Evening star., 1896-03-25
DISTRICT AT AIRS.
Commissioners. Plan for Q Higher
Liquor Niosnse Fee.
'nBY PROPOSE NhGE 1eohpsoMnE
The Bill Regulating Weights and
Measures h the District.
OTHER LoeAL. NOTES

The Commissioners will recommend short
ly an increase in the fees charged for the
sale of liquor. In bill which Is now be-
ing prepared, the license fee for a retail
liquor license will be fixed at $500, while
for wholesale license 500 will be charged
This bill is c2mpronaise for the one
recently proposed by the excise board. It,
however, placed the retail license fee at
$500 and the wholesale fee at $500. They
were convinced that such an increase
would greatly benefit the city, and wipe
cut number of small saloons which were
unnecessary, and confine the business to a
reputable set of men. After looking into
the subject carefully, however, the Com
missioners decided that the time had not
come for such large increase, and agreed
upon the compromise, as stated above.
Even this reduction from the figures of
the excise board Is not satisfactory to the
liquor men, who declare they will fight
such legislation. They claim an increase of
the license tax will create a number Of
disrepute.
Telephone War.
Representatives of the Columbia Tele
phone Company appeared before the Com
mss.oners this afternoon to reply to GER
tain allegations made by the Home tele-
phone representatives concerning them.
The Commissioners stated it was unneces-
sary TO near them further. They had al
ready agreed to make an adverse report
upon the amended bill of the Home Tele-
phone Company.
Excise Board.
The excise board today acted upon the
following applications for liquor Licenses:
Retail approved-James Shea, 332 Penn
sylvenia avenue northwest; Jno. A. Rup-
pert 100 street northwest; Jas. d. O'Con-
nor. 1217 E street northwest; VIM. II.
Brown, PIG 9th street northwest; Edward
V. Rice, 140 B street southeast; Laurence
Hickey. 800 Pennsylvania avenue north
west; VIM. Ryan, 221 Sd street southwest.
Gravity Road Plan.
The advocates of House bill 51G6, which
mas for Its object the granting of a charter
to the Mount Pleasant and Zoo Gravity
railroad, had a hearing before the COM
missioners this morning. The projectors
of the bill were represented by Maj. A D.
Anderson, who argued that the road was a
public necessity. Between 10000 and
10000 people visited the Zoo every Sunday,
and 1t was third Of a mile from Rock
creek to the buildings. He showed a map
OF New York. and pointed out the number
OF railroads that went to Central Park. If
the road were chartered, handsome cafe
would be built near the buildings, which
would be great public convenience. Such
establishments were provided in all the
large parks of the country. A surface road
to the Zoo was impossible in view of the
topography Of the country.
Mr.. James W. Somerville of the Mount
Pleasant Citizens Association said he was
in favor Of the road. because he believed
1t was a good thing for that ecuon. The
hills of the Zoo were difficult to climb, and
1t was necessary that some means of
transportation be provided. The railroad
committee of his association had approved
the bill
A Of ~ .I,o
gravity scheme explained to the Commits
sioners. There was to be a fall of twenty
feet at each end, and the cars were to be
run by gravity A gooa feature of the road
was the fact that 'thTe would be no grade
crossings.
Regulating Weights and Meaxures.
The Commissioners have amended the
bill regulating weights and measures in the
District of Columbia by adding penalty
clause Today they sent the bill to Con-
gress, together with letter from the seal
er OF weights and measures, concerning the
necessity of the legislation sought for the
following reasons:
I. Because If all measures purporting to
hold. the. same. quantity We're of equal
shape, deceptions as to size would be easier
detected. and they could be tested by rule
and measure, instead Of the inconvenient
way now necessary, by pouring grain from
one measure to another.
because 1t is now a common thing for
a sharp dealer to have a long measure OF
small caliber. which allows the putting
of one large potato on the bottom in the
middle and building others upon it, and
thus deceiving the purchaser; and, again,
in all fruits and vegetables sold by meas
ure. much smaller quantity will round
UP small and then a larger one
3. Because 1t is only Just and fair that
all dealers should be on an equal footing,
and that this fairness would be promoted
by all using measures of the same shane
as Well as the same size
Continuing. the letter says:
Il beg leave to recommend that the
wholesale weight of a bushel of potatoes be
made sixty pounds, but the retail weight be
fully equalized by the amount of dirt shoy-
eled up when putting potatoes in sacks for
wholesale delivery and the care taken when
preparing them for sale by RETAIL Also.
because by wholesale one down weight is;
given, but by retail eight or sixteen down
weights are given. Also, because fifty-six
pounds divides up into eighths and six
teenths with less fractions than sixty
pounds does; and because there are now in
use in the District several hundred "po-
tato scales that only weigh fourteen
pounds, seven pounds and three and one
half pounds.
will more certainly regulate the sale of
berries in boxes or baskets. Imitation
quart boxes are in common use purportfng
to hold quart but really holding one-third
1888 lildI d utdit. IHcSe are uSeQ DS many
persons, who excuse themselves by claim
ing they sell by the box and never guaran-
teed the boxes held quart"
4 Refusal.
The Commissioners have refused to re-
open the case of ex-Policeman Michael F.
Colbert. who was fined for profanity some
time ago in the Police Court and afterward
dismissed from the force.
Adverse Action.
Adverse action is recommended by the
Commissioners upon House bill 67SS to ap-
propriate s51 ,6S6 to be paid the Prospect
Hill cemetery fogi lands condemned The
Commissioners say the amount Is excessive
and the manner Of payment is in viola ton
Of the organic act. r..
Permit Granted.
A permit was granted by the Commis-
soners late yeste1 day afternoon to the
Maryland and Washington Railway Com
pany to lay its tracks on a temporary grade
connecting the permanent grade at the
Baltimore ard Ohio crossing with the pres
ent grade of the lexington and Soldiers
Home railroad, provided it first places On
record a dedication of Rhode Island avenue
between 4th street northeast and the Met.
ropolitan branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio.
Do Not Approve.
Adverse action was recommended by the
Commissioners upon House bill GIG, b
regulate the employment of labor on public