Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-28
CITY AND DISTRICT.
LAWN TENNIS.

~ u
The Washlngtou Tournamens 20 %
Held NJ Kendall Green the Last Of
May-she Prizes.
The Washington tournament will be held at an
earlier date than expected IL VIII come oeiore
and not after the Baltimore tournament. The 2sth
and 30rh OF May have been the dates nxeo upon
and the Kendall Green lawn the place Decoration
Day Is holiday nere 80 that only one day VIII DC
lost ror business by those taking part In the play
ing. on the following week the Baltimore tourna-
ment viii be held so that two very important
events 70 tennis players In this locality will follow
each other with but brief interval All this VIII
have an affect OF stirring up the players, and prac-
rice has already begun in earnest The ground,
especially In turf courts, has not been at for use,
but now that warmer weather has come there VIII
b.s no reason for delay on this score. 1t was ex-
pected 20 hold the Washington tournament later
IN the season, but for good and sufficient reasons
the earlier date was selected, and every body
seems TO be entirely satisfied with the time and
place Tennis players generally seem to regard
The selection OF Kendall Green as fortunate In
every way. There Is room for laying out at least
ten courts, ana this will make possible 10 have a
good many games In progress at the same tlrae-
THE NUMBER OF CONTESTANTS
Ir Is not known how many players Will enter
the tournament But one estimate places the
number az high as seventy-nve. Every effort will
b. made 70 bring out every player In this vicinity,
and ne ladies' win be invited 10 enter the contest
Handsome prizes will be offered for the
winners in the ladies' singles and doubles
lamp and handsome inlaid racquets Will be pre-
sented 70 the winners In the doubles
THE FIRST PRIZE
In the mems singles, Is the Cranberry plaque, a
sketch OF which Is now on exhibition In the
windows OF Barber & Ross. The design Is very
handsome The center gives a representation OF a
tennis court with game OF singles in progress.
Around The border Is a tracery of leaves with
crossed rackets on eacn SIDE; AZ the top Is tne {,
inscription District OF Columbia Championship,
and at the bottom "Granberry Trophy" The
material Is silver and bronze and the value is said
TIE PRIZES poR DOUBLES
have been provided for by Messrs. Wright and
OLSON The latter was In the city during the
week looking after tennis interests. and he told
the committee IN charge Of the arrangements for
for two silver cups TO be given TO the winners OF
the doubtless Il Is probable that the prizes for
both singles and doubles Will be subject 10 the
condition OF being held Tor LAree successive seasons
by the same persons before the become private
property. In addition 10 the attractions which
the contests between the local players will have
for the tennis-lOving public, the committee will
endeavor To have some exhibition games. 1t Is
expected that several players OF prominence win
be present, and during the tournament they Will
exhibit their skill in playing.
NEW CLUBS FORMED.
The number OF tennis courts In the city have in
creased largely as compared with last season
New clubs are being formed, and beside the twelve
or thirteen clubs that joined the Southern Associ
stton last year there Will be this year great
many additions A new court has been made on
Massachusetts, avenue, between 18th and 14th
streets and Messrs BallantyDe, Teei, Francis, and
others are members OF the club. There is also
another new club located on the next square. be-
tween 14tn and 18th streets AT 18th and Madi
son streets there Is eluo Oh wnlcn Aessrs CnaP
ern Club, OF which MeSsrS Dyrenforth, ware.
Sheibley, and Grodet are members, have court at
15.h street and Rhode Island avenue. AT the cor
ner OF 2Ist and Y streets the West End Club have
a court, and among the members are MesSrS Ste
vens, NacLean, SpofOrd, woodward, and Wort
man These new organizations, together with
those heretofore mention in The STAR, are grati
Tying indications Of the growth Of the interest In
tennis IN this city.
