Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-11
DISTRICT AT AIRS
Who is Responsible for Lighting the Out
skirts of Parks.
Letter From Col. Wilson on the Subject
Today's Orders and Other Mat
tiers of Interest.

miSStonerS and the superintendent OF puphc
buildings and grounds as to who Is re-
sponsible for the lighting of certain lamps in
the city parks. Some days ago the Com
misstoners decided that owing to the state
of their funds they would have to discon-
tinue the responsibility of paying for these
lights after the 18th instant They have
now received the following letter on the
subject from Col. ]. NJ. Wilson, superin-
tendent of public buildings and grounds,
addressed to Col Parker, acting president
of the board:
Sir: have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 8th informing
me that the Commissioners would be OBJ
liged to discontinue the maintenance OF
certain lights after the 18th instant. These
lamps hfty-Six in number, situated on the
outer border Of Lincoln Square, Stanton
Square. Rawlins Square. Judiciary Square,
Iowa Circle. Dupont Circle and the two
triangles on Massachusetts avenue between
10th and 18th streets. were formerly lighted
and paid for by this office. having been
erected during the period when the side
walks around reservations were under the
control of the officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds.
commissioners sent to me a copy of the
opinion of MIR. A. q. Riddle. the attorney
for the District. in reference to the juris-
diction of the Commissioners over the side
walks, from which the following is taken:
A street covers the whole space between
building lines. A sidewalk called a foot
way IN Olu tlmeD is as mucn a part or
the street as a carriageway. Both all from
line to line is the property of the United
States. and is under the exclusive authority
OF the Commissioners.
Based upon this opinion of the District
attorney. this office abandoned the super
vision and repair Of sidewalks around reser-
vations, except SO far as was necessary
In the letter of February IL. 1898 from my
predecessor, Col Ernst. informing you shat
he could no longer maintain the lights men,
TONED or luck nF ,nIS b.
stated as follows:
As these lamps are situated on the boun-
dairy lines OF the reservations mentioned
and serve the purpose of lighting the pub
lie sidewalks around these reservations
there being no lamps on the curb line
have considered 1t proper 10 notify the
commissioners or my action. In case they
desire TO take uD the lamps and order
them nshted hereafter at the expense of
the District"
Congress in its wisdom deemed best to re-
duce. In recent years, the annual appropria-
tion Tor lighting for this Office from sis. 900
but to 81 Ss ana l, Tor the present fiscal year
utive Mansion and public grounds; for gas
pay OF lamp lighters. gas filters and labor
lamp posts; purchase of matches and for
repairs Of all kinds; fuel and lights for Office
once stables watchmen's lodges and for
green houses at the nursery"
The annual cost of fuel for greenhouses
at nursery. watchmen's lodges, stables etc
is about $500. leaving available for light.
ms, ctS., DIS IulCdteu ABOVE, about $l1 700.
AZ present We are maint tanning In the pub
nc parks and in the White House grounds
Sse burners. and while +! would gladly pay
IL is SIMPLY impossible for me to do SO for
lack Of funds
AS before stated these lamps. some Of
which are in the most frequented places
In the city. are. as a rule, mainly FOR the
purpose OF Illuminating thS> sidewalks out
side the parks. and l earnestly hope that
the Commissioners will be able to relight
them at earlv daV Vary Quill
JOHN NJ. WILSON
~ Colonel L. S. A.
eer department and will probably have to
go to the attorney for the District before It
can be finally settled. While the number of
large. 1t opens UP a very pretty Question of
jurisdiction that may take some time to
Public school Estfmates.
The Commissioners have approved the es-
Inmates submitted by Building Inspector
Entwisle for the immediate repair Of the
public school buildings in the seventh and
eighth divisions. The amount to be ex-
gpended is So apportiened as follows:
500: Phillips building. sl5i; Garrison build
Ing. AS; Stephens building, 1882: Briggs
building. siSi; Wormley building. N57; Cook
nett building, Sl3: Jones building. $50:
Slater building. $50: Logan building, S7S;
Lincoln building. s3s5; Ambush building.
Sioo, A<ONeJoy puliulflS, SZUk. Iluulu2S D0llQ-
ing, $3.50; Bowen building. 1892; Randall
building, S22S; Bell building. $l23
TOday's Orders.
The Commissioners have ordered that the
service box on U street. Georgetown. that
water box and manhole at F and sd
streets and the manholes over sewer on U
street. Georgetown. all be adjusted to prop
er grade. They have also directed the
parking commission to remove eight trees
streets.
The Commissioners have also ordered
that water boxes on A street between It'll
grade and that a sewer In Gales street
between 10th and 18th streets northeast
be added to the provisional list of sewers
suburban sewers. And also:
That John Krause, Kennedy VI. Schafer
B. A. Soper. W. ]. Work and Daniel Shea
each be registered and licensed as a master
plumber and gas filter after filing proper
bonds
That United States reservation No. 2S4
be Curbed when funds are available.
That the b. and o. Railroad Company
be directed TO lower its siding across NJ
street northeast. near the intersection Of
Licenses Granted and Rejected.
The meeting of the excise board was held
today at noon instead Of at 2 o'clock. the
usual hour Commissioners Parker and
Powell were present. Mr.. Ross Is still out
of town. There was a fair attendance of
interested parties and a number of applica-
tons were taken up and disposed Of. The
following applications for liquor licenses
were granted: Gilbert Winter, llO9 18th
street; Staples & Merrick, 1911 E street; Jas
F. Corners 343 Pennsylvania avenue; RAY &
Craig. wholesale, 3249 NJ street: Charles Vol
ly. 2403 l street.
Applications were rejected as follows:
Joseph Kluh, 1911 King street northeast:
Martin Mulroe. 400 18th street; Michael
OConnor, 2101 X street; Clarence X. Jett
wholesale. 9lt 18th street; Ann V. Nally
wholesale, 1925 18th street southwest: Thos
j.. Daily, wholesale 1851 4th street; Edward
Eugene V. Chelini, Wholesale LIST and d
streets southeast.
Garbage Complaints.
The health department has prepared
summary of the reports made by Inspector
Howe since he began work in ascertaintng
what proportion of the complaints receiy-
ed at the health Office against the garbage
service is well founded. OF 372 complaints
investigated by Mr.. Howe from July 10 to
August I. he found in 269 cases the cor
tractor was at fault, in siXty-one cases the
parties complaining were not warranted in
their assertions against the collectors ami
forty-two cases were doubtful.
An Unexpected Inspection,
Commissioners Parker and Powell made
an inspection of the reduction plant of
the National Sanitary Company yester-
day afternoon. They drove to the foot Of
South Capitol street, where the plant is
located, without having announced their
intended visit. They made a very thorough
examination of the place and ali its meth
DDS, the first that has been made by them
since the plant was put in operation. Both