The morning times., 1895-12-12

Ministers performing marriage ceremonies
| are left under the responsibility OF ue
terniining the fitness of the candidates for
| wedlock by the terms of a proposed law
| recommended by the District authorities.
| The Commissioners yesterday sent 10
Senator Harris u draft of a bill to amend
sections 100 to 723 of the United States
revised statutes, which relate to marriages
here. They invited his attention to Chief
Justice Bingham's Endorsement recommend
ing the speedy enactment OF the measure ana
adding tnat the present law is defective
in failing to limit the time within which
the minister must make his return and In
| requiring the minister TO appear In person
| and certify the marriage.
The new form licenses the minister 10
soleninize the marriage if he finds no I'M
pediment thereto and requires him to make
| return TO the supreme court clerk s Office III
ten days.
He is not obliged, however, to come In
person to sign the certificate by which ne
makes the return. THIS certliicate Is sent
to him as a coupon attached to the license,
| whereas 1T now is in the record book at
the clerk office. A penalty envelope is also
sent in which To return the coupon. Failure
TO send back this certificate subjects the
minister TO 500 fine. Fitting changes III
the record books are provided for.
TAXES AND PENALTIES RENTED.
The Commissioners have, within the past
| few days, reniitted taxes and penalties in
| arrears to the extent OF nearly two thousand
| dollars. This was in accordance with
| court decision under which only the taxes
| for the current year can be collected when
| a tax sale is made. The largest amount
cancelled recently was S642.44. principal,
and as much more penalty, interest and
| costs in the case of George IL. Boswell.
| A law TO stop this loss has been looked
| over and approved by Assessor Trimbie
and Collector Davis, and is now in the
hands of Attorney Thomas. Its essential
| feature provides that nodeed shall be issued
on tax sales till all taxes appearing on
the books against the property are paid.
| with penalties, interest, and costs, III
| Guiding the taxes for those years for which
the District purchased the property, but
| failed to enforce The liens acquired at the
time of purchase.
The principal change made In the bill
from that approved by the Commissioners
last year is the substitution of the collector
for the Commissioners to list, advertise
and sell property, and give owners notice
of opportunity to redeem. Small errors in
description will not invalidate sale
under the proposed law.
EXTENSION OF F STREET.
The extension of street northeast from
Fifteenth to Bennings road will be con-
sidered by the Commissioners al an early
date. A committee from the Northeast
Citizens Association, consisting Of Chair
man II. II. Martin, W. b. Evans. } B. Agate.
Samuef Sowerbutts, accompanied by Presi-
dent Evan Tucker, called on Major Powell
IN regard to the matter yesterday. He
received their suggestion favorably and
said he was glad to see citizens ready to
cooperate with him in his efforts to
extend and improve the streets instead OF
opposing him. He asked that they sub
mt to him suggestions as TO parks in the
northeast.
Mr.. AIgate, who is chairman of the
northeast committee on parks, said he
would call the members together and after
careful consideration would make re-
port with recommendations.
Major Powell said after the committee
had gone that he thought favorably Of
| extending F street, as they requested.
1t was one of the most important in that
section. one hundred feet wide aud rum
ming directly through Rosedale. The
extension will strike Benning's road at
| the causeway which forms the approach
| to Benning's Bridge. and VIII afford a
shorter and better way to that crossing
| of the Eastern Branch than any existing
| road.
NEW iNTERCEPTING SEWER.
A new intercepting sewer Is soon Ia be
| commenced. running from the intersection
| OF street and Florida avenue to a
point near Twent y-fifth and Water streets.
| with laicralS on NJ and twentv-scvrntiT
streets. II viii divert some OF the sewage
from Rock Creek. II VIII connect tine
sewer commencing on the Rock Creek
Church road with the Potomac.
Appointments as physicians to the poor
made yesterday were as follows: DR..
Charles NJ. Emmons. for three years. from
May /. 1898. rrappointed: on probation
for three months. Drs. F. o. Roman. j. R.
Shands. L. b. Jarvis, ID. q. Lewis, q. W.
Wood. to succeed Drs. Petteys, Clarke.
Deverous. Goodall. and Birdsall.
Authority was granted the Perpetual
Accident Insurance Company of this city
to do business.
The proposals Of A. L. Thompson aud W.
H. Allen & Co. to pay 75 cents a cord
for wood sawed and split and 30 cents n
cord for wood sawed in blocks at the
Municipal Lodging-house were accepted.
These prices cover only the work done.
not the value of the material.