The Washington critic., 1888-09-22
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.

The Commissioners have before them
again the question OF taxing real estate
notes, mortgages and national banks.
They have invited number of the
interested parties to meet them in
few days and discuss the subject
Attorney Riddle has rendered the fol-
lowing opinion on taxing banks:
e" / regard the decision of the bank
tax cases rs conclusive of the law. l
fully reported it to the Commissioners,
the District Committee Of the two
houses, and, so far as ] could secure adj
vice, fu!ther litigation was deemed use
less. / suggested further legislation if
Congress desired TO tax the banks be-
yond what the law did tax them. 1t
might be well to call the attention of
Congress TO the subject again if this
rate is unsatisfactory. The banks now
pay onc-quartcr of one per cent on
their capital stock"
The Blake estate has notified the
Commissioners that they Will charge So
per foot Tor all their ground condemned
to widen Columbia road. They Will
also 'chargc for the stone wall that viii
como down TO make way for the I'M
provrment. CongreSS appropriated $780,
0U0 for cOndcmning the necessary land,
and Mt this rate of charge the Blake
cstat, will demand about $4,000. The
Phelps and the Stoddard estates also
claim damages.
Fireman w. II. Reed has been dis
missed and j. T. Reynolds has been ap-
pointed in his place.
Il. Solari has been notified by the
Commissioners that they deem it mad
visablc to grant his request to allow
Washington Naylor to stand one of his
nnl IN, nf hin lSplupI'S1 hOtpl
They will allow Mr.. Naylor to stand
one of his unlicensed carriages in front
of the hotel for the accommodation Of
the guests but they will not he au-
thorizcd To solicit patronage on the
streets.
Thos. Morgan & Co. have been
awarded the contract for putting tin
roof on the u street pump house.
The Commissioners have appointed
J. j.. Hutchinson rs keeper of the Aque-
duct Bridge at $40 per month.
H. V. O'Bricn some time ago suggested
that certain streets running east and
west should be swept as often as the
north and south streets in the same
neighborhood. The Commissioners have
refused to change the schedule.
Besides the complaints about disorder
in the neighborhood of Twentieth and
u streets, IL complaint has been made
about dirt on the streets, largely caused
by the Herdic Company's holscs and
vehicles Tho Commissioners have an
swered the petitioners fog relief, stating
! that arrangements have been made
with the superintendent of street and
alley cleaning for ciiccting such arrange
ments with the IIcrdc Company as will
probably obviate necessity for further
complaint.
The Baltimore q Potomac Railroad
Company has changed the plans of thei
freight house at Sixth street and Vir
ginia avenue and their car shops at thel
freight yard on South Capitol street
They intended to erect corrugated 1rol
buildings, but the District authorities re
fused to allow this and, as stated in th
Critic of yesterday, the company at
tempted to construct the buildings with
out permit, but were stopped by the p0
lice. They have decided to erect bricl
buildings and permits were issued 70
these to-day.
The Commissioners had before then
to-day, in board meeting, the report 0
the fallen tower of the Church of tn
Covenant, and also the rebuilding of tn
tower. A new contract has been mad
for the rebuilding OF the tower, as here
toforo printed in the Critic, and tn
Commissioners decided to require the in
tcrested parties to lay before them til
plans and specifications Of the tower be
fore any more wolli is done ON il.
Building permits have been issue
to Sophia .Justo to erect n dwellin
house at 1890 Ninth street TO cos
$4,000; Baltimore & Potomac Raj
road Company. to erect a freight hous
corner of Sixth and Vn. avenue, S. w
5l2, 900; also car shop in square 60J
$4,000