Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-10
Washington and Georgetown after September

Washington and Georgetown after September
Mr. Clements and Mr.. Cannon maintained
that the clause was not subject to the point Of
occupying the chair. Mr.. Cannon then
offered an amendment providing that
contracts for electric lighting should
be made with company using overhead wires.
The point OF order was made by Mr.. Atkinson
that this changed existing law.
Mr.. Cannon disputed this.
General Henderson and Nh. Clements argued
that no law authorizing overhead wires ex-
listed, and therefore the amendment did not
change Law, but merely made regulations re-
garding the expenditure of an approI ation.
But the chairman sustained the point Of
order He also sustained similar point Of
order against the other clauses in the same
connection giving the Commissioners power to
deal with this question.
MIR. Clements referred with some warmth to
the points of order being made in the interest
OF monopoly, and Mr.. Atkinson replied with
some spirit to an apparent imputstion upon
him.
SALARY OF THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
Mr.. Hopkins tried to increase the salary of
the school superintendent to $1,000, but his
amendment was ruled out.
THE LAND PURCHASE QUESTION.
Then followed long discns sion Of the school
site purchase question.
MIR. Taulbee fearing that the clause for that
purpose in the bill might perhaps. not
chase of school sites through agents
or through other persons not regular dealers
in real estate in the District Of Columbia or
through such regular dealers who have not had
the property for sale continuously from the
date Of the passage of this bill, and in no case
shall commissions be paid to more than one
person or firm at greater that the usual COM
mission.
Mr.. Atkinson made point Of order against
this.
The chair overruled the point.
MIR. Henderson Iowa) said that there was an
intimation that there was something wrong in
the purchase Of sites. He thought that the
purchase should be made directly by the Com
missioners, and he had offered an amendment
to this effect in the committee on
appropriations Subsequently the Commits
sioners stated that two sales were
not made before the property came into the
possession of the District, but that they simply
employed an agent to purchase the prop
erty. He sent to the clerks desk and
nissioners, giving q statement Of the methods
followed by them in purchasing sites
The Commissioners state that they had found
| it best to make purchases with the assistance
! Of some one who has had experience in real
estate dealings. There being no fund pro.
agent, there has been no such employment in
the strict sense Of the term. The person
employed by them has to look to the vendor OF
the lot selected for the payment Of whatever
his services are worth. How this payment il
effected the Commissioners have no means OF
knowing.
The amendment was adopted.
Mr.. Atkinson. Of Pa, said he would not utter
one word which could be construed
into an impugnment Of the character
of the District Commissioners, but
he thought the power Of purchase now in
| their hands was a dangerous power, which
might be misused He moved to strike out the
whole clause.
This was defeated
Mr.. Taulbee said, in connection with the
statement of the Commissioners. that he had
read in The STAR an interview with one of the
Commissioners showing transactions that
amounted to an offense against the law. Il do
not see" he said, that this document changes
the case. 1 will pursue this matter until the
Commissioners are indicated or until their
bad actions are exposed"