The Washington times., 1894-07-22
CONCERNS OF THB DISTRICT.
Policy of the Commissioners Regarding
New Sidewaiks-Street Railways Not
Paying License Taxes.

New sidewaiks-Strcct Railways Not
Paying License Taxes.
Charles s. Robbins put in q bill OF S2oA
against the District last June for injuries done
to his horse and buggy by being run into by .
patrol wagon driven by william Dyer. on
North Capitol street near II. Chief Inspector
Beggs investigated the case and told the Com
missioners that $50 would fully cover the
damages. His report was accepted and the
money will be given Robbins.
Senate bill 2210 which provides for the re-
pair Of the piers OF the Aqueduct bridge has
been sent back to Congress by tho Commis-
sioners with favorable commentator. They
relterate their views recently sent to Congress
as to the use Of the bridge for street railroad
purposes, and recommend the expenditure
Of S51 ,070 on repairs to the piers.
Senator Harris, chairman Of the Senate
District Committee, has been informed by the
Commissioners that Senate bill 1897 to lay and
repair sidewalks in the District need not now
be enacted into law. They say that Senate
amendment to the District appropriation bill
for establishing system Of assessment and
permit work, which includes the improve
ment and repair Of sidewalks. BY its terms
leaves the determination of the form and ma
terial OF the sidewalks to tho Commissioners.
1t is their policy. thsy say, to require first
class sidewalks along paved streets and in
front of improved property, to encourage
their use elsewhere and not repair old brick
sidewalks in improved localities.
The report Of the Commissioners on the ex-
tension OF the Columbia railroad was yester-
day sent to Congress. They recommend that
the Badensburg road be widened twelve feet
at the expense Of the company before the rail-
way is constructed, and also that Bennings
road shall be widened to fifty feet at the ex-
pense OF the company. 1t is also required
that the trestle works intended to cross over
the Baltimore and Ohio tracks shall be con-
structed in accordance with plans approved
by the Commissioners.
George W. Cochran was not aware when he
bought furniture for the hotel at the corner of
Fourteenth and h streets northwest that
there was personal tax Of S165 due on the
same. He asked the Commissioners to re-
NIT the tax, and the matter was referred to
the attorney for the District. That official
yesterday rendered an opinion that the fur
nlture was not liable for personal taxes, and
that the tax against him should be cancelled.
The Commissioners intend to find out
through the attorney for the District il they
have any power to compel the lexington and
and Soldiers Home railroad company to run
Its cars in obedience TO their order of July 3,
1894. They requested the company to run a
five minute schedule between SIS and 8. 45 a.
m. westward when the cars are crowded. r.
G. Hovens evidently was on the lookout to
see how mucn respect the road would pay to
the request. He addressed the Commissioners
the following communication on the 10th
inst:
Il note with regret that the lexington
road does not heed your public re-
quest for five minute schedule between
and a. m. i timed it two mornings last
week and found it eighteen minutes between
cars, as usual between s. Is and S.45 o'clock,
and ten to twenty persons are standing every
morning, both on the trolley and horse lines
of that road. 1t was because the manage
ment is SO oblivious to public comfort that
new road on L and NJ streets was authorized
A new road, owned by a new company would
be very welcome. We know the Commits
sioners largely own this road-at least this is
current comment. We trust that it will not
be inevitable to infer that the road owns the
r. r. Eliot has resigned his position as one
OF the commissioners of the District phar-
macy board. No appointment to fill the va
cancy has been made by the Commissioners
Mrs. q. Z. Moore has complained to the
Commissioners of the foul odors arising from
a creek which runs into an open sewer near
her home, No. POLL Second street northwest.
Assessor Trimble has called the attention Of
the Commissioners to the failure of tho yari- |
GUS street railroads that use horses as a mo-
tive power to pay the license tax on each car
with two or three exceptions have not been |
paid since 1876. On the 25th Of July last the |
various companies were notified, and on the |
22d of August following" He states that no |
payment has as yet been made by any of the |
and the annual tax is due.
Building permits were granted yesterday as |
follows:
John Rochen, to erect No. 919 Fourteenth |
street northwest. $4,000. J. H. Merriweather. |
TO improve the Fifteenth Street PRESBYTERIAN |
Church, between l and X streets northwest,
s12, 900. Mary Condor. to repair No. 1903 |
b street northwest, $500. Firemens |
Insurance Company, to repair No. 1904 |
Fourth stree: northwest, 5000 Rev. Father
Dougherty. to make interior repairs to St.
stephens Church, corner OF Twenty-ffth
street and Pennsylvania avenue.
EngineerCommissione Powell is getting
plans for union passenger station for street |
which he proposes to locate near
he Center market. 1t will be similar to tho
'ne it is proposed to place near the Aqueduct |
bridge.
A formal record of the removal Of Thomas
3. Riley, lumber inspector, was made yester-
lay by the Commissioners at the request of
II. Ballard, who succeeded Riley The last
named had refused to relinGuish his claim to
he Office in favor of Ballard. Ballard is
lbout to institute court proceedings to mako
Riley desist from taking fees.
c. G. Oliver, of Riggs & Co., has written a
etter to the Commissioners concerning tax
certificates on lot IA, square so. in which he
axes exception to the words ''tax sales not
included. which he claims mystifies eyery-
hing. He claims that the certificate should
ell the whole truth, and distinctly state
ther that the taxes are due or are not due
so