The morning times., 1896-03-19
Dynamite May Be Hauled in
Wagons Over the Street.
LIABILITY TO ACCIDENTS
Careless Drivers May Iniperil Life
and Property without Penalty
Measure TO Provide Flngs for School
Buildings Approved by Commits
sioners-Sunday BnI considered.

a way OF "A team attached 10 wagon
loaaed with dynamite, was the subject
OF an inquiry at the District Building
yesterday as 10 which particular secuon
OF tie District ordinances or regulations
had been violated by the transportation
OF such explosives through the streets,
and il was found that there was no pro-
vision in law TO prevent or control such
dangerous experiments.
The only provision applying 10 the
handling OF explosives is in the police
regulations, which have just undergone
elaborate revision and have been repro
duced in pamphlet form ut considerable
expense, for distribution among the peo-
pie.
section or article 9 OF Tie regulations
reads as follows:
mo fireworks or explosives of any
kind whatever shall be manufactured,
stored, kept or used within the limits
or the District OF Columbia without
license previously obtained from the
major of police under direction OF the
Commi sioners except in connection
with public works under the direction OF
the officer in charge thereof"
In Webb's Digest, compiled before
dynamite came into use, there is
similar provision against manufacturing,
storing and using gunpo WIDER, but that
regulation, strangely enough, failed TO
prohibit its transportation in wagons
or other coDveyaDces through the public
I streets.
NO LAW TO PREVEN T.
So far as can be asccrtaipcd, there is
no law TO prevent The passing OF explos-
cfx- tl,a
10 the other, for example, and any reckless
driver. perhaps one ignorant OF his load,
is hablc at any time 10 impenl life and
property.
The Georgetown incident is not without
precedent, either, and the wonder is that
an ordinance hasnot been adopted 10 cover
the case. Several years ago, Mr.. E. c.
Dean, now decea ased, arose one morning to
discover a horse and wagon on his lawn.
| The wagon proved 10 have been partly
wrecked and the horse had been brought to
standstin by some obstacle in the way.
Investigation also disclosed that the con-
! tents OF the wagon had becn huge sticks of
| dynamite. more than five hundred pieces
! being afterwards picked up about the lawn
/ and along the route the horse had taken.
The driver of the animal had stopped at a
waysde bar to get drink, leaving his
horse standing on the street unhitched.
| The animal ran away and was not found
until the following morning when he was
discovered on Mr. Deans lawn.
The Commissioners have returned TO Sen
ator Mcmillan a copy OF Senate bin 1871,
making appropriations to furnish flags
for the school houses of the District" with
their favorable Endorsement and notice
| OF approval by the board OF school trustees
MODIFIED REST BILL.
The new Sunday rest bill was discussed
Yesterday before the Commissioners by
| Rev John II. Elliott d. D., and Rev. Will
bur F. Crafts. Its measure considerably
modified, as compared with the one the
| Commissioners disa pprovcd, and is said 10
be more liberal than the Wellington bill
1t provides in substance that it shall not
be lawful for any person to keep open any
| place for business purposes during Sunday,
excepting apothecaries for the dispensing
OF medicines. undertaking establishments
for the care of the dead, or others for the
| purposes of charity or necessity. 1t also
prohibits public playing of football or base
ball. or any other kind of sports, pastimes
or diversions, disturbing the peace and
quiet Of the day.
Building operations and work OF construc
ton upon railroads are also prohibited.
The gentlemen advocating the measuree ex'
planned that it is almost identical with the
law originally adopted in 1864 by the old
corporation, and they argued only for The
restoration OF what was once the law, but
which was lost, they said, through Il
clerical blundcr.
The tendency" Dr., Elliott said, lis
to greater laxity in the observance of Sun
day laws. 1t is best TO arrest this ten
dency, rather than TO permit it to grow
strong and become more widespread.
THE old law" he claimed, voiced
the wishes of the people, because it was
enacted by the representatives of the peo
ple.''