The morning times., 1896-01-24
CROSSINGS
Board of Trade Committee Calls
on the Comm. .ssioners.
LICENSES OF PLUMBERS
workmcn Resent the PrOpo-
sition Tint They He Re-exa mined
for Renewal of Their Certificates
South Washington Citizens Are Urg-
ing Various Public improvements.

A delegation from the board uf trade com
mittee on railroads had u protracted pri-
vsite inte1view with The Commiss :oners yes
terday afternoon 10 discuss practicable
methods for The abatement OF the grade
crossings, and to agree, II possible, upon
the proper legislation 10 recommend To Con-
gress.
A bill that had been introduced in the
Fifty-Second Congress was considered, and
this the committee had recommended favor
ably with certain amendments, but it was
finally concluded that the Commissioners
shall formulate Il measure to meet the re-
quirements and that as soon as completed
a further conference shoaid be had To pro-
vide for The cooperation OF the board OF
trade in any effort TO secure The adoption
OF the bill.
Ii was not known at the time the consul
tation was being held that bill had been
Just introduced in Congress To cover the
case. 1t is probable that there will be an
Endorsement OF that bill by both the Beard
OF Commissioners and the board oftrade.
The committee consisted OF C. u. Church,
w. j. Frizzcli, T. A. Lambert and Frank
Hume.
PLEA OF THE PLUMBERS.
The piumbers are decidedly opposed 10
The proposition, as made by the plumbing
board, for The REORGANIZATION of ma ster
worKnien a condition 10 the renewal of
their LICENSES, and yesterday afternoon u
dciegatin Of The Master Plumbers Asso-
citation called on the Commissioners 10 ask
them Ia W itllhoid their approval of the sug
gestion.
There were present of the committee
Mcssrs. +. j. Hannen, R. A. Drcchler,
Charles F.. Barrick, John Gaghan, ard X.
B. Caverly.
- The interview was quite brief. Mr.. Han
men, who was spokesman for the party,
said they had called to enter a protest
Igainst the proposition and 10 request the
board 10 d.sapprove of it. He did not re-
gard it as necessary To sa more, and would
not consume the time of the Commissioners
with a protracted discussion.
Later the individual members of the dele
CATION each expressed a decided opposi-
tion. They contend that il a master
plumber is qualified to carry on the busi-
ness for a period of three years, for which
he regularly obtained license, he is
equally well II not better equipped for
the succeeding three years, and there is
no good reason for requiring him 10 again
appear before the board.
His work should be the criterion. they
say. and IL n man is detected as incompetent
or unworthy, the proper way to dispose OF
him is to revoke his license.
The Commissioners promised to carefully
consider the protest.
JAMES CREEK CANAL.
A committee of South Washington citi-
zens. representing the most prominent COM
niittees OF the aSsOoia ton of that section
had an audience yesterday with the Com
iaissioners to 0isonss the various topics in
which South Washington is directly inter
ested, including the James Creek Canal nui-
sance, the lack of street Improvements. and
the unlawful deposits of refuse in the neigh
borhood.
the argument against the James Creek
Canal presented by Mr.. Edwards, were TO
Tie effect that its constantly exposed con-
ditioI isdetriniental is to health, tina values are
deprecated as evidenced by The large num-
ber of vacant houses in that vicinity, also
thai asst is not properly surrounded by safe-
guards it is menace 10 public safety as
shown by the police records.
1t was asked that steps be taken at once
to have the danger removed by arching the
canal or otherwise.
Inefficient street railway service was
also discussed, and 1t was stated that the
cross-town road runs its cars about fif-
teen minutes apart.
The stencil from deposits OF refuse on
the wharf was complained of and Mr.. NJ.
j. Brown attributed good deal of the
sickness in that locality to that cause. He
said If tire commissioners desired official
of this nuisance they could
obtain it OF prs. Richardson and Mitchell,
physicians to the poor.
Tie grievances of the association will
be reduced TO writing and submitted at a
later hearing. There were present Messrs.
Charles Schafer, NJ. j. Brown. Attorney
Prentiss, Il. Leonard, J. p. Edwards, W.
W. Hall, jr., NJ Fitzgerald, E. C. GatcheIl,
Fred Litchfield, j. B. Prout, A. Oehman
James Horan, James Martin, W. A. Rich
ards, Rev. Mr.. Dent, K. j. Collins and
Thomas Martin.
OTHER DISTRICT TOPICS.
Secretary Br,ciswell of Columbia Typo
graphical Union has been notified that the Z
the union on Tues day next at IL O'clock
The conference is 10 be held to give op-
TO the local fraternity to make
an argument in favor OF having the District
printing all done in Washington.
The resignation of William F. Benson
as an additional private of the police force
was accepted by The Commissioners yester-
day. ~
Steam engineers licenses were ordered
10 be issued 10 John W. Torney. ir., second
class, and1A.s c. Walden, third class.
Joseph Bohm, jr., obtained permit yes
erday for the construction OF brick
dwelling house at No. 231S Eighteenth
street extended, the structure to cost $s,-
500.
Misfit Clothing Parlors closed all day.
SPOKE FOR THE UNIVERSITY.