Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-26
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
THE INSPECTION OF LUMBER.


The lumber inspectors of the District have ad-
dressed letter to the Commissioners calling
attention to the law covering the inspection of
lumber i'll the city and the growing disposition
on the part of the lumber dealers to ignore the
same, claiming that said inspection is optional
with them. They say that it has been the Gus
tom for many years to charge fee for handling
or turning lumber, the custom being estab-
llshed by the shippers to avoid the detention of
their vessels, the latter being unwilling to wait
Tor the inspectors to measure their cargoes
while they were being discharged. The ship
pers, therefore, arranged an extra handling
and agreed to pay the same. The fees as they
now stand are 30 cents per 900 for inspection
as allowed by law, and Is cents per 1000 for
handling, allowed by shippers, One-half of the
inspection and all of the handling is paid by
the shipper and the other half of inspection is
paid by the purchaser. Some Dealers the
letter says, now claim that the lumber in
spectors can only collect their part of the in
spection Us cents) from them, and the in
spectors must look TO the shippers for the bal
ance go cents) without having any hold upon
the lumber inspected to secure payment In
conclusion they ask for instruction at the
earliest moment
LOOKING FOR RAILROAD TERMINUS
This morning delegation composed Of
Austin Herr, A. b. Cropley, H. P. Gilbert and
missloners III the interest of the Washington
and Western Maryland railroad company to get
the Commissioners to locate the starting point
OF the road The charter is indefinite as to
the exact starting point, merely stating that it
shall be on The other side of the Aqueduct
bridge. The engineer. after carefully consider
ing the matter mas decided that the most feas-
IDLE point Is that on the west side of the bridge
just opposite to Water street. The matter was
briefly considered in board session. but il was
finally decided 10 submit the whole question to
Col. Robert for his views The colonel intends
to drive over the route before passing upon the
case.
THE PROPOSED CABLE RAILROAD.
Col. Robert today submitted his memoran-
dunn to the board relative to Senate bill 1880 to
incorporate the cable railroad company. He
says the House bill has been modified from the
Senate bill with regard to the route to be
passed over and with respect to the
branch established by the Senate
bill. He says the amended bill
requires the railway company to widen 18th
street between Connecticut avenue and Bound
Gry to 81 feet between the curbs, all expense
for work OF placing the street in good condi-
ton, paving, &C., to be borne by the railroad
company. This widening of the roadway, he
says, is rendered necessary by the width Of the
present roadway, which is only 80 feet wide-too
narrow for double track. He says that it will be
observed that portion of the route to be
passed over by this company is left by the
amended bill IN the discretion OF the Commits
sloners of the District. This he deems ad-
visable from the fact that the powers that may
lie in the Commissioners with respect to the ex-
tension OF city streets is not yet known and will
not be until the bill now pending in Congress,
or some similar one, for the extension of city
streets shall pass. He strongly recommends
the passage of the bill amended.
THE CRoss-ooUNTRY RAILROAD.
Col. Roberts memorandum relative to the
cross-country railroad was today submitted to
the Commissioners Capt. Kossell some DAYS
ago sent his recommendation, which was
printed at the time in The STAR, and in SUBJ
stance recommended the passage of the bill.
This Col. Robert does and the Commissioners
will forward the report to Congress this after
noon.