Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-18
THE EVENING STAR.
~ For sAUorIoN SALES" adysrtissmenss
Gee fourth page OF .to-day's star.
LOCAL NEWS.

ton Of William Adair, Lewis Reese, Richard
g. Lacy, Robert Paddon, Philip Kraft, Gus
tave Geslen and others, for rule to the Sec.
-etary Of the Interior, to show cause why an
iuJunctton should not issue against him for
awarding the contract for the erection Of the
Few Jail, refusing the rule The Judgein CIV.
iEg the decision quoted from the acts of Con-
sress authorizing the erection of new jail
and also the resolution of March I'd, 1868,
which provides that no money shall be paid,
from the Treasury for this purpose unless the
plans on which the building is erected meet
with the approval of three disintefested par
tar General and a. b. Muiiet, Supervising is
Architect of the Treasury, are named 1t is
avered that the Secretary is about awarding
the contract for the building on some plan
which has not been approved by the officers
named, and the application is against the Sec.
re;ary as an officer, and not as an Indlv1dual,
asking the court to conlrole him in, the per
Torrance OF his duty which is prescribed by
acts OF Congress. It was not a case In which
the court would be justified in interfering
I Inc PRESIDENT dent Of Of the United States IS
laws and SO are his ministerial officers,
and If they are not enforced, the officer who
fails Is liable to Impeachment. If the secre-
every act in which some one thinks they do not
comply with the law, they would have little
else to do than to defend suits. The law is
well settled by decisions Of the Supreme Court
and the Judge quoted from the case Of q uthree
and others to show that when the law gives
discretion to the Off GERS of the Government,
the courts cannot interfere, and the Supreme
Court Of the District, on an application for q
rnandamus against the Secretary OF the Treas
ury, to compel the payment Of claim known
TO be Just, decided that the mandamus would
ret lie, holding that it was discretionary with
the sc cretary when to make the payment.
In this case the discretion Is left with the
Seeretary-the resolution does not repeal the
acts, but simply provides for Withholding the
money until certain persons approve the plans.
The Secretary may disregard the plans of Meigs
and Muiist, ard and take the risk OF satisfying
the others, and secure an appropriation. 1t
Goes not repeal the power given to the Score.
tsry to select plan, but suspends the payment
Of money. The whole effect of the resolution
Is TO throw the risk ON the contractors, who
may obtain the work, and they may take the
chance OF Congress removing the restriction
The Court cannot control these officer where
Judgment is left with them. AS to the interests
of the compliments they say they are tax
payers of the District of Columbia, but in this
case they would have the same rights, it made
L o difference where they were tax payers. The
Chancery Courts ofthe country had adopted
Iule not 10 consider cases IN which the interest
OF the complain ants was less than $50. and the
Complainants do not show that their interest
Is 10 that amount.
The application was thereupon dismissed.
ANOTHER Co. OPERATIVE BUILDING Asso.
CIATIoN.-Last evening very large meeting
was held at Temperance Hall. to form a Co.
operative Building Asseciaton-the room
being crowded. Mr.. J. Z. THOMPSON was
called to the chair, and Mr. g. J. Thomson ap-
pointed secretary. :
The Chair stared that it was proposed to form
an association OF the general plan of the Euro
pean Associations, one or two OF which are in
operation Z this city, but these could be i'm
proved on a little. 1t was proposed TO issue
shares of $1,000 each, the regular dues on
which would be S2.50 per month, and share
holder could borrow the whole amount and
pay 1t back by instalIments of less than what
ne would have 10 pay for rent. A person
and should he borrow his $4,000 be would then
pay ten per cent. interest In the association
which would be 665-until the amount is
repaid, principal and interest.
1t was asked if a person had no property If
there was any way for him to build a house
If he had nothing towards house but his
plans.
Mr.. Thompson said. in answer that in one
of thu old Associations he knew of a case
where man built house, the money being
aavaneeo IN insta iiments, the association pay
ing the workmen as the work advanced. The
old associations require about $500 margin,
but in this it is proposed to advance the whole
amount.
DR.. Howard said he approved Of the prn.
ciples which differed from the old associations,
in that they were 10 be more favorable to the
borrower. In the old ASSOCIATIONS a man did
not get bis full amount, and did not know how
long he was Obliged to pay, but he saw that II
was proposed 10 give man a specified sum in
this, and he would know how long and what
i
could pay the whole amount at once il he
chose. He bad been a mem Der of the first as
sociation in the District, which wound up in a
reasonable time, and this was effected because
they incorporated principle that the money
should always bring a certain premium, and
II no bidders appeared. then lots should be
OF Succeeding associations adopted this plan.
BY this plan the borrower would get the whole
amount OF his money, and he hoped the asso-
citation would be speedily organized He moved
ADDOintmpnf n q I'M m freaf to ra
stitution, &c.
The Char remarked that he had had an in :
terview with Mr.. Allingham, who had had
large experience in the English associations,
and who had been brought over to New York
by Mr. Farmer wealthy but eccentric phi
lanthrophist. MIR. Allingham would come
he did not think that 1t was necessary
The following committee was appointed
Messrs J. E Thompson, DIR. +. Howard, N
Cailan, c. II. Wood, S. J. Thomson, Ii. w
Berthrong, NJ. Ashford, and Jas W. Barker
After about $50 persons bad given in their
names as applicants for stock. the meeting ad :.
journed to meet at the call OF the president.
METROPOLITAN DIvIsIoN-A Frateyno2 Visit
Metropolitan Division, Sons of Temperance,
which held IT'S regular weekly meeting at Union
League Hail last evening. received fraternal
visit from Eoun tain Division, Sons OF Tenn
perance, OF Georgetown. After the transaction
OF tie regular business, and II. II. and Indiana
Nichols had been duly received into the d..
''e'oh. thc SAe ~ uicnOeI duu t0c Ot00E as q
lady visitor, piano solo was played by Prof.
II. A. Grau, of Potomac Division. :" Kiss
waltz" was excellently performed upon the
piano by Miss Ross, of Potomac Division: after
which, Mr.. Hudson, OF the same division was
called upon, and responded in a few we'll
timed remarks, denouncing the intoxicating
BOWL, and speaking encouragingly Of the tenn.
perance cause; at the close Of which, q dpet
entitled "Come over the ID Mountains" was per.
formed on The piano and sung by Misses Sue
and Carrie Ross. - -
Mr.. VIM. II. Craig, of Fountain Division.
was then called upon, and responded In few
remarks, in which he said that the Division to
which he belonged was laborng earnestly in
the cause OF temperance: they were doing
what they could to subdue the common
enemy OF all temperance organizations, and
hundreds in Georgetown had been restored BY
their families, and rescued from an ignomfni-
ous dearh, and many or those who had con.
nected themselves with the temperance or.
eanZation had become good and honored
members Of the Church of Christ: lint the
temperance societies did not, in his opinion
receive the support and encouragement thew
should from church members. The day had
come when temperance men in GEORGETOWN
were T. OF ashamed 10 stand up and show the n
coiors. and he was pleased to see before him
men who had dared to do right, had labored TO
close up rum holes, and save the drunkard
from an untfmely grave. He hoped the day
would soon come when Congress would PASS
q prohibitory law for this District and then
there would be q better state OF affairs in the
city. ....
DR.. Howe, Of George Washington Division.
next gave 8 recitation, which was receiyed
with sppf.usa after W nich tho psst n.th :,