Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-27

| WBo WANT THE DISTRICT GovRRNMEST In
| vKsTIGATKD BECAUSE THE New YORK Sun
| HAS LIED ABOUT fT.-In the Senate to-day
Mr.. Thurman presented the following petition,
| which was laid on the table:
| To the Congress Of the United States.
| Your petitioners respectfully represent that
| .ey are citizens of the District Of Columbia
| owning property, subject to taxation therein
| That they sre willing to bear their full pro.
portion of the taxes needed to improve the cities
| in said District, but desire, as reasonable per-
| sons, that said taxes should, when collected, be
| honestly, economically and prudently eXpend-
ed, snc in making, so far as ii is possible, du-
| rabie, and not merely temporary, improve
me nts. That grave accusations have been made
| and widely circulated by the newspapers of the
country, rejecting upon the integrity of the of
| hcers of the present District government, and
| charging them with gross mismanagement OF
| its affairs; that the good name of said District
government has greatly suffered thereby, and
great scandal has been brought upon said off
Gers to the injury OF all the citizens of said Dis
Jrict.
| Your petitioners further respectfully repre-
| sent that an investigation has been asked for
from the House OF Representatives of the pres
| ent Congress, on behalf those officers, but an
investigation so limited by the terms of the ap-
plication itself that II must prove wholly mad
equate and unsatisfactory, being restricted to
! an inspection OF books kept by said officers
1 themselves or their subordinates.
Your petitioners further respectfully repre-
sent that they are informed that certain other
| citizens, likewise taxpayers in said District
| have prepared and are ready 10 present to your
honorable body petition specifically charging
1 serious omissions of duty on the part OF said of
| fcers in managing the affairs of said District.
Your petitioners further respectfully repre-
| sent that they believe that an investigation
| made by an appropriate committee of your
| honorable body will meet with the unqualitied
appreciation, not only of the people of said Dis
tfict, but of the whole country; that they like
wise believe that full, searching, and thorough
| investigation Is due to these very officers
| charged by reputable newspapers and RESPONSE
bic citizens with malfeasance In office.
And they earnestly assure your honorable
body that if after such an investigation the in
| nocence of these officers should be made mani
rest, that 1t would be matter of great satifac-
ton to your petitioners.
Hereupon, disclsimng all intention of reflect
ing upon any member Of your honorable body,
they humbly pray that a joint select committee
that the usual and necessary powers may be
conferred upon the for the purposes aforesaid.
Riggs, b. L. jackson, VIM. b. jackson, Chas.
Stott, VIM. Gnnton, JnO. Purdy, j. Van Rs-
wick, Mar hall Brown, yno. f. Kendall, Horatio
\. Easily, J.W. Kennedy & Co, Jos b. Bryan,
Jesse b; Wilson, Chas. EdmOndston, S. j..
Bowen, James Adams, S. Norment, Benz. BeaI
" ID olage en, A. T F., Perry, G. E Kris SamI
Francis Wheatley, b. Mackall, jr.
RESUMPTION OF SPECIE PAYMENrs-The
House Committee on Banking ard Currency
to-day added a clause to the bank bill now
under their consideration, looking to the re-
sumption of specie payments.
THEPENNsYLvANIA COAL TRADE.-Weh have
the gratifying information to communicate
that the strike with the men at the mines in the
Schuylkill region is over, and that which was
threatened in the other coal regions Is not likely
to take place. There has at no time in our
opinion, since the first announcement of a diff
Ference OF opinion between the men at the
mines and the operators, existed any sufficient
reason for believing that there would be a pro
ionged strike: The trade for 1874 is expected
TO open in March at the lowest prices for the
season, which will be ad vanced monthly as the
condition of the market shall seem to warrant
The same concert OF action among the carry
ing companies, it is understood, will be main
tanned this year as last, and the average annual
increase of coal will probably be mined. In the
Schuylkil region the face of affairs is materially
frightened, and it is predicted that in ten DAYS
nine tenths of the collieries there will be work
ing. A like revival Of business and activity is
expected in the Lehigh and Wyoming coal re-
gions-fhiladelphid Ledger, 2Gh.
SUIT ON AN OFFICIAL BoND-Suit has been
instituted in the ted States district court in
New lor k city against the official bond of ex-
POSTMASTER z. II. Jones, which was given for five
hundred thousand dollars, and on which Horace
greeley, Henry Shields, Sheridan Spook Henry
A. Burr, Samuel Sinclair Jeremiah L, Smith
OTIS n. Cutler, and Abraham Wakemap ara
sureties. All these gentlemen, with the excep
ton OF Mr.. Greeley, are made defendants in the
suit, Charles Storm and Richard H. Manning.
executors of Mr.. Greeley, appearing for the de-,
fendants on the part of Greeley's estate. The
SUIT Is taken Oh the ground that Jones is respon-
slDle ior the alleged defalcation of more than
Two hundred thousand dollars by John NJ. Nor
ton, eH- superintendent of the money order de-
partment OF the post Office of that city under
Mr.. Jones
LOCAL OPTIoN.-There is a vigorous effort
making at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to secure
arepeai OF the local option law, which Is partly
in operation in that state. An equally vigorous
enort is being made for the passage Of similar
Jaw by the Maryland legislature at Annapolis,
to be submitted to the votes of the people of
tndr state. W lille. however. the nefitioDs
IN like flood on the Pennsylvania legislature
ior repeal 1t is stated there is an evident indis
responsibility and probable odium of introdu-
eng repeating bill. The question promises
however, to take the proportions of one of the
most important matters to be brought before
the legislature.
HEAVY MoRTeAeE.-There was recorded
ID the ONCE of the clerk of the court last week
mortgage from the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road company to VIM. Keyser, Il. II. Garrett
and VIM: F. Burns, of Baltimore, trustees of
sara road, TO secure the loan of e. 900 900 in
Europe This sum equals in United States cur
rency $3.50 900. The mortgage is an extensive
document, and the recording of it will cost as
much as years salary of many of our read
ers, as IL is necessary for the validity of the
PAPER to have 1t recorded in every county in
this state and West Virginia through which the
rallroad passes.-CumberIdnd NeioS, 26th.
THE Ice CRoP.-with the heavy "freeze" of
Yesterday and last night the apprehe nsions of
a failure of the ice crop in this vicinity are, in
some measure, dispelled. But even if there
should be failure of the crop here we are as
sured OF an abundant supply from the North,
ana especially from Nova Scotia, where, it is
stated, the ice is fifteen inches thick and in
prime condition for expectation Those specu-
lators, therefore, who contemplate making a
corner" IN ice next summer should AXE this
iact INTO consideration before they raise in
imagination standard of prices that may fail
OF being reaIzed.-N. L. Hsrald
MOTHER CRAZY WITH HUNGER AND G RIKF.
John hayes OF Beacon avenue, Jersey City
heights, has been missing for several days. An
oncer who went 70 the house last Friday to
serve a landlords notice, found Hayes's wife
aho hve children destitute and starving. The
mother, faint, exhausted, and nearly crazed
from the combined effect of grief and hunger,
told the officer that she had thought of killing
one ofthe children to furnish food for the Others
Inc family were provided for by the overseer
OF the poor.
A JEALOUS WIPES RKvRNGR.-A. G. Ken
ana, acting secretary of the Howard Associa-
tion, OF Memphis, who was arrested Friday
night on the charge of embezzling funds of the