Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-22
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
LIGHTS, aoNGs, AND FIRE-EsCAPEs.

The act of Congress approved January 26.
1887 provides that all hotels, factories, work
shops, seminaries, colleges, hospitals. asylums,
halls. or places of amusement shall have their
stairways properly lighted when occupied at
night, and that at the head and foot Of each
flight OF stairs, and at the intersection of all
Railways with main corridors there shall be
kept during the night red light; and one or
more proper alarms or gongs, capable of being
heard througout the building, shall always re-
main easy of access and ready for use in each
of said buildings, to give notice to the inmates
in case of fire; and there shall be kept posted
In conspicuous place in every sleeping-room
notice descriptive of such means of escapes:
and the building inspector and chief engineer
OF the fire department shall have the right to
designate the location of the said fire-escapes
and stand-pipes in conformity with this act
and shall grant certificates of approval to every
person, firm. corporation, trustee, and board Of
school trustees complying with the require
ments of this act, which certificates shall re-
lieve the party parties from the liabilities of
fines or damages imposed by this act. The
Washington City Orphan asylum is the first
building to comply with these require
some time ago decided that the law
was defective and could not be fully en-
forced. For this reason a number of buildings
have not complied with the orders An amend
ment to the bin has passed the house and is
now before the Senate.
The Commissioners to-day sent the following
letter to Senator Ingalls, in reference to the
Senate resolution asking for an estimate of
the cost to regulate and grade Boun-
Diary street, from 4th street north west
to North Capitol street, also, the cost of and
plan for the opening of the extension of 18th
street west from Boundary to Mount Pleasant
The estimated cost of grading Boundary street
from 4th street west to North Capitol street is
s15.333. Eleventh street within the city is III
feet inches wide. To extend the street
its full width from Boundary to
Mount Pleasant avenue would require
the condemnation of about 400, 900 square feet
of land, the average value of which is estimated
at 25 cents per foot. This would make the cost
of land condemnation 800. 600; the estimated
cost of grading the street to its full width
is $4,000, SO that to condemn this line
of 18th street to its full width in the city
and grade it would cost, estimated, S112, 600.
IL the street was extended to the ordinary
width Of the city streets, 80 feet. which i'll
the Commissioners opinion is ample, under
to about $4,000 for land condemnation, and
81, 900 for grading, making the total estimated
cost of S92, 600.
ALL ABOUT A PUMP.
In November last, on the recommendation
of Superintendent Hayden, the pump at the
corner of AZ and p streets southwest was re-
moved and the well filled up. Since that time
tho Icsiucuts III the uelSnDOrnOOQ nave Deen
complaining about this action. A few days
ago Mr.. Samuel G.. Davidson, representing
many residents in that locality, petitioned the
Commissioners to reopen the we'll and supply a
pump. Superintendent Hayden now recon-
mends that the pump be restored and the Dis
trict chemist submits q statement that the
water may be used without danger to the con-
sumner as long as the sanitary condition of the
city is good, but that it should be on record as
suspicious, and should be closed at the out
break of any contagious disease. Captain Lusk
In passing upon the case says that every well
containing water of suspicious quality should
be promptly abandoned and filed, for though
the water has been used for many years
without apparent injury to the consumers, yet
from the fact that the chemical analysis shows
the water to be filthy, and the further fact that
the soil Of the city is becoming more and more
contaminated with filth, there is abundant
ground for presumption that the health OF con-
sumers of such water must in time suffer As
this is case relating to the health of a portion
of the community, Captain Lusk recommends
that it be referred to the health officer for re-
port.
THE JOHNSON LIQUOR LICENSE CASE.
Mr.. Henry E. Davis, the assistant District at
torney, has rendered another opinion in the
case Of Mr.. E. L. Johnson's application for a
liquor license. Mr.. Davis, in his report states
that he has examined the original witnesses,
! and finds that johnson had served liquor to
men who had not ordered anything else, and
who were not regular guests of the house.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Commissioners have granted the WASH
lngton Market company permission to tap the
It'll street water main, provided they introduce
a water meter and the water is paid for at meter
rates.