Evening star., 1896-07-22
GAS COMPANY WINS
Attorney Thomas Decides Against a
Requirement Of the Commissioners.
THE PROBLEM is STILL PERPLEXING
Watchmen May Be Required at In
tersecting Street Car Lines.
HEARING FOR BICYCLISTS

The objection of the Washington Gas
Light Company to the specifications Of the
District for street lighting. and especially
that clause which requires the gas COM
pany to have all street lamps lighted by a
certain time in order that the District
only pay for the hours during which all
lamps are lighted. has been passed upon by
the attorney for the District.
He holds, in an opinion rendered to the
Commissioners today, that the requirement
embodied in the specifications Is not in ac-
cordance with the wording of the appro-
priation act, and the same should be
changed.
This means that the gas company has
won its first point with the Commissioners
in the fight for the street lighting contract.
1t will be recalled the gas company refused
to bid on the Districts specifications be-
cause of this requirement, and submitted
specifications of its own upon which II
bid The Commissioners accepted the bid
and notified the company to agree to the
Districts specifications, and the contract
would be signed. To this the company de-
INJURED, and Attorney r. Ross Perry ar
gued the case with the above result.
1t Is now understood the specifications
will be changed, unless, In the meantime,
the attorney for the District should decide
that the Potomac Electric Light and Power
company has right to operate east of
Rock creek for the purpose of public light
ing. In that event it is possible that a con-
tract will be entered into between the Dis
trict and the Potomac company to light the
entire city by incandescent electric lights
and the gas lamps will be removed from
the streets.
Contemplated Regulation.
The Commissioners have under consid-
GRAFTON M
amendment to the police regulations the
object Of which will be to require all in
tersecting street cars propelled by i'm
proved motive power to place a watchman
at such crossings day ard night
A regulation having this object in view
was passed some time ago, but there were
scme technical legal flaws in it, and it was
never enforced.
short time ago at a meeting of the
board of Commissioners Major Powell call
ed this matter to the attention of the
board. He referred to the failure of Presi-
dent Phillips of the Metropolitan railroad
TO submit a brief on the subject which he
had promised to do when his attention was
called to the dangerous crossing at 7th and
3 streets northwest. AT that time the
Commissioners had made up their minds
TO prosecute the Metropolitan railroad for
its failure to obey their regulation.
The president of the Capital Traction
Company had sgnified his willingness to
coihply with lne regulation of the Commits
sloners. AT that time President Phillips
argued that the railroad company had moth
ing TO do with the matter. The public was
supposed to exercise due care in crossing
the tracks. and it was not the business of
railroad to act the part of policemen. who
were paid to look after the interests of the
citizens.
Major Powell said he was ready to proceed
against the railroad. The Commissioners
had Waited long enough. Commissioner
Iruesdell was of the same opinion just
then the attorney for the District Jropped
in and conference upon the subject took
place.
The attorney directed to draft a
suitable regulation covering the matter.
AS stated above, the Commissioners will
pass regulation shortly compelling all in
Iersectlng rapid transit railroads to station
nagmen at such crossings during the day.
and watchmen with lanterns there during
the night.
RenppOfntmcnt and Transfer
The Commissioners today reappointed J.
D. Hird sanitary inspector and practical
chemist of the health department at s.. 500
per annum.
District Veterinarian c. B. Robinson has
been transferred from the fire department
to the health office as Inspector of live
stock and dairy farms at 81, 200 per annum.
A Board Without Funds.
1t looks as If the medical board will be
seriously naHpered IN carrying out the
provisions of the law relating to the prac-
tice Of medicine in the District of Column
bia. The board has no funds with which
to prosecute the work, and the Commits
sioners, TO whom they appealed for assist
ance out Of the emergency fund, have de-
cided that Congress contemplated the sup
port of the board through fees received
from licenses, and they have no power to
use the emergency fund for the purpose.
Dfcyclfsts to BE Heard
The Commissioners will give a hearing to
the bicyclists on Monday next at IL o'clock
with reference to the new Police Regula-
tons governing the movement of bfcycles
Will Ask CIemency of the President
Secretary Herbert still has under con-
sideration the case of Paymaster Edward
B. Webster, recently convicted by court
martial Of financial Irregularities and SEN
fenced to dismissal, but will have it ready
for the action Of the President in a short
time. 1nasmuch as the sentence is dismissal
it requires the action of the President. Had
it been of a less serious character the case
might have been disposed of by the Secre-
tary of the Navy. The friends Of Webster
have decided to appeal to the President for
Gle mency on the ground that the findings
were not justified by the evidence, and will
urge that suspension from rank and duiy
will be sufficient punishment for what is
claimed to be nothing more serious than an
error of justice.