Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-26
DISTRICT AFT AIRS
Probable Darkness for the Streets of Ten
leytown.
Electric Light Contract Said to ID
Unlavful-Other District Notes
Of General Interest.

1SulSytOWH Will SnOrtly De deprived OF
its electric light and remain in darkness
way to help it out of the difficulty.
At the present time the village is lighted
by incandescent electric lights. There are
seventy Of them. and they have been the
pride Of that section. But it appears their
maintenance Isl unlawful, that the contract
between the Commissioners and the Poto-
mac Light and Power Company is illegal
This being the case, it is understood the
contract will be Cancelled, and its cancella-
tion means darkness for Tenleytown, he
cause the oil lamps heretofore used to light
up that section have all been removed and
are doing service elsewhere. This condition
of affairs, 1t is claimed, is another of the
results of Judge Bingham's decision. The
contract with the Potomac Light and Pow
er Company was executed December Is.
1895. The company. however, received COM
pensation from December 9th to the 31st
on the first voucher, $685. being paid. For
month of February 500 was handed over.
Whether the District will try and recover
any of this amount is not known.
The subject is considered an important
one, and the Commissioners are carefully
considering the matter.
Public Nuisances.
A movement will shortly he instituted by
vate lots to abate nuisances In the shape
tie and spread its noxious odors. 1t is Tn
derstood that prosecutions will follow
where such cases are found under the laws
relating to the abatement of nuisances.
NOn-Paymcnt of Taxes.
The Commissioners have referred to the
attorney for the District House bill 67S5,
providing for the sale Of real estate for the
non-rayment of taxes. The assessor for
the District has already made an unfavor-
able report upon the BILL and it is believed
that the Commissioners will recommend
adverse action thereon.
Police Magistrntes.
House bill 6997, which has for it's object
the appointment of five police magistrates,
will, in all probability, receive unfavorable
cons: Iteration at the hands of the Commits
S,onerS.
The bill is now under consideration but
no report will be made until the reports of
the judges OF the Police Court nave been
received. The bill contains provisions
which are believed to be unconstitutional,
and the reports of the judges of the Police
Court will be unfavorable.
Naming Streets.
In letter to a citizen today concern
ing the naming of streets outside of the
city of Washington, the Commissioners say
streets of the highway extension plan out
side the city. and do not expect to until
alter the highway extension plans are con-
ffrmed by the courts.
Revising the Plat Books.
Owing to TIE complicated condition of
the plat books of the city, it has been found
necessary to appoint committee, consist
Ing of the surveyor assessor and attorney
for the District, tc revise them.
nj a n int cd n
in The Star some time ago, when the au-
thorities were confronted by an opinion
frc m one of the local courts, which threat
ened the revenues of the District from the
Tx on real estate quite seriously. Numer-
Gus lots were found with duplicate num-
bers, and it naturally followed, when de-
scriptions of these lots were printed in the
delinquent tax lists, that the taxes accru-
ing AGAR st them could not be collected.
Several decisions have recently been made
in the courts annulling an assessment be-
cause of improper description.
Today, predicted in The Star, the
Commissioners set about Fighting the evil
by appointing a committee to consider the
matter and submit to the Commissioners
a plan to revise and change the numbers
and letters designating lots in all the
sgt ares of ground in the District wherever
necessary. so that no two lots or subdi-
visions of original lots in any square Of
ground shall be designated by the same
number or by the same letter of the alpha
bet, ard so that each lot or fractional part
of a lot shall have a separate and dis
tiEct number Or designation.
ArpOint ted Cook.
Annie Wood has been appointed cook
al the Washington Asylum.
HettinE on Races.
The Commissioners gave hearing this
afternoon to Mr.. Wilbur F. Crafts. who de-
sired to present the views of the opposi-
ton to Senate bill 1886. relating to racing
in the District of Columbia He claimed
that the approval of the bill by the Con-
missioners and the congressional commit
tees was due to deception. Under the bill
drawn gambling could be carried on.
The bill was dangerous in many respects.
1t was pointed out by Mr.. Crafts that The
New York plan of gambling could be car
RED on under the provisions of the bill. If
the advocates of the bill dad not desire to
have gambling, why did they not aflix a
section to the bill providing that the penal
ties contained in the present bill should be
construed as additional to those already
provided He read extracts from The Star
concerning the New York method of bet
ting, and the interview had with the Dis
trict attorney. The Commissioners prom
iSed 10 take the matter under consideration
State Claims.
Senator Hoar has introduced bill giving
to any state having claim for expenses in