How the Lien Law was Procured.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
In your issue OF the oath you expressed surprise
ut the passage Of the present lien law, and wonder
how IL came about without the knowledge OF the
public. The way 1t was done was this: The deal
ers in builders materials, mainly the lumber
dealers, employed an attorney 10 get up the bill
and get IL through for them One OF them said IL
COST them 1000 10 get IL passed IL was urged
before the cOmu1ttee on the ground that IL was
for the special beent OF the labOrers the real par
ties In interest hiding behind the laDorers. As
matter OF fact IL was not and Is not for the benefit
OF the mechanics or laDOrers, as Is shown by the
fact that in every single suit brought under the
law since IL was passed, so far as i have seen or
heard, the lien was Tor the benefit OF parties FUR
nishing materials and not for the carpenters or
other mechanics. They have no occasion to avail
themselves OF II, because they are paid weekly
bi-weekly. Instead OF putting the business on a
better basis, as stated by the Commissioner the
law has operated Just the reverse. IL is induce
Nent for the material men TO sell TO men who
they know are not responsible, because under this
unjust law as 10 now stands they can make the
owner OF the building pay for IL, even though he
had no knowledge OF 10, and had already paid the
contractor for 1t. IL Is simply legalzed robbery,
that all No one questions the propriety OF
lien law, especially for the benent OF the meehan-
les and laborerS There has always been such a
Law in the District; but the present law Is very
unjust, In Jaat IL authorizes any one who has not
been paid oy the contractor 10 sell. not only the
building, but also the lot on which II stands. by
Ming len any time within three months after
the building Is completed and turned over TO the
owner. IL should be amended so as to compel the
party furnishing material 70 notify the owner,
either At the time he furnishes IL Or at latest when
the building Is completed That would be Just
and fair. and cannot see how any honest OF fair
minded man can obIect TO such amendment.
There Is but one state In the Union that has such
. Law, and that is Pennsylvania A SUFFERER
A Word for Our Parks.
10 the Editor Of The EVENING STAB:
notice By the reports OF proceedings In Con-
gress and before the committees or Congress that
In the determination OF the question "where shall
the city po5t-ofice be located?- various schemes
have been brought forward, and at last one com.
mittee have determined on the square between
9th and 10th and street and Pennsylvania ave-
hue. which Is certainly a good location, meeting
every want: but also notice that Senator ingalls,
proposes &c occupy another piece, or rather two
pieces, OF judiciary SQuare-One for the city post
once and the other for whatever may turn up
perhaps for penltentiary, nobody knows whatl
What want TO bring before the citizens OF WASH
fngton Is this: Hos ute Y. s. Government the rioht
% occupy The parks for any purpose For one I
do not believe II has. The parks were giren by
the original owners Of the ground on which the
city Is laid out for the free for all time OF the
Citizens, and the title vested in the L. S Govern
ment as trustee. Can the trustee take for his
own use the property thus intrusted toit? think
not, and II The matter were laid plainly before the
people OF this city, and they were made aware OF
their rights, 10 would be long time before Gov
eminent buildings booked up the parks that the
original propretors freely gave for the use OF the
future Inhabitants True, the title was vested In
the United states, but what for? For the use Of
the future city-a fact that cannot be con-
troverted- The Mall was given for a grand
avenue. but Congress has turned IL over to
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Washing
ton city has never received any OF the price
yet the land belonged 10 II us a park and 1renue
II the United states want a lot or a square 10 put
their pOst-orilce on let them buy one anu paw for
y The same as they 90 In every other city. You
know as well as i do that the L. y Government
cannot walk into any other city In the country
and take Its public park 10 put a Government
building on: and n the people OF Washington only
knew their rights and had the manhood 10 stand
II for them. the occupancy OF public squares by
the U. 4 Government would be stopped In the most
summary manner. J.
Baltimore and Ohio and Reading.
fEz TWO ROADS WILL WORK ro6ETHEK-THE WAY
OF IT.
special dispatch from Philadelphia says: An
important alliance has Just been entered into
between the Philadelphia and Reading and the