Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-02
District Government AfYatrs.

ITESDANT CASWELLS DEFENCE.
Mr.. George Caswell. intendant of the Wash
ington Asylum, has addressed communication
to the District Commissioners. inclosing a
chipping from morning paper rejecting on him
(Casweii) for turning out on the streets an in
mate, who had been committed there, named
Juiian smith, suffering under the influence of
mama pOtu, stating that there is not one iota of
truth In the article. and requesting an investiga-
tion as to the authority of the statements made,
&c He also incloses statement of DR.. l..
Eliot, resident physician at the asylum. reciting
the circumstances of the patients arrival there,
treatment, DC. that he was not crazy, but as
rational as any man; that he let him go and that
Mr. Caswell was not on the place the whole
time the man was there. Statements are also
MED from Sergeant Hamilton, Officer MARI,
Lieut.. Ecklof, c. R. Vernon, John Cornell and
others of the same purport, corrOborating In
tendant Caswell.
THE ASPHALT CONTRACTS.
The action of the District Commissioners yes
terdayin deciding to notify the suretes of Messrs
Bailey i Fletcher, the contractors for laying as
sible for the failure of the contractors to COM
plete the work, and in the event of their refus
ing the contract would be given to the next
lowest bidder, was based on an opinion of At
torney Riddle In this opinion Mr.. Riddle held
that in the event of the failure of a contractor
the Commissioners may permit the sureties to
enter upon the work. or may fall back upon the
next lowest responsible bidder, or they may hire
men, buy material and finish the work them
selves, or they may advertise for proposals to
complete the work.
AN EAST WASHINGTON WANT
delegation of property holders, headed by
Mr.. Edward Temple from East Washington,
called upon the District Commissioners yester-
day afternoon to ask that 18th street east, from
NJ street to the bridge across the Eastern
Branch, be paved with granite block this season,
and in the discussion the necessities were fully
set forth for this improvement on thorough
fare very much used. Commissioner Dent and
Lieut.. Greene were present on the part of the
DIstrlct authorities, both acknowledging the
business of their request and the necessity of
having the work done, but under the pressure
OF other work already commenced and the
limited amount of means. they could give but
little encouragement to the delegation. Com
missioner Dent suggested cObble stone in lieu
OF granite block and stated that there were
streets in Georgetown which had. at least, equal
claims for payements and were just as much
used thoroughfares as 18th street east. but it
was impossible, under the circumstances, to
give them any attention this year. The delega-
ton opposed cobbe stone for that street and
wanted granite block or nothing, and would
prefer to wait awhile rather than not have it.
VITAL STATISTICS
The total mortality in the District of Column
bia for the week ending Saturday, August 81,
was lO2 (being Is more than the week pre-
vlous), or at the rate of 29.47 per 900 per an
mum. 81 were white males IA white females,
80 colored males and 81 colored females, show
ing an annual death-rate of 1875 per 900 for the
white population and 1914 for the colored. The
number of deaths from diarrhRal diseases was
~, consumption Is, malarial fever Z, diseases of
the nervous system and diseases of the heart 6
each, violence A. typhoid fever 8. There were
66 births reported, as follows: % of white males,
~ white females, II colOred males and 13 col
ored females, showing an annual birth-rate of
1872 per 900 for the white and 2O8 for the COL
ored population. Marriages reported 5-white
3, cOlOred 3. Still-births 4-white l. cOlOred g.