Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-05
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
The Authorities Going for the Short
Weight Butter Sellers.
THE ATTORNEYS OPINION.
Can Be Punished on Q Charge Of False
Pretenses - How to Secure Title to Prop
erty Purchased at Tax SaIe-Why Some
Carts Cost More Than Others.

The District authorities are going for short
weight butter sellers. and the sealer Of weights
and measures has been directed to make cases
whenever a violation of law is discovered.
The letter OF the sealer Of weights and
measures calling attention to the butter
men who were selling under-weight butter
was referred TO the attorney for the District for
his opinion as to the power Of the Commission
ers in the matter. The opinion of the attorneys
office was rendered today by Assistant Attorney
Duvall, who says: "These parties can be
proceeded against and punished in the
Police Court on a charge Of false pretsnses, for
the false afirma ton as to the weight of the ar
ticle or any device or trick by which pur-
chaser is induced to accept q smaller quantity
than that purchased Is within the purview Of
the statute on that subject
Where the butter is sold in a private market
the ordinance is inapplicsble, although when
butter short in weight is discovered it may be
confiscated to the corporation and the clerk Of
tho market could seize and sell the same.
THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AT TAX SALE,
When property is sold for taxes there are
two parties who are entitled to buy the same;
first, the highest bidder, and in the event OF
no offer the District steps in and buys, the
bid being equal to the taxes due.
Before the District can get clear title,
however, to the property il must 60 into a
court Of equity and enforce the Liens for taxes
against the property bid of by 1t at tax sale
which has not been redeemed by the owner
within two years after such sale. The District
has been very dilatory on account OF Its
rnent OF its liens against property it has
bought FOR delinquent taxes, and has
never gone into the Equity Court. as
required by law, for the purpose OF obtaining
title. Recently, however, q case aroSe where
the District stepped in and bought a piece
OF property the aggregate delinquent taxes on
which amounted to about Sll, goo. There we're
other purchasers at previous sales, and in re-
spouse to the request from of these TO 90
into court the Commissioners inquired of their
attorney AZ to the proper mode OF procedure
Assistant Attorney Duvall says In order 20 pre-
pare such bill IL will be necessary TO obtain a
chain Of title exhibiting the record condition Of
the property and deposit it with the bill when
filed, ut least $40 with the clerk o. the court
and with the United States marshal, 800 for
each defendant to be served with q process
II there is any available fund TO cover
these necessary OUTLAWS. he says, the bill in
equity viii be filed in the case mentioned. The
collector OF taxes. lie Saws should furnish in
each case report showing detail, the unpaid
taxes, tax sales, &c.
An ADVERSE OPINION.
The Commissioners have received an adverse
opinion from their attorney against the request
Of ]. Maury Dove for permission to rent the
wharf at the foot Of q street when vacated by
the contract for removing garbage.
WHY THE CARTS COST MORE.
The engineer department OF the District only
pays Sl.15 per day for. the use OF horse, cart
and driver, while the street sweeping de-
partment pays 80. Superintendent Davis
was recently requested by the Commissioners
haw ha
for this service than the District His reply
rs contained in a letter today sets forth The
statement that the carts used In his de-
partment hold about three times as much
as those used in the engineer department.. II
would not be economy to use small carts in
the street cleaning department for the reason
that more frequent trips would have to be made.
the cost OF which service would many times
overbalance the difference paid for the carts
NUIsAScEs REPORTED.
Last week ia nuisances were reported to the
health Office and the inspectors repor. that 737
were abated.
FISH coHDEMNED.
There arrived at the river front last week 200
bushels Of oysters. 6075 punches OF fish 80. COO
herring, 1885 shad, IS sturgeon, 8 drum fish,
1o.3o0 crabs, 2i2 600 clans aud $50 tai,ors
There were condemned BIZ INSPECTOR Harris
$500 crabs, $500 clans and 800 punches OF
fish.
USwHoLEsoME FooD.
The food inspector last week condemned 296
pounds OF beef, sixty-f pounds Of mutton,
fo-ty-ive pounds Of pork and a large amount
of fruits and vegetables.
WORK OF THE pouNpMAsrEn.
Poundmaster Einstein captured eiyhty-two
animals last week. During the week eishty-one
dogs were killed, eight redeemed and thirty-one
sold.
SAMPLES OF MILK TESTED.
Milk Inspector OFT procured forty-one sam
pies Of milk and four samples of water last
week He also inspected fifteen diaries.
wsNrs THE DOG POUND REMOVED.
Health Officer EamIaett wants the dog pound
removed. He thinks the southeast corner OF
the Observatory grounds is the most accept
able place, and has requested the Commits
sioners to cooperate with him in having it
located there. At present. he says. the place
Is a nuisance. and the drainage from the yard
is settled dangerously near a spring which the
residents in the neighborhood use.
THE sEALER OF WEIGHTS ANSWERS.
The Commissioners this afternoon received
the following letter from the sealer Of weights
and measures in reply to the letter Of Mr.
Berdan Muller, inquiring why the sealer of
weights and measures does not prosecute the
market men for using scales that are short
weight:
Your favor Of a few days ago, inclosing
letter from Mr. Muller. was duly received and
appreciated. Mr.. Muller's letter emphasizes
the fact that great interest is taken by the citi
zens OF the District in the manner
in which the hucksters conduct their bus
mess and the honesty or dishonesty with which
the citizens are served. In my letter OF two
weeks ago submitted list Of names Of per-
sons who were offering for sale short-weight
butter. and asked for advice as to
how to proceed against them. believe
my letter was referred to the counsel Of the
board, but as yet have not been informed OF
his decision. I have seized a number Of
measures-pecks and half pecks-that were pur-
posely altered 80 to hold scarcely three
fourths of what they were represented to
measure, and in this case, well as the case
of short-weight butter, 1 fear the law is not
as explicit as it should be- In no case
have these parties any scales. 1 respect
fully suggest that the board might issue an
order that all persons offering butter
potatoes or similar products should have scales
and should sell by weight only. also suggest
that an order directing the examination and
sealing Of all dry measures once year.
as it is the custom Of many other cities
would tend to prevent fraud. As the
rule now is once sealed, they are sealed for all
time, but as these measures last for many
years and are easily made smaller by chang