Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-01
CITY AND DISTRICT.
District Government Affairs.

The inspector of buildings has condemned
frame houses 1922. 1924 and 1896 G street north
west as unit for human habtation. and has
ordered that they be vacated and torn down
under the building regulations.
1he commissioners have received a letter
from Mr.. Edwin Bell. OF st. Paul. Mnn IN
which he submits plan for the removal Of mud
irom the Potomac flats by means hf patent
dam buider-an invention OF his own which he
describes.
offiClAL REPORT OF LIEUTENANT GREENE on TH0
SIDEWALK QUESTION.
Lieutenant L. V. Greene. United States engi-
heers OF the District engineer department YES
teruay made the following report 10 tho District
commissioners: 'ln the absence of Major Twin.
ing return the newspaper extract which vou
nave referred 10 me with the following report on
the matter; The condition of the sidewalks has
not been overlooked. but for reasons hereafter
stated II has rot been possible To keen them in
proper repair. There are in round numbers a2y
niles oi briek sidewalks in this city. containing
ABOUT l,5oc.eD square yards of surface. OF this
amount al least one-tenth and probably moro ia
in very bad order and in urgent need Of repair.
But the act of Congress establishing the present
form of government for the District reouireS
money TO be paid out only in pursuance of spe-
cilic appropriations 10y Congress- and these an.
preparations TO be based upon estimates sub.
mitted annually 10y the Commissioners: and tha
most pressing necessity Of the streets for tho
past two years has been 10 Get rid of the i'm.
passabie and unhealthy wooden pavements ana
the greater part of the estimates. as well as the
expenditures on the streets for the past three
years has therefore been devote Ia this purpose
The work iseven Yet not complete. and after
me present contracts are finished
there viii be over ten miles OF wooden streets
L nder these circumstances il las not been pos-
sible 10 devote TO the sidewalks that attention
which they deserve; and in fact the old munici-
pal ordinance (Webb's Digest u. 1897 throws
upon the owners occupiers OF property the
entire expense of keeping the sidewalks i'm
proper repair. The Commissioners have how
ever. annually submitted To Congress an esti-
mate for the purchase of materials for permit
work. and under the appropriations made for
that purpose the Commissioners have pur-
chased bricks, curb &c aud furnished
them TO all parties who would Law or
repair their sidewalks at their own ex.
pense. This. however. necessitates voluntary
action on the part Of the property owner or oc-
cuplers. and does not meet the case of parties
VINO decline to do the work or OF non-resident
owners OF vacant lots. Some method should be
devised TO meet such cases. and know of none
better than the old ordinance. which required
The commissioners OF improvements for the
ward TO notify the owners or occupiers' og
property when the sidewalk was ouU
OF repair to repair it, and If the no.
tice was not complied with In five days
the commissioner of improvements was to re-
par II himself paying the cost out Of the funds
OF the ward He then to furnish the regis.
ter with statement Of the cost. and the 'regis-
ter was to trasmit ii To the collector who would
collect 1t i'm the same manner that taxes real
property We're collected, and with interest at 10
per cent. until paid.
1T is question for the Commissioners to de.
termlne. under advice of attorney. whether II 10
adyi- able to revive the system of assessments to
the extent above quoted. and how much of the
above ordinance still remains operative under
the various changes of government which have
taken place since il was enacted"
This paper has been referred TO the attorney,
for his opinion as to the law in the case.
The Asphalt Paving Contract Muddl..
Mr.. William Birney, counsel for F. d. Bailey.
to-day sent q communication TO the District
Commissioners, In which he states that he hao
seen i'm The STAR the text of two letters ad.
dressed to the Commissioners on the 2fth and
3lst instant 10y Vim. Fletcher r.; that in behalf
OF his client. +. ID. Bailey. and with full PERSONAL
knowledge of the facts, he disclaims for him all
connection with and responsibility for either Of
SAID letters; that in regard 10 the statement by
Mr.. Fletcher that Mr.. Murdock is no attorneN
for him. he (Mr. Birncy) refers the COMMISSIONS
ers to an agreement dated May 4th. 1881 signed.
by F. L. Bailey, VIM. Fletcher, jr, w. c. MUIR.
dock and VIM. Fletcher. sr.. a copy of which;
was filed in the Office of the Commissioners. In,
the Sth article Of that agreement, provision 10.
made for giving to said Murdock "a full abso-
lutte and unconditional power of attorney i'm the
execution OF the paving contract. Mr.. Birney
also states that Mr.. F. ID. Bailey has always re-
cogniZed that agreement. and will on his returus
to the city, fully indorse the action and letter Of
MI Murdock as attorney in fact for the firm o.
Bailey Fletcher"
Mr.. Murdock himself to-day called at the Com.
missioners office and showed fully by a written.
and duly executed agreement between Mr. Bai-l
lev, the two Fletchers and himself that he did
have the right to act in the case, as Was done
yesterday.
RESULT OF THE CONFERENCE TODAY
long conference to-day by Commissioner
Dent. Assistant Engineer +. V. Greene and Mr.
Riddle. attorney for the District upon the paw.
ing contracts. resulted i'm notice being sent tn
the sureties for Bailey and Fletcher. that they
would be held for the failure of the principals in
the execution of the work. and giving them'
until Saturday next, at O'Clock an,
to signify what they will do. The
sureties are William Fletcher. ST., and John,
Webster. In the event of the refusal or
failure of the sureties to perform the contracts
it is determined that they will give it to the
next lowest bidders-Messrs. Barber and Cram
ford-proyded they will execute the work at
s1-97 per square yard. dhus splitting the differ
ence between the bids of Bailey & Fletcher and
Barber & Coz and that the most pressing por-
tons OF the contract (where the wood pave.
ments were) be completed within thirty days to
the entire satfaction of all concerned,
the difference in the cost to be paid by the fall
ing contractors. Messrs Bailey a Fletcher. and
in the event that Messrs. Barber Co decline
the terms stated. that the Commissioners will re-
advertise for the work, and at the same time
hold the sureties for all costs iR
excess of their bids. The aggregate amount
of these contracts is for about 30.000
square yards. and about 1900 of this. including
the replacement of wood payements, is to be re-
quired to be completed within thirty days and
the balance to be left i'm allegiance until the
turn of Commissioner Twining, who is absent
from the city.
~
The McKendree (Md.) Church Case.
DECISION IN FAVOR OF THE N. E. CHURCH SOUTH.
Judge Chew, who in July last heard the case