Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-19
DISTRICT AFFAIRS
Commissioners Favor Civil Service
for Local Offices.
REPORT TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE
Regulations Fixing the Legal
Width of Tires.
9TH Err LOCAL NOTES

The Commissioners, in a report upon
| Senate bill 1892, to regulate appointments
and promotions in the municipal govern
ment of the District of Columbia and in
the offices of the recorder of deeds and the
register Of wills, give it their unqualified
approval and recommend it's early enact
ment. This Is the District civil service bill
and was introduced at the request of the
| Commissioners. Their report in full Is as
| follows:
/ This bill has the approval of the United
| States civil service commission. The Dis
| tr1ct Commissioners are deeply impressed
| with the necessity for the legislation pro-
| posed therein. They have in mind some in
| stances in which the BUSH esS of this mu-
| nicirality has suffered in consequence of
| the incapacity of employees who had been
| appt inted without having had their quail
| hcations previously determined by eXami-
| nation under civil service rules. In their
| judgment the offices of the District gov
eminent should be conducted on the prin-
| ciples and in the manner applicable to
| those governing the succes sful conduct of
| other large business interests, and these
! reasons apply in a higher degree to this
| municipality because it's government is
| non-partiSan in character. During the past
! fiscal year the CCmmis sic ners introduced a
| system of competitive examinations for
| clerical, professional and police duties the
| results of which have been of such a salts
| factory CT aracter to confirm them in
! their belief in the efficiency of that system
| The Commissioners have no doubt that
| the reasons which make advisable the eX-
! tension Of the civil service rule to appoint
ments and promotions in the municipal
| government of the District apply with
| equal force to the other offices mentioned
| in the bill. The only one of those offices
| with whose records the District is init
'nateiy concerned is the office of the re-
| corder of deeds. The municipal tax Of
ices depend upon the records Of the re-
| corder of deeds, and the trar script of those
| records which the law REQUIRES the re-
corder OF deeds to furnish them, for proper
| descriptions of the bounds, location and
| ownership OF real property, upon which as
| s"Ssments and descriptions of taxes are
| based, as it is from time to time trans
| 1erred from one owner to another, and t
| IS OF paramount importance to the District
| that the ooDyists and officials who record
and tTanscribe this information should
| possess the highest attainahle qualifications
satished That the enactment of the bill
| would result in the betterment of every
branch of the local government to which
! 1t Is intended to apply"
Adverse Action.
! The Commissioners today recommended
! adverse action upon Senate bill 1853 for the
| relief of John Murphy & Co. This bill has
Tor its object the return of $500 which the
Commissioners retained because of the
| ci
| tract with the District for furnishing
| school books. The money was in the shape
| OF a guarantee deposit. insuring good
| talth on the part of the bidder. Murphy
& Co. claimed after the bids were opened
| that their bid was an error, and that they
| would lose money if held strictly to it,
Later they declined to fulfill the terms Of
the contract and the deposit was forfeited.
| The Commissioners say they believe their
| act wise and judcious and doubt the
| administrative policy of return of the
| guarantee under the circumstances.
| street HALLWAY Laws.
In letter to Chairman Mcmillan of the
| Sei-ate District committee the Commits
| sionecs today say with reference to the
| compilation of the street railway laws of
| the District that they have a collection of
| these laws and with little trouble they
/ could be arranged for the printer. The ex-
! penSe OF the compilation would be con-
| fined, they say, practically to the printing
| and binding Of the volume.
Width of Tires.
! A most important amendment to the no
| lice regulations is Low under consideration
by the Commissioners. 1t is ore which re-
| lates to the width Of tires for vehicles
For many years this has been subject
| OF grave concern on the par; of the street
| department, which has been called upon to
eXrend large sums CT money for the re-
pair of asphalt pavcments. which have
been ruined by narrow tired wheels. The
| Commissioners have convinced themselves
as to their authority under the police reg
ulatiOhs to make such a regulate and
are about to take action.
| The following is the proposed amend
ment: 1t shall be unlawful for any per-
son or persons to transport, haul or con-
Ney, OF cause the same to be done, any
| lead, weight or burden over or through any
Of the public streets, avenues or alleys .tf
the city Of Washington any wagon or
other wheeled vehicle having a tire CT less
than the following widths for the following
loads in ton Weights OF = ON, pounds the
weight of the vehicle included; On four
| Wheeled vehicles, for any load or burden
| exceeding che and one-haif tons weight
| and not exceeding Two and one-half tons
| weight (the weigat of the wagon or other
| four wheeled vehicle includedD, not less
| tran II inches in width. For any load
or burden exceeding two and one-half tons
| weight, and not exceeding six tons weight
| tte weight of the wagon or other four
| wheeled vehicle includedD, not less than
three inches. For any load or burden ex-
CeeflnS six tons weight aid not eXceeiin:.
eight tt MS weight tthe weight OF the wagon
| or other foUr-whaaled vehicle included) nor
less than ) II inches. For any load or
| burden exceeding eight tons weight uhe
| weight OF the wagon CT other four-WhaeI-
ed vehicle in2iudeD, not less than four
| inches On all t;"n-wheeled vehicles used
Tor like purposes the width of the tire
snail be as follows: For any load or bur
|
! cecdinS Two tons weight tN eight of the We
| hcle inclLdetD, not less than three inches
For any load or burden OF two tons weight
! ana over (weisht OF the vehicle includeD
| rot less than four inches
| General Refuse.
| AS stated some time agu in The Star the
| commissioners propose to advertise for
Dads Tor incincratinG the general refuse of
| lhe city Tor II period of four years The
| specifications for the work have been print
| ed ana are ready for distribution They
| divide the proposals into three CLASSES ac-
! cording to a division of the city, under each
| OF which 4 proposal Is invited. Then there
| Is proposal embodying the removal an n
! incarceration of the general refuse of the
| entire city. The specifications call for the
erection Of creinat tories to do the work and
| require that the bidder designate the ,oca-
| ton of such crenlatories
| Inc following paragraph is inserted in
| the proposal by the Commissioners:
| The Commissioners of the District of CO.
| lumbia desire to have the general refuse of
| the District disposed OF by incarceration.
| and will shortly present the matter TO Con-
greSS with q request for an appropriati on
| for that purpose. At the present time, and
| in the absence of any such appropria ton
| they are not authorized to enter into con-
| tract. nor to ohligate themselves in cny
! In,