Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-03
District Government Affairs.


District Commissioner Morgan has improved
somewhat, and will probably be out in a few
days in case he has no relapse.
Mr.. Riddle, attorney for the District, has
given an opinion that milk dealers who sell
milk from their own COWS are not liable for a
| license, but only those who buy milk from
Others to sell again, are liable to license as pro-
MIR. James Small, sealer Of weights and meas
u;es, in his report for the month of January,
states that he has inspected one hundred coal
scales in the District. all Of which are nearly
correct as scales of their capacity are generally
found to be. There have been seized and con-
half gallon, three half peckS two half buShel
measures and thirteen spring balance scales.
WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED.
| The District Commissioners are making ar
rapgements for setting gang of men to work
filling up the old canal as soon possible after
the joint resolution approprtating $4,000 passed
by both branches of Congress, last Friday, shall
have been signed by the President. The mode
OF working and changing of gangs amount Of
| pay for laborers, and horses and carts, superin-
tendence, &C., will be the same as last year, all
under the management OF the District Commis-
sioners, who will place superintendents over the
several gangs.
WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED.
| The registration OF names for work in filing
| the old canal, under recent joint resolution
| approprlating $4,000 for the purpose will be
done at the different police stations, commenc-
| ing Friday next, at 10 a. m. No names will be
| taken at Police Headquarters or elsewhere
| other than at the stations where the parties
will be identified as bona flde residents of the
| precinct where they apply. Details of men and
| carts Will be made from time TO time and no.
titled by an officer when to go to work. The
work will be done by days work under the di-
| rect1on or the engineer department.
VITAL STATISTIC FOR DECEMBER LAST.
The health officers report Of vital statistics
| for the month of December. 1879, shows the
| number of deaths at 314 "a decrease OF as COM
pared with the corresponding month the pre-
| viOuS year and Is more than the average num-
| ber of deaths for the month of December for the
past six years. or at the rate of %. 165 per 1000
| per annuln. The mortality of the white D0pula-
On was 1862, or at the rate OF II 052 per 1900 per
| aDnum, while that OF the colored was 152, or at
the rate of a2511. The average mortality was
| 1913. OF the deaths 22S occurred in Washing
| ton. % in Georgetown. % in the county, and II
i'll tie hospitals. OF the whites I2.s4 per cent
were years and over, 63.5S per cent 20 years
and over, and 41.36 per cent 10 years and over OF
| age. OF the colOred 1926 per cent were years
| and over. "A. ~ per cent 20 years and over, and
lS22 per cent 40 years and over, showing a per
| centage in favor Of the whites at each of these
periods OF life as follows: 1T5S, 1854 and 13 ii.
OF the t0ta 3li deaths, a, or 23.5I per cent were
under one year OF age, While the total mortality
| under years OF age was liz, Or 35.6 per cent.
| There were 364 births fepoJ'jed, chat is an az
| nual birth rate OF 1866 per 1,0o0) OF these
births l2s were of White males; 1903 white
females; tS colored males, and 80 cOlored females:
| "a birth rate for the white population OF 4.32
| per coo per annum, and $50 for the colored)
| showing an increase OF total population by eX-
| cess OF births over deaths of 80: the white popu-
| lation increasing by 80, the colored decreasing
| by 19. There were pairs of twins, white and
coloreu. Marriages reported. 1o2-White 81,
colored Al: 90 were reported by Episcopal clergy
| men; 20 by Methodist S by Presbyterian; q by
! Catholic; 20 by Baptist and each by Congre-
| gational, Campbellite, German Lutheran, Eng
| llSh Lutheran, and denomination unknown.
| AMERICAN COAL AND STOvEs.-Mr. Adams, [.
S. consul at Geneva, in his dispatch to the De-
| partment Of State, dated January 16, 1880, re-
ports large importations Of anthracite coal into
| switzerland from the United States 1t sells
well at present low prices, but it is very doubt
| full if it can permanently compete with French
! coal and coke. The Introduction of anthracite
coal has brought with it American stoves, which
| find ready sale. The trade, however, is yet in
its infancy. outside of the great staples no
article from the United States promises such
| great results as stoves. But these must be
tastes OF the Swiss people This is OF the first
Importance. An American firm in Geneva,
| Mess1s Bates & Co., has prepared meInoran-
| DUN OF the adaptations required.
PRESIDENTIAL TALK.-In view of the possible
contingency that after all President Grant may
not be be candidate for the Presidential noml-
! nation before the Chicago convention, there is
| an undercurrent In favor OF Elihu b. Wash
| bIrne, OF ILL.,. amongst the Grant men, especial
| .boom" would at once be developed in his
favor. For some time there has been feeling
| OF antagOnism between Mr. WaShburne and
| Senator Logan. This, however, prominent Illi-
nois politicians say is borne only OF the ambl-
| tion OF these two leaders in their own state,
| which could readily be healed in case Mr.. Wash
| burne's availability as Presidential candidate
| became matter of serious consideration. The
| course which Mr.. WaShburne pursued While
| our minister at France during the Franco-Prus-
| sian war has made him especially strong with
! the German element in this country. Then
| again, it is believed that Mr.. Washburne would
| be Gen. Grants favorite, in case he was himself
| not candidate Private aGviceS received at
| the Capitol to-day from Harrisburg are to the
effect, that the probability is that the Pennsyl-
| vania delegation will be instructed by the con-
| vention, which meets tomorrow, to vote for
Gen. Grant The fact that the New York con-
| vention has been called to meet ON FEBRUARY
2lSt is also construed by Gen. Grants friends to
| be in the interest OF his Presidential candidacy
| NOMINATIONS To-DAY.-The President sent the
following nominations to the Senate this after
noon: George Walker, of New York, to be con-
| sui general United States at Paris. Postmas-
| ters-GeOrge Burgess, at North Shore, n. Y;
=: c. Bainbrdge. at Fort Monroe. Va;
William Hartsuff. at Port Huron. Mich. Jas. L.
| Howard, of New York, to be appraiser, district
OF New York. Robert NJ. Wallace, of South
Carolina, to be U. s. marshal district of South
| Carolina. Wilber F. Goodspeed, of Ohio, to be
| [. S. marshal, northern district OF Ohio
| THE STAR ROUTE INvEsTIGATIoN.--Thes special
| coLnIhltlee VI Iile HOUSE appropriation commit
| tee resumed this morning the examination Of
| Gen. Brady, in connection with the star route
| investigation. In response to the request of the
| committee Gen. Brady furnished several tabular
! statements, showing the increased service from
July 1St to Dec. 1st 1S19 upon the principal star
| routes; the new service that had been put upon
| these routes during the same period; the num-
Der OF post Offices, and the amount OF business.
| The tables and statements were explained In
| detail by Gen. Brady after which he was Ques-
| toned upon the system of letting contracts. He
stated that the effort of the department had
been, as far as possible, to put the contracts in
the hand OF the parties who actually performed
| the work. and that in his opinion there was as
much fairness in letting contracts as could pos
sibly be obtained under the laws affecting
the. same, considering the many difficulties
| TO be overcome; that heretofore the depart
| ment had experienced much inconveni-
| ence, and the service more or less
| detriment from the wholesale bidding Of few
| parties, who afterwards sub-let the contracts;
| that various propositions had been discussed,
| such as restricting the bidding to parties living
along the respective routes or In the states
| through which the routes ran, but that even
then 1t would be impossible to prevent straw
| bids. His own plan would be to require cash
| deposit from every bidder and for every bid to
| guarantee good faith in undertaking the con-
| tracts The present law which allows tha