The critic., 1891-03-23
FROM THE DISTRICT CAPITOL.
Items of Interest from the Commission
eraf lOQlco

WILL Nor PERMIT THE SUBDIVISION OF
lie DRorT PARR.-At board meeting of
the Commissioners on Saturday afternoon
the subject Of allowing a subdivision to
be made in lie Droit Park was discussed.
Upon the opinion of Assistant Attorney
Thomas ii was decided not to permit the
subdivision to be made. IL was decided
to allow water connection to be made with
lie Droit Park.
LIEUTENANT BoTELER's CAsE.-As stated
in THE CRITIC some time ago. charges
were prepared by the Commissioners and
preferred against Lieutenant Boteler for
intoxication on January last. Evidence
has been taken by the Commissioners
privately in the case for two weeks past.
II is alleged that on this occasion the
Lieutenant was intoxicated at the Eighth
precinct station. house, and was unable to
read the roll.call and orders. Sergeant
DAILY and number of privates from the
Eighth precinct testified to the Commits
sioners against the Lieutenant.
The trial has been set before the trial
board for Monday, March 30. II was first
set for to-day, but, on account of the re-
cent death Of Lieutenant Boteler's mother,
the trial has been postponed until
the 30th
The case for which the lieutenant was
tried some time ago, .intoxication on
February 20, and for which he was ac-
quilted by the trial board, is still in the
hands of the Commissioners. IL will
probably not be acted upon until Com
missioner Douglass is able to resume his
duties.
II is thought by many that the new
charge against the lieutenant Is trumped
up one. The assertion that because he
was unable. to read a roll call he must
have been drunk, is regarded as ridiculous
1t Is said that the roll call was of such a
bad print that the officers ut police head
quarters were unable to read IL. On the
other hand the prosecutors claim that
they have strong evidence against the
lieutenant. Mr.. John A.. Clark will APP
pear for Boteler at the trial.
LEGALITY OF THE BUILDING REGuLA-
TIoNs.-The question of the legality of
the present building regulations has been
the subject of considerable discussion
about the District Building for the last
week or so. The new regulations that
were prepared at the beginning of the
year are not yet in operation, and II is a
serious question whether the building OF
the city is now. being done legally under
the old regulations.
Many Of these regulations are clearly
illegal, while Others are very doubtful.
This doubt arises from the ruling made
by Judge Bradley in the Equity Court
last December in the Gheen livery.stable
case. The Judge decreed that certain
amendment to the regulations prohibit
ing the erection of stables was illegal be-
cause II had only been acted upon by two
Commissioners. The law. though since
amended, then required that the whole
Board of Comm issioners should act.
This clause in the regulations being de-
clared illegal throws doubt upon all the
old regulations, as ii cannot be determined
what portions of them were or were not
acted upon by two Commissioners only.
This state of uncertainty decided the Com
missioDers to prepare q set of new regula-
tions which was accordingly done. Sew
eral points in the new regulations, how
ever, were objected to by the Engineer
C,o9mnaissioner Colonel Robert, who de-
clined to approve them. These points in
volve the construction of vaults and Ger.
tain restrictions upon Pennsylvania ave
nue. and Seventh street.
These problems have been discussed by
Captain Rusk of the Engineer Department
and Building Inspector Entwisle. They
have not yet, however, submitted their
report to Colonel Robert.
Commissioner Ross said this morning
that the question of the legality of the
present building. regulations was one he
WV nv "'sh w uioousS' He ueheFeS tie
matter to be a serious one and does not
care to talk about 1t until affairs are adj
Justed.
Co,onei hoDerI thoughi tnat temporary
ones were finally approved.
MORE LIGHIT.-.Captain Lusk has recon-
mended the erection Of the following gas
lamps West side OF Twenty street,
between + street and Virginia avenue
northwest; southwest corner OF Virginia
avenue and Twenty-second street north.
west; southeast corner of Twenty-second
~ ana y streels northwest; northeast corner
Iwenty-lnird street ana virginia avenue
northwest.
BUILDING PERMITs.-A permit to build
twenty three-story and basement dwell.