoing Two
ether suits tcr the same causes, and / have
already been notified OF third In passing
along many of the streets, especially those in
| which the Metropolitan Railroad Company is
now lay ing the track of its road, we constantly
! meet with horse and carriage and man traps,
| without the slightest guard or any sort OF
| warning in the day time and without light
| at night.
| 1t Is rue the corporation may have its rem
| edy over against the person or company cre-
| ating the nuisance, but that remedy is remote
| and uncertain, while the reproach and dis
| credit tails upon the corporate authorities. 1t
| is obvious, too, that the existing police regula-
tions OH this subject are disregarded and most
imperfectly enforced. And this cannot be ex-
! cus.d by the conflict Of authorities and the
police board, for each has large po wers to pre-
| vent md remove nnissnces, wnicn may be ex-
| ercised holly independent of the other. These
| powers are already large enough, if energeti-
| cally exercised, TO abate many Of the evils
| ausiDg from laying pipes and sewers and
| digging cellars, areas, &c. But there is alarge
class OF cases coming under the building regu
| lations for which no provision IS made, uch
! ss he roods or Cnros for cellar windows, en-
| frances into Easements cellars and areas, erec-
| tions OF scaffoldings, the placing and transport
| ts'iOn OF building materials, the grading and
| paving OF sidewalks, &c, which requires
| prompt legislation and vigorous execution of
| The laws when passed.
| The duties OF the commissioners OF the wards
| en- brace many OF these SUBJECTS and they have
| powers which iegitmaiey and firmly exer-
| cised Will remedy some OF The evils.
But they do not IN the extensive and nu-
| ner0ns nuisaICes created by the railroad COM
| pany, by which the streets are made not only
dangerous and almost impossible by reason OF
| the excavations they make and the dangerous
| carriage traps they set, but also by their de-
| posits OF soft mud taken from one street and
| dumped in to another.
To return TO the first purpose of my letter, l
| -'peat that hope the Councils will on Mon
| day take some step III respect TO Henry Tur-
| ners case, and remain very respectfully,
| Jos. n. BRADLEY, Attorney, sc.
Referred TO committee on finance.
Mr. LLOYD. from the 1nance committee, pre-
| sented petition from the Commissioners OF the
| Washingo on Asylum; also, a bill granting said
| commissioners power to pay the transporta-
| ton home OF such paupers as desire IL, and who
| would 20 haG they the means. Passed.
Also, reported back The petition of Albert
| Brooks in relation TO bounty, aud asked that
! the committee be discharged from the further
| consideration OF the same. So ordered
Also, reported fayorabiy a bill to increase
the pay OF the assistant clerk in the Mayors
| office, with an amendment striking out "July"
and Inserting in lieu thereof the word ''Octo-
| ber." Passed as amended.
Mr.. Pepper, from The committee on improve
| ments, reported favorably bill TO erect
bridge across the canal on the line OF lst street
| west. Passed.
Also, Till from the lower board to gravel a
footwsIk on street south. between 9th and 10th
| streets east and recommended its passage
On motion OF Mr.. Utermehle, the Dill was laid
| over informally.
Mr Pepper offered a resolution requesting
| the committee on police 10 inquire whether
persons renting stands III hotels, for the sale of
segars, &c, are subject TO the same laws which
bear upon persons renting stands elseWherei
adopted.
| pipes; passed.
Also, unfavorably a bill to provide for topo-
grapher and secretary for the Water Board,
with amendments by the lower board, aud
moved that the board insist upon its bill as
passed; carried.
Mr. Garfield submitted a bill imposing Ger.
tam powers on the Chief of Police, and for
other purposes; referred TO the committee on
police -,
Mr.. Utermehe offered resolution request
ing the Mayor 10 inform the board Of the amount
| or revenue received from all sources up TO De-
cember lst. Also, the amount of expenditures,
| and what acts remain not executed; passed.
| Also. reported from the committee adversely
on the resolution preparing TO increasing the
| atrical licenses, and asked the discharge OF the
committee from its further consideration; car
| ried. .-. ..--.
Also reported back the petition Of A. r.
| Sparks Co., asking the privilege OF subsu-
tnting larger lamp post for the Corporation
| lamp post 10 front Of their store, &c. Passed.
Also, reported favorably bill imposing cer-
| tain powers on the Chief OF Police, and for
| other purposes. Passed.
| The bisi for the relief Of William Thomas
was then taken up. This bill asks, as COM
pensation 10 William Thomas, $1,000 for the
! erection of gate in the caEal
! Ny parr q communication from