Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-24
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT
Commissioner Threaten to Proceed Against
Railroa
For Not Obeyin9 an Order-Biu to
Extend the Plan of the
City DfsapprOved.

A bill is in preparation by the Commis-
sioners to establish harbor regulations for
the District of Columbia The experience
of several days ago, when thousands of fish
were thrown into the river. first called this
matter to the attention Of the authorities.
Several tons of dead fish have been re-
moved by the harbor master and his crew,
and now it is desired to prevent this in the
future by passing such stringent regula-
TORS that 1t viii be misdemeapor to re-
sort to such practices. Then again the
watermelon season is coming on and
the throwing of rotten fruit and dump
irgs has polluted the river very much in
the past. The regulations are intended to
cover the subject of garbage. and any one
who throws or allows to be thrown any
garbage into the river will be severely dealt
with.
Adjusting Their Tracks.
. President Phillips of the Metropolitan
Railroad Company, accompanied by Attor-
neys Worthington and Wilson, had secret
conference with the Commissioners this
morning upon the subject of adjusting the
tracks of the company to permit of it en-
tering the union depot in Georgetown.
Ask for Exemption.
The Commissioners have recommended an
an endment to the law restricting the own
ership Of real estate in the territories to
American citizens by exempting the Dis
crescent law upon the statute books, so
far as the District IS concerned, requires re-
peated applications to Congress for relief
under 1t.
Pipe Lines.
Concerning Senate bill 277s. authorizing
the Commissioners to grant permits to lay
pipe lines for commercial purposes, the lat
ter today made their report upon the bill.
They say that pipe lines to be authorized
should be limited to pipes for the transport
tation Of petroleum and its products, and
that reasonable compensation should be
made to the public for use of public spaces
for private purposes, especially where ex-
cavations are required in the streets.
These amendments are added TO the bill.
Columbia Subway Company.
Adverse action has been recommended by
the Commissioners upon the bill to in
corporate the Columbia Subway Company.
In their opinion, they say, the public in
terest will be better served by granting
the franchise of building and operating a
general subway for wires to highest
sponsible bidder. and If Congress does not
deem this judicious, a subway bill con-
trolled by the District is recommended.
Adverse Action.
Adverse action has been recommended by
the Commissioners upon House bill $500,
providing for the extension of the present
plan of the city of Washington. In their
The requirement named in the BILL obi
eating the District to grade, gravel and
gutter streets which may be dedicated to
the public, although such streets are to
connect with existing streets, would prob
ably, in many cases, call for such improve
ment in advance of its public need, and
render the District responsible for injuries
sustained from lack of subsequent mainten-
ance of the improvement.
The requirement that all streets should
conform to the city of Washington is al
ready secured by existing law.
The requirement that the work on the
improvements named shall be commenced
as soon as the land has been dedicated,
would be imperative in the absence Of an
appropriation for the purpose"
An Order Not Observed.
Unless the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company complies with the order of the
Commissioners relative to the Improvement
of the crossings at E and G streets north
east. it will be proceeded against for main
tanning a nuisance. 1t appears that sew
eral weeks ago the Commissioners issued
an order directing the railroad company
to plank those crossings. This order. how
ever, was never obeyed, and the matter has
been brought to the attention of the Com
missioners, with the request that action he
taken against the. company to compel OBJ
servance of the order. The law which
Seems applicable TO the case provides that
the space between the tracks Of any rail
road company and two feet adjacent to
the outer rails thereof shall be paved in
like manner as the street. So 1t would
seem that the order could not be based
upon this provision of law, as the remain
Ger of the street is not planked. but If Il
appears that those crossings are in such
condition as to be dangerous to the public
or an obstruction in any manner to traffic
ever the same, the company can be pro-
ceeded against for maintaining a nuisance,
and this will probably be the action of the
Commissioners unless the railroad COM
many complieS with the order