Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-20
District Government Affairs.

District Government Affairs.
FIREMEN AND SToKERs
AS stated Yesterday in The STAR Controller
Lawrence has decided that in law the word fire.
man applied only to the Stoker of the fire engines
The decision was made In letter to the District
Commissioners in respect Of the recent act OF Con-
gcess providing that 81 shall be retained from the
monthly salary OF each fireman to establish a fund
for the relief of such members Of the fire depart
forming their duty az a fire. The Commissioners
have written a letter to Controller Lawrence in
which they say in relation to the controllers opn-
ion that the act OF Congress "SeemS to contemplate
deduction OF 81 a month only from each OF the
six fireen;" that II this is the act fails to
press what Congress evidently intended, and they
Cthe commissioners are compelled to dissent from
such Interpretation. They quote the ordinary
meaning OF the word fireman as man whose bus-
ness it is to eXtinguish fires The recent ntroduc-
tfOn OF the steam engine into the fire service
brought with It the word fireman in a limited and
special sense, meaning the man who tends the fire
CT the engine, known sometimes in England as q
StOher. SO that in legtSlating upon the subject
statute may in designating OF rank or pay use the
words "foremen." 'engineers," "flrelnen." &C. or
speaking Of a truck company may Use the word
"tillerlnan," &c. and yet by universal understand
ing al are fireinen, and when speaking of them
generally such Is the meaning. "Weli known rules
or construct0n.'' the Commissioners say, 'sreuure
that we should give TO words their ordinary mean
Ing unless there be something in the context that
forbidS IT, Applying that rule we must take for
the firemans relief fund 81 from each man In the
service whose business 1t Is to extingutsh fires
from every meInoer OF the fire companies. The
whole object OF construction is to hnd what was
Intended" s..
VITAL STATISTICS.
The total number OF deaths in the District re-
ported during the week ending January 18th was 81:
OF this number 81 were white and 40 colored The
death rate "a per 10 1900 per annum was sos9 for the
population OF the decedents, IL were under 5
years OF age, and Is were over 60 years The prn-
cipal causes OF death were: Consumption, % heart
diseases, s; pneumonia. z: convulsons, 5: apoplexy
d; Old age, 4; cOngeni-al debility, 4; dysentery g.
scarlatina, 3; typhoid fever B; bronchitis, @ dpn-
%. - i,tra u
reported: white and colored and mixed Births
reported: 25 white maes 81 white females; II COL
ored males, coored females
DANGEROUS STRUCTURES.
Building inspector Entwisle has given notice to
Mr. j. F. Daily that the west wall OF the rear por-
tion of the building owned 10y him at the northeast
corner OF goth and streets is in dilapdated con-
dition and in danger OF falling. Thirty days is
given for taking 1t down. MI. A. Spoford, owner
Jersey avenue and street southeast has been noti
fled that the foundation Is in bad condition and
liable to fall He is notified to have the walls
strengthened or taken down within thirty DAYS
Rev. j. A Walter has been notified that the gate
house at st. PattckS cemetery, on Boundary street.
between let and I'd streets northwest, is In a dapi
dated condition, The front wall having fallen In
and the remainder liable to fall. He is directed to
have it all taken down within thirty days
STREET IMPROVEMENTS ASKED FOR.
MI. Robert /. Fleming in a note to the Commits
sionerS requests that Q street from its intersection
with Massachusetts avenue to god street northwest
be graded and paved with first quality of asphalt
blocks as soon as the weather will permit; also,
that 22d street, from to streets northwest, be
graded and graveled, curDing set and sidewalk
laid the side of said 22d street. the work to
be done as early as the weather will permit
BUILDING PERMITS
issued by Inspector Entwise: DR.. c. Christiana,
erect two two-story ami cellar dwellings. I'd and
streets northeast; 1000. r. L. Parry, erect two
story and cellar dwelling, sth, between r and S
streets; $500. Thos Ready, erect a two-story
Gowan. repair brick. 629 + street northwest; s4OO
nj. Lynch, erect two story dwelling. o. between
~ and 6th streets southwest; S40o. Duval q Marr,
erect seven two-story and basement dwelling
houses on 18th, between and w streets north
west: $500. Duyall Mari, erect eight two-story
dwellings, alley between 18th and 14tE and and
w streets northwest; 800. K. II. Murphy, repair
brick, 1895 Pennsylvania avenue northwest; 500.
MISCELLANEOUS.
In reply to letter from Mr. A. j. Falls addressed
to the commissioners respecting the overcrowding
OF a cab stand with cabs at 18th and NJ streets,
they state that there seems, from the failures to
convict in the Police Court in such cases, which
will probably continue until the pending police bill
passes, to BE- no adequate law in the premises
delegation g H from the vicinity OF Rock creek
missioners to lay sidewalk on that road from 9TH
street road to Brightwood The commissioners re-
piled that they would furnish the stone for the
sidewalk, but that the citizens would have to lay
the walk.
oA Messrs Daniel Grady, Joseph Wesley. Thomas
at I'd and streets northeast, one at each end OF
the railroad bridge.
In reply to the communication OF Mr.. Henry
Thorn, 1nQuirtng by what authority the lamp post
in front OF No. TBS 18th street northwest was re-
moved to front of First Baptist church, the Com
mssioners inform him that the change In the loca-
tion OF the lamp on this street was made by au-
thorty OF themselves for the better accommodation
OF the public.
ELKTNs SUED By GEN BUTLER.-General BenJa-
min F: Butler began q suit In the United States
circuit court in New York yesterday against Ste
phen B. Elkins. The complaint charges that in
February, 1884. contract was signed whereby the
defendant agreed to convey by quit claim to the
plaintiff about 100000 acres Of land in Mora Co.,
New Mexico. General Butler was to pay ElkinS
Seventy-hve cents an acre. General Butler asks
the court to enjOin ElkinS fr0m selling the lands
and to decree that he shall perform his agreement.
TROUBLES OF LIVELY LITTLE AcTREss.-The
performance Of Kate CastletOns company at VIM
nipeg, Man., saturday night was interrupted by
Harry Phillips, Kate's husband and manager. He,
it is said obtained possession OF some money sent
to her from San Francisco and got drunk. At the
close Of the first act Kate asked him for the rest OF
the money. He responded by telling her with
blow, which rendered her nsensible for some time.
Afterwards he broke into her bed room with re-
volver and threatened to kill her. He was az
rested. several thousand dollars worth OF Kate
IN