The Washington times., 1894-08-18
CONCERNS OF THE DISTRICT
President Advised to Approve the
Great Falls Electric Railway Bill.
THE NEW ASSESSORS QUALIFY
They Will Occupy Rooms at No. 223 First
street-Attorney to Decide Upon Barber
and Ross Application for siding-Award
Of Contracts for District Supplies.

The Commissioners yesterday advised the
President of their approval OF, and recon-
mended favorable action upon H. R. 6777
ITO amend an act entitled AN act to incorpo
| rate the Washington and Great Falls Electric
Railway" which was referred to them FOL
their opinion.
The Commissioners say the bill is not en-.
! tirely satisfactory, but the Objectionable pro
visions do not in their judgment so urgently
require modification as to justify a recon.
mendation for the disapproyai OF the bill, in
view of the general importance of the meas.
ure and OF the probability that the necessary
remedial legislation can be readily obtained
The Objectionable features are of minor
consequence. being merely defects that have
crept in that will be easily corrected.
Among the orders promulgated yesterday
was the following:
THAT James A. Bates, Samuel G. 7. Nor
sell, and J. Harrison johnson are hereby ap-
pointed members OF the permanent board OF
assistant assessors, under the provisions oi
the act to To provide an immediate revision
and equalization of real estate values in the
District of Columbia; also to provide an as
sessment of real estate in said District in the
year 1896, and every third year thereafter.
and for other purposes approved August IA,
1894: appointments to take effect when ap-
pointees shall have qualified according TO
law"
An official copy of this order was furnished
to Assessor Trimble. President Ross said to
TINES reporter that in all probability the
new board would qualify to-day and enter at
once upon their duties.
The new board will occupy rooms for the
transaction of its official business at No. 223
First street, opposite the District Building,
the consideration of exise business occupying
attention on Tuesday and Friday OF each
week.
APPLIES FOR SIDING.
The application of Barber & Ross, filed
several days ago. for permission to cross
Ninth street between X and L streets north
east with a railroad siding was referred by
the Commissioners to the engineer depart
ment and was in turn referred 10 General
Inspector Z. Y. Beggs, whose report is on
file. The inspector says:
ITO construct railroad siding such as is
shown In the blue print necessitates consider
alton of two important questions respecting
the statutory powers of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, the assumed source
of the application, having direct reference to
the construction of lateral tracks or sidings
within the city limits: first, whether the said
railroad company has the right to construct
lateral tracks or sidings from their main stem
within the city. and in so doing cross street;
second. whether the authority to permit the
exercise of such right is vested in the Com
mitsioners of the District of Columbia, or re-
quires special legislation by Congress.
"A careful review of the legislation gov
erning this road together with the opinions
Of the attorney, TO which l have had access,
and the decisions of the courts quoted therein,
leads to the belief that the affirmative OF both
these propositions is capable of being main
tanned.
ut is said that this Is not true with refer
ence to the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad,
but that the title TO the street being in the
United States, the right to use them for any
other than the ordinary use should proceed
from Congress, the reason assigned being the
act OF Congress admitting the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad INTO the city more specifi-
cally and minutely defined the route which
they should pursue, and therefore they do not
possess the right to depart from it.
The act of Congress admitting the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad into the city appears
to give that company greater scope of author
ity than does the act of 1870 admitting the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad. BY that
act the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is ad-
mitted with all the rights and privileges pos
sessed by it under its charter or act OF incor-
poration as passed by the legislature of Mary
land February is, 1927, its powers and priv
ileges being defined"
REFERENCE TO THE ATTORNEY.
Inspector Beggs recommends a reference OF
the question to the attorney for the District
for an opinion upon the points which the
question may present. Commissioner Pow
ell is of the opinion that the application
should be disallowed upon the grounds that
/. 4.
nit the applicants 10 lay railroad track
across street or any other public space"
j. W. Boteler, Of 923 Pennsylvania avenue.
returns to the Commissioners certain bills
presented to him for expense of paving alleys
and sidewalks OF lots IN square 237 and 274.
Mr. Boteer thinks it is hardship that he
has to pay for the work since it was done
without notice to him. and besides he had
previously paid for the sidewalks and curb
ing. and he regards the bills presented as
duplicate charges.
He is informed that the Court of Appeals
has decided that the bill for compulsory paw
ing is illegal, and asks tn at the matter be in
vestigated.
The Commissioners we're at the Capitol
yesterday afternoon from 5 o'clock until 4 to
discuss with the District Committee the
prospects for District legislation at the present
session. Commissioner Truesdell said upon
mis- return that they got but little encourage
ment
Awards of contracts for furnishing sup
plies to the District for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1895. have been approved as to the
following firms: Mitchell d Reed. Robert
Leitch & Sons. ". A. Pate, ". H. Butler
Mackail Bros q Flemmer, George F. Muth 4
Co., the Standard Oil Company, ard F. P.
May q Co.
Orders were issued yesterday as follows:
The resignation of F. T. Thurston. observer
and computer in the sewer division. is hereby
accepted, to take effect on the 18th instant,
and Lamar Cobb, rodman in same department,
was appointed vice Thurston. at the salary
rate of "a per diem. II. C. Hurd. chairman,
was appointed rodman. An allotment from
the appropriation for permit work In sewer
department for the year ending June 80, 1895,
was approved for use in present qnarter.
Amount allowed is $4,000.
UNsANITARy CONDITION OF AN ALLEY.
Edward l.. Jordan and others call the
attention of the Commissioners to the un-
sanitary condition of the alley in rear OF
houses on south side of Il street northwest,
! between Fourth and Fifth streets.
The commissioners uara co huav Th,,~,