Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-06

A MODIFICATION ASKED FOR AS To MATERI
MEN AND CONTRACTORS.

MEN AND CONTRACTORS.
As published in THE STAR, a committee rep
resenting the Real Estate exchange of this city
had a conference with the House District com.
mittee on Thursday, and presented their rea-
sons, among other matters, for a modification
in the present lien law. memberof this com.
mittee, in conversation with u STAR reporter,
said:
The feature that we object to In this law is
the provision which allows a lien to be flied at
any time within three months after the build
Ing is completed. This law was enacted for the
benefit on the labOring men. 1t was claimed. but
reference 10 The lien book will show that the
laborins man Tiles one lien where the cOntrac-
tor and materia! man file twenty. We are in
FAVOR of letting this provision to the lahore
stand, FOR liens fiied by them are SO lew and for
such small amounts as to- hurt no one, but let
The law be modified To the material man
and contractor. the trouble is that the
law provides that lien can be
filed three months after the completion of a
house or repairs thereon. But when Is the work
completed? IL is claimed, not so long as nail
is 10 be driven or a screw inserted know the
case of man who bought a house and occupied
III Tor SIN months, surprising that ii free
nom all incumbrance, and there was way OF
nndlng out the contrary. One day he was
startled by finding thata lien had been filed on
MS property, and upon inquiry the material
man who filed the lien said that the house was
not yet completed, because one of the doors
had sprung a little and il was necessary to send
a man up and have il planned of. Until this
was done il was claimed that the house was not
completed III seems as If this law was framed
LOT the purpose Of making fraud easy. We,
therefore, ask that the law be modified so far
as contractors and material men are concerned
by making their liens date from the time notice
OF them u rled in the clerks Office. such a re-
quireInent would give force and effect TO the
registry system, which now. to this class of
liens, is a dead letter. The effect of this would
DE- 10 make the material men file their liens at
once, and then the record of property would be
comp etc and innocent purchasers protected. -
District Government Affairs.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Commissioners have passed an order
closing old alleyways. in accordance with the
request OF property owners, in square 155, and
oiening new alleyways as proposed by the
property owners
Edmund Murphy, in answer TO his verbal In
quiry of the Commissioners respecting the
catise of his dismissal from the METROPOLITAN
police force, is informed by letter that il was on
account OF lis having assaulted woman, and
not for immortality.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN PRINCE GEORGES
SoJSTf.--The residence of Mr.. r. T.. Bank
hayes, at Eliaville, Prince Georges county Md
about seven miles from this city on the line OF
the baltlInore and Ohio railroad, took fire from
defective fiue yesterday afternoon and was
burned To the ground, involving total loss of the
buildings and much OF his furniture and house
hold goods. Mrs. Bankhages was sick i'm bed at
the time and was rescued by Mr.. Crawford "a near
he.yhbor The house stood on the highest point
OF land IN that vicinity. and the flames were
seen Tor miles around, attracting a large crowd
oi people, who rendered ali the assistance in
thelr power IN saving the goods. Mr. Bank.
hayes, who Is clerk in the Office of the Post.
master General. arrived home on the evening
ass ta3S was Ut Its height. The place
was formerly owned by Dr. GuiIford OF the
.esisters office, and was sold to Mr.. Baiikhagc
some three years ago. II Is understood that the
house and furniture were well insured This Is
the second destructive fire which has occurred
In this vicinity within a month.
RoBBEkIEs REPoRrED.-Mrs. Richard Syl
Tester, I'll East Capitol street reports the loss
OF a gold pin worth SI6.-Twenty-fourd dollar.
worth OF clothing was stolen from the Cham
PLAIN avenue shaft on January 3Oth-Wm
smith, eio K street, reports stolen ten pigeons
For THE PooR.-The following subscription.
Tor the benefit of the poor OF this city have beer
received at TIE STAR office: Cash, 81; =. R. c.
$40; Cash, 81; Helper, $40; a. L. j., 81.
No FIRE IN THE HoUsE.-Yesterday the OH
Ger detailed for duty with the Humane society
O. W. ONeill, was informed that a colored wo
man named Digs. living at 1924 10Th street
was In the habit of leaving her children home
alone. On going 10 the house he found hel
two BOYS, aged and years. with no fire il
the house. They were shIyering from the cole
and poorly clad. He took them to the colored
home.