Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-31


JTESDAY............. March 81, 1874.
How unreasonable and how uugrateful are
the memOrialists and those other opponents of
progress in this District who, too weak and
timid to make an open fight, content themselves
with secret slurs and insnuatIons against the
members Of the District government. They
would reap all the benefits of improvements,
but begrudge every cent they have to pay,
even where it comes back to them tenfold.
Many Of them who have been enriched by the
action of the Board of Public Works are its
bitterest revilers- There Is a recent case In
point. Not many days ago the owner of con-
siderable ground near one Of the much talked
"real estate p0ol'' improvements was abusing
the Board Of Public Works, thinking he had q
sympathiziEg nearer in the person of 4 conser-
vative friend present. Said this conservative
friend, What did YOU pay for your ground
here - . About Eve cents a foot" "Havn't
You sold some Of ftp" "Oh! yes" "For
how much 90 " Fifty cents a foot" "what
30 you ask for that square?' (pointing to i'll
''IwCn't take less than a dollar foot for II"
q Now" said his conservative friend, who al
tloUsh conservative in most things. il and has
always been in favor Of i'm prOvementsO g don't
you think you are little unreasonable? You
have been enriched by these vsryimproyemsnts
that you abuse the authorities for making"
1hs; Is All very well. - said the irreconcilabIe,
WEiriI 2. "bUt my tsN bills are so high" .'Hang
II, nan, said his friend, " you have only TO cell
oUe E't!c corner lot and p,y your taxes, and
You have al the rest, worth. according to YOUR
admission, tSeHty times what you gave for It,"
II must have struck the Investigating Com
mlttee that considerable time had been wasted,
and On-derable expense needlessly incurred
IN sumnOning and examining the interested
it, HI
ish Of trunPets on the part of the memorialists'
counsel, heTal1ing immense discovery of
fraud in the use OF District Government lumber
ly an emplOyt OF the parking commission, the
witness Was forced 10 admit that in a case upon
which he was examined, the amount was 40 or
20 feet Of inch boards, worth 81 cents per foot
or fIcm Si.2O 20 size altogether, and that the
other instances were OF the same petty charac,er
Further, he admitted that the employe in aues-
ton was in mediately discharged by the Board
on report beng made 10 them of his proceed
iDgs. This is specimen of the picayuue trum.
perry gathered with so much effort by the me-
mOrislists for the purpose of crushing out the
party Of progress. As in previous testimony for
the memOrislsts, the witness had a grievance
OF his own against the Board. They didn't
adopt his tree box.
THR LA BILITIEs OF RAILROAD COMPANIES
J
New York against the Pennsylvania railroad
company for the destruction of barn by sparks
from locomotive. The suit was brought by
the Home insurance company, which insured
The barn in question, the building being located
within fifty feet of the track. The defendants
claimed that they did not set the barn on fire;
that their engines were of the most approved
pattern; and, that if they did cause the fire, it
was because the straw and other dry infism-
mable stuf was scattered neghgentIy around
the barn. and this should defeat any recovery
on the ground OF contributing negligence on
the part OF the owner Of the barn; and, fuaIIy,
that no suit could be brought in the name of
the Insurance company for a part of the loss.
but that the action must be in the name of the
owner OF the barn for his entire loss. As above
stated, tie jury took an opposite view, and
brought in averdict for the full amount claimed.
As To SEATs FOR THE PRKss.-Referring
particularly to the late lecture Of Canon Kings
ley at the Congregational Church and the
entertainment at Lincoln hall last evening we
take occasion 10 say that If those who under
take 10 reserve seats for the press at places OF
amusement are not able 10 select those which
viii enable ITS representatives. 70 see and hear
what is done and said on the platform or stage,
We desire that that task should remain undone,
80 far az TIE STAR is concerned. As between
u(CutiN lDdECC>elDie anu lUcllgtOie places on
complimentary ticket and selecting and
paying fer those whi,h properly serve the uses
that newspaper people have for them, we
decidedly prefer the latter. In other words it
for any reason it is desirable to have the pres
represented on such occasions, 1t should be suit
ably accommodated; IL not, let it take its
chances and pay its way, like shy body else.
Brevity is all very well If truth Is not sacri-
tired tharakU WashtnCt0u svrhn
undertake to condense the proceedings OF the
District investigating Committee should bear
this in mind. The "oficial reporters would
hardly recognize the proceedings of the COM
mittee a. telegraphed to some newspapers.
Thus, the correspondent of the Baltimore Sun
says of yesterdays proceedings: "Peter O'Day
testified that John F. Murray and Chas. Hulse,
members Of the District legislature, had con-
tracts. and paid him for sodding DONE" The
Official record shows that no such man as Peter
O'Dsy was examined. Thomas O'Day was on
the stand, but Thomas testified positi vely that
he did not do any sOdding for Mr.. Charles l..
Hulse, OF the District legislature.
The chTonicle very properly comes to the
defence Of Judge Wilson from the SANDERS of
the independent correspondents" 1t says:
Several journals, in publishing accounts OF
the investigation in the affairs of the District,
are in error in suppOsing that Judge Wilson is
OF counsel for the memorialists. Judge Wilson
rs one OF the membersOf the committee, and in
timations tnat he occupies any other position
IN this Investigation are unjust and peculiarly
annoying"
The eIpansionists scored a victory in the
Senate yesterday in striking out the second Tor
specie resumption) section of the finance bill,
reported by Mr. Sherman, from the Finance
Committee. They expect next to carry an
amendment striking out the section providing
Tor the gradual retirement OF the greenbacks.
The indications are that they have nearly as
great numerical strength in the Senate as in
the House.
The Philadelphia Press says editorially:
"The District OF Coumbis Investigation drags
rs slow length at Washington, but nothing OF
Importance or crIminative has a. vet been de-
veloped. IL the memorialists have any Tam