Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-17
District Government Affairs.

The Commissioners have paid. on account of
judgment OF the late Thomas Lewis to Mr. S.
L. Lewis, administrator, $, 900.
Ihe commissioners are In recent OF a note
from A. +. Gorman president Chesapeake and
ONO canal company, stating that ne has d.
Iected the companyS superintendent to exam
lne the bridges over the canal at Frederick
street, Georgetown, and make such repairs as
are necessary.
Collector Cook has submitted statement OF
COLLECTIONS In his Office for the month OF June,
1850, showing total receipts from all sources
during that time TO have been S1SS, 00061.
The District commissioners are In receipt OF
note nom Mr.. VIM. StCKney, under date Of the
I9th instant, expressing his grief at the an
nouncement that they ''had given permission
TO Abner TO open his beer garden for Sunday
night concerts, under the pretext OF raising
sOners replied. ''that as there is no law against
Sunday concerts, and as no liquor OF any kind
will be sold on the occasion. the commissioners
DO not feel at liberty to refuse permit for Sun
day next
ATTORNEY GENERAL DEvENs on THE RIGHTS OF
DISTRICT CLAIMANTS.
In response TO a letter OF the District Com
missioners OF the I'd instant 10 Attorney Gen
eral Devens, informing the latter OF an order
entered by the former, relating to apelicl atoms
OF claimants under the act Of June Is, 1880, for
information ffOm the records OF the District, the
attorney general says that act in the second
and fourth sections extends the rules and laws
which govern the ordinary jurisdiction or Che
court TO the additional subjects OF jurisdiction
therein granted so far as applicable, and though
the scope OF this may have TO be judicially de-
fnedit is safe to presume that the existing rules
and practice win be substantially followed.
He calls the attention OF the Commissioners TO
the prov tsions or Sec. 1,0I6of the Revised Stat
uteS, which give the court power to call on the
department for information, OR papers, and also
give the head OF department the right to re-
IuSe such Information when, In his Judgment, it
would be Injurious to the public interest. As
Stunning that by analogy this provision is appli-
cable 10 suits brought under the act of June
18th, 1sSJ, Ii would seem that the authority TO
determine whether On such call by the court,
compliance would be injurious 70 the interests OF
the District must rest with the Commissioners.
In practice under the general jurisdiction OF the
court, the heads Of departments have very sell
0om, II ever exercised their authority TO refuse
compliance with the call OF the court. Ii in any
case there should seem to be reason for so
doing. and the commissioners should desire his
advice thereon, he would willingly assist them
Will be observed, relates 10 Information
called for by the court, and the order
OF the Commissioners refers to appca-
tons by claimants; however, the cali OF
the court Is, uniformly, issued upon the
Claimants request, so that II Is SubStan-
TALLY the claimants call. In fact, as the re-
quest is generally as OF course, without especial
scrutiny. the Attorney General thinks 1t de-
SiraDle that a careful examination OF the mat
ter OF such requests should Of made before re-
turning the Information. BY the second pro-
yfso OF the second section, certain matters are
requested to be deposited with the court On ap-
plication OF 4 ciaiInant-the application viii, he
preSumeS. be made through the court, and il il
is not desirable TO part with the possession or
the originals and the case does not depend
on their production, he thinks the court will bo
satisfied II duly certified copies OF matters OF
record are returned. The act COnterS no other d.
rect right TO papers, or information On claimants,
and such other right as they may have must
he thinks be rested on the general provisions
before referred to. They have no right to re-
quire information before suit, or otherwise than
by Intervention Of the court. The third section
or the second article OF the rules OF the
court provides that when q claimant can
not state his case with the requisite
particularly without an examination OF papers
Id an executive department, and ne has been
unable to obtain sufficient examination OF
such papers, on application, he alay file peti-
ton stating his claim as far as 1t is In his
power, and specifying as definitely as he can
The proper department for such Information or
papers, as ft may deem necessary, and when
the same are furnished the petition may be
amended, printed and filed, and may take the
place OF the original petition. Under these pro-
Visions al legitimate rights of claimants for IN
formation from the public records are secured,
and, so far, there has been no complaint that
they have not by these methods been able to
obtain whatever they needed or were enti-
tied to.
MORE LIGHT.
The washington and Georgetown Gas Com
pany have been authorized to locate street
lamps In the following lOcalitieS:-1Oth and G.
streets Sc; ID, between 1St and I'd streets NV:
TWO corner L ard South Capitol streets: 9th, be-
tween East Capitol and sire Is Sc; four on
+, between 18th street and Eastern FRANCHISE