National Republican., 1883-04-03
THE REAL FACTS IN THE CASE.


While the public palate has been tickled
with edifying bits of information regarding
the dslocated relations between the district
commissioners and Mr.. West, full and non
| partisan statement of the real facts in the
case has not yet been served up ON the platter
of gossip. As the bouillon has been assmi-
lated, the solids may be acceptable to the hum
| CRY appetite of public curiosity. The primal
cause of the Four-and.a half street earthquake
was desire on the part of each commissioner
! to put the entire district under his particular
| wing, where il might nestle in blissful secur-
| ity, whence, after shedding the bedrag-
gled feathers of past abuses, IL might
come proudly forth dazzling in chaste
| purity. This desire did not originate
in the mercenary bump of either Of the three
gentlemen, but was conceived and brought
| forth in philanthropy. Each gentleman knew
how the people of the district had suffered in
many ways. Behind them and on either side
stretched CHASTITY array Of unpaved, unlight-
| ed, and uninhabited streets they saw street
sweepers stirring up the MONDAY dust, and
shrielSing in glee at the dresses they ruined /;
they saw belated citizens falling down cellar
! steps into Coaly chasms on nights when the
moon was announced to appear, and then, like
high priced opera stars, sulked and re-
fused to shine. They gazed upon these
they looked into the future, they
saw all these abuses remedicd, and happy
people basking in delight Each commits
| sioner firmly believed that this result could
only be accomplished by his own particular
endeavors, and consequently Maj. Lydecker,
| at the first meeting which was attended by
Judge Edmonds, announced that he wished
to have control of all matters relating TO the
| police, fire. and health departments, the dis
| trict buildings and bridges, the inspector Of
buildings, the water supply, the river 'front.'
the gas supply, tho railway, telegraph, and
telephone lines, the hospitals, the reform
| school, the public schools, the sewers, the
taxes and assessments, the surveyors office
and the property clerks office, and the issue
of all supplies and contracts, and liquor
| licenses.
Mr.. West said Mai. Lydecker's desire was n
very praiseworthy one, and the only barrier
to its accomplishment lay in the fact that he
| himself had expected to have entire control
of all matters pertaining to the hospitals,
public schools the taxes and assessments, the
health, f.e, and police departments, the tele-
graph, telephone, and railway lines, the
water and gas supplies, the reform school, the
issue of liquor licenses, contracts and supplies,
the surveyors and property clerks office, the
| inspector of buildings, the district buildings
and bridges, the sewers, and the river front.
Judge Edmonds said he was new man in
the commissioner business and had not been
aware, when he accepted the appointment,
that tho other commissioners were to have
control of anything. He remarked that he
had carefully studied the duties of a commits
sioner, and he believed he would like to have
control of all matters relating to the streets
and alleys, the district buildings and bridges,
the sewers, the reform school and the hos
pitals, the river front, the taxes and assess
ments, the fire, health and police departments
the issue of contracts, liquor licenses and sup.
Il. ID NFNR'H nI
fees, the telephone, telegraph and railway
lines, the gas and water supplies, the public
schools, and the inspector of buildings.
Mai. Lydecker said that the unanimity oi
desire was most delightful, but he was sure
his colleagues would withdraw their desires
and allow him to run affairs.
Mr.. West blandly remarked that he would
be willing to give up the reform school and
tho district bridges, but would tenaciously
cling to the rest Of his desire.
Judge Edmonds, after a few minutes deep
I study, said that he would not be swinish in
, his demands; therefore he would only ask
that he should be vested with control Of the
streets and alleys the gas and water supplies
, the sewers, the police, health, and fire de-
partments, the public schools and hospitals
} the river front, the taxes and assessments
: the issuance of contracts, supplies and liquor
licenses, and the telephone, telegraph, and
railway lines.
Mai. Lydecker then remarked that he was
willing to compromise He would give Judge
Edmonds control of the gas lamps on Fif
teenth street northeast, the policeman at the
Baltimore and Potomac depot, the Tenth
street sewer, the water supply on Capitol hill
the G street wharf, and the Fourteenth
street car line. Ho was also willing to LEI
Mr. West have control of lineup alley, til,
! Twelfth street wharf, the policeman at tue
Baltimore and Ohio depot, the hydrant at tn,
corner of Thirteenth street and New Yorl
avenue the gas lamps on Boundary street
car No. 81 of the street line, the Fifth stree
sewer, and the issue of the liquor license Il
Wizards hotel
Judge Edmonds remarked that Maj, Ly
dccker's generosity was overpowcring, ant
Mr.. West said he believed the major was suf
fcping from enlargement of the heart. Maj
Lydecller then remarked that If his colleague
: were not satisfied with his arrangement o
, their duties they would not be satisfied will
anything Mr.. West suggested that If Maj
Lydecker added the gas lamp in front of th
medical museum to Judge Edmonds's shar
the latter would probably be appeased II
this Mai. Lydecker replied that he would no
. entertain such preposterous idea Tor mo
i mont. He would have control of that ga
z lamp or he would have gore. In youth IL ha
f protected him and he proposed to uphold
J, now.
5 Judge Edmonds then softly remarked tina
!, Mr.. West would probably be satisfied il he wa
j. given control of the u street bridge, and the
Mai Lydecker and himself could settle thei
c differences. Mr.. West declared that even
4 Anacostia bridge was added he would not b
c satisfied and looking at his watch he re
@ marked that he had an engagement, but woul
Q shortly return. He then left, expressing tn
= wish that Mai. Lydecker and Judge Edmond
/, would arrive at the right conclusion an
b accede to his wishes After Maj. Lydecker an
Judge Edmonds were left alone the formo
looked Mt the latter aud the latter gazed upo
the former, and then the former said h
n thought Mr.. West was q most unreasonable MAJ
n Judge Edmonds coincded in the view
Il and suggested that, as Mr.. West was absen
n they might us we'll divide up the control {
!. the district between themselves Maj. Ly
NJ decker agreed to this pleasant manner {
n clutching the horn of the dilemma, and aftc
much trouble and many lively spats II wa
n arranged that Maj. Lydecker should contrt
ii the streets and alleys, the sewers, the ho
% pitals, the gas and water supply. the distrit
buildings and bridges, the surveyors an
= property clerks offices, the issue OF all SUI
" plies and contracts, the railway and telegrap
=. lines, the river front, and the taxes and a
sessments. Judge Edmonds was satlshe
II with the police, fire, and health depar
la ments the reform school, Chesapeake an
a. Ohio canal matters, the transportation
II prisoners and paupers and the district tell
- graph and telephone service Mr.. Yves
r. when he returned to the room, found that
es had been given control of the public school
y, the almshouse and the issue of liquor license
!, IN saw that Mr. West was mad would on