National Republican., 1883-08-29
Tfrf COMMISSIONERS.
Current transactions Mt THE Various Dis
frInt Omrns.

trict Omces.
The commissioners yesterday issued tho
following order: "That the engineer com.
missioner, in accordance with his report of
April Is in regard to telegraphy, be requested
TO report what alley routes may bo subst-
tuted for present street telegraph lines, and
whether the number of wires strung through
out the city could, without detriment, be di-
minshed; also plan to cause the telegraph
lines to bo put under ground within the
limits of the city"
The commissioners yesterday approved the
following promotions and appointment on the
police force: Officers Connolly and Mont
gomcry be promoted from first to second class,
and that w. w. Easily be appointed d first
class private to take effect on the first proximo
Building permits were issued yesterday to
George f. Moore, to mako repairs to dwoll-
ing No. d0l G. street northwest TO cost SO;
John Walsh, to make repairs to dwelling No
19i9 Twelfth street northwest to cost $50;
Ernst Troiber, to make repairs on dwelling
| No. $40 G street northwest, to cost $300
d. B. Glasco and J. T. Core, ir., of truck b,
have resigned from the fire department to
take effect on tho first proximo, and John
| Lynch and William A. Reinberg have been ap-
| pointed by the commissioners to fill the va
cancies caused by their designations.
The deputies of tho collector OF taxes arc
| now engaged in adisagreeable portion of their
duty-seizing goods, wares, merchandise,
horses, &c. to satisfy personal tax where de-
linquent. The arrears balance is not large
| for the current year and the account must
be closed. A large tailoring establishment
drug store, milliners' stores, stove stores, &c.
were seized yesterday. To-day some of the
others on the delinquent list will be proceeded
against The collector withhods names for
the present, but they will be published.
Liquor licenses were issued yesterday to
a aNnsnl
| The district officers were paid off yesterday.
The following reply has been sent by tho
commissioners to the secretary and treasurer
of Howard university respecting the assess
ment of lands belonging to that institution (;
The act of June 16, 1882, exempted such
property as shall be used only for the pur-
| poses set forth in the university charter.
| Those purposes are the education of youth in
| the liberal arts and sciences. The college
buildings and some fifty-sevcn acres of land
| adjacent to Washington are devoted to that
use directly and are exempted from taxation.
| The lands that are taxed are those not in use
at all and held speculatively for high prices,
| or are perhaps leased to others who pay rent.
1t is well settled that statutes of exemption
must be construed strictly. The exemption
| of property used by school. church, or other
corporation for the purposes of its charter
does not necessarily include all property
owned or held by tho corporation, although
such ownership may incidentally benefit
| the enterprise and may Ultimately be devoted
to it. The word used in the statute limits
the exemption to such property as is directly
and not incidentally devoted to the purpose.
1t does not include property held for specu-
latiye purposes, or to increase the revenues
Of the corporation. Such is the opinion of
| the attorney of tho district and it seems to
| be sustained by the reasoning of the case of
Bank VS.. Tennessee, Ia Otto, 493, and the
cases therein cited and others of like import.
The commissioners, therefore, conclude that
the exemptions already allowed are all that
were intended by the net of congress-"
Deaths reported Aug. 2S.-Margaret Poss,
consumption Nancy jackson, valvular dis
case heart; Martha /. Green typhoid fever;
Harriet L. Tcagle, congestive remittent fe-
yer; Andrew Mcintyre, diarrhea; Mason
Moulton, inanition.