The evening times., 1896-06-30
COMMISSIONERS STAND
An Appeal In Behalf Of the Children
of the Revolution Was Mnde to Mr..
Ross-Pleu for Patriotic Display.
The Electric Light COnstroyersy
Still Continues.

town, but without visible means Ot exc
cutting contract, since it has no general
underground conduit service, has made q
proposal TO furnish the city with electric.
arc lights at the rate OF $1G0 per lamp.
The bid or the United States Electric
Light Company is higher by about $40
per lamp than the bid OF the competing
company. but the United States Company
officials object to the granting OF Ier-
init to the other or any rival corporation
upon the grounds that the courts and Con-
gress have conferred upon their company
the sole authority to light the streets.
Commissioner Powell was asked today IL
the board had taken action upon the bids,
ana he said it had not. His attention was
called to the difference in the amount Of the
two proposals, but he had nothing to say
concerning the probable decision.
THE HIGHEST OFFER.
sI observe" said the Commissioner,
that the United States Electric Light
ing Company offers to do the work at the
price fixed by Congress, 80 cents per
light" The fact is, Congress has not
liked price. The figures quoted are
simply given as the ma axinium, beyond
which the Commissioners may not 60.
.'u is certainly the duty of the board to
get the lighting don as cheaply as possible.
Major Powell was asked whether or not
the Potomac Company is in position to
accept u contract.
Il do not know anything about that, but
do know that the company has established
big plant, and the officers seem to be
energetic and enterprising gentlemen"
There is no one able to say whether Oh
not the Potomac Company made bid for
the contract with any expectation of Sc
curing IL. but the fact that its officers oh
served all of the forms and that one OF them
was present at the opening OF the pro-
posals would Indicate that they mean busi
ness.
Inc outcome Of this apparent ''tie-up''
will be awaited with interest. since the
difference in the cost OF street lighting
! under the two propositions is Considerable.
1t is predicted that should the Commissioners
ignore the protest, another chapter inr the
legal controversy between them and the
United States company will speedily be
added.
FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS.
The chivalry and patriotism of the Dis
tricL Commissioners were weighed in the
balance today against their sense of duty
to the public, and, to make it the more
interesting, the weighing was done by two
ladies' who represent the National Society
of Children OF the American Revolution,
who called at the District building to
make an appealin in behalf Of Young America
against the enforcementor the order against
exploding fireworks on the streets on hide
pendence day.
Tue appeal was evidently In vain, and
when, at the close of the Interview, they
arose to go, they said, evidently without
hope of a modification OF the order, that all
they could do was to leave the question for
solution to what there is left In the hearts
,Pt i<po Of ha ~ "
The two ladies' who called were Mrs.
Wright Smith and Mrs. T. 81. Alexander.
They represented to the board the great
dcpriyation to the children sure to result
from the enforcement of the order, and
begged in their name for at least medifl-
cation of the order, SO tina the wee folk may
discharge the harmless squibs and small
firecrackers from their own doors.
They said the worst elements would be
as free as others to frequent the designated
reservations. and that naturally they
would predominant. since the parents could
not permit their children to go there with
out protection.
They pointed out. also. the greater liability
| to accidents, by reason of so many being
| cong-egated together in a small place.
THE DANGERS POINTED OUT.
| In response, Commission Ross pointed out
l tile great 10 CsShSto q III pehSAS vi
PENNSYLVANIA avenue, at the june tion with
Seventh street, and at other points of
intersection of rapid transit street rail
ways, from horses becoming frightened and
| said in addition that the rights of the sick
| and the nervous invalids should be re
| spected.
| Numerous complaints had been received
| he said, In past years-so many that the
| Commits iouers Were obliged to take eogni
| zance of them. sla
| II have thought over this matter good
DEAL" said Mr.. Rossarand / can come t
| no other conclusion than that II take
1 firm stand in favor of the enforcement o
| the order the responsibility for accident.
will not be upon me-
| He added that the Commissioners believe
the parents should take enough interest II
their children's enjoyment to take then
some where into the country on the Fourth
in which case the order would work ut
hardship.
'But the cars can never accommodate th'
people, said Mrs. Alexander.
SIT only the order can be modified,
pleaded Mrs. Smith; .if some other mean.
could be provided than corralliug the
children in these limited spaces"
The Commissioners volunteered no sug
gestions, except to protest that the chil
dren would not be restricted, and tina
the revival and enforcement Of this olt
law will secure more sensible and NOR
reasona BILE celebration.
THE POLICE INSTRUCTED.
"But will the police be ordered tt
strictly enforce the law?' queried Mrs
Alexander.
why, madam, the police have been Al
ready notified"
/ oho ~
LAS far as possible. without doubt.
"Mr. Commissioner inquired Mrs. Smith
twill it have any effect if come here te
| morrow with a petition signed by thot
sands of children asking for the repeal Q
| this order?"
Tie Commissioners smiled. but gave tn
ladies to understand that such manifesto
tion of the Bunker Hill spirit would be re
spected. but not obeyed.
tit is so easy to procure signatures t
| IA petition" commented President Ross. Is
read recently of a man who hurriedly signe
| paper Just because it was presented t
him. and was surprised afterward to b
| told thatit was a request for his own exc
ciition."
"oh, but gentlemen. that is doubles
true of man, but this is quite a differen
matter. The children will act more ir
telBgentiy than that"
After making strong presentation O
| their arguments the ladies withdrew, di.
couraged, but not until after they ba
| told the Commissioners that the peopl
of the whole city, with the exception Q
| the three Commissioners. are IN favor @
the restoration of the children's privileges
White Infants Body Found
John DOYLE a labcrer in the employ O
the Baltimore 6 Ohio Railroad. found tn
body OF white infant near Ivy City thi
morning.