Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01
A YEAR In THE District
70
Some Of The Important Events Of the Past
Twelve Months.
INAUGURATION OF A PRESIDENT
Opening Of the New Congressional
Library
O T Fl e r II A P P b N I N GS
INAUGURATION OF A PRESIDENT
OF Fl E r II A P MIN S

officials of the Pennsylvania railroad upon
the subject of abolishing grade crossings
in the District of Columbia. At this hear
! ing plan was mutually agreed upon ard
the railroad representatives promised to
better the conditions. Attention was called
; to the fac: that minist ers were no: COM
| plying with the marriage laws. The annual
report CT the board of assistant a:scssorS
showed encouraging results. The Commits
| sioners accepted the resignation Of Coroner
| Hammett and appointed DR. VIM Z. Carr
coroner for term of three years. DIR. w.
| Thompson Burch was appointed police sur
| geon, vice DR.. Carr. Health Officer Wood
ward was reappointed. and Henry h.
Locker appointed District surveyor. vice
| William Forsyth. resigned. The annual
| reports of the subordinate deps rtments of
J the District government were Submitted
and showed healthy condition of affairs.
Commissioner Wight gave notice Of re-
OF ganization of the detective force, and In
spector Hollinberger was sent hack 10 a
lieutenancy and Detective Mattngly made
| inspector. Several reductions in the police
force took place, and Se"st. Kenny was
! made lieutenant and placed IN charge of
| the eighth precinct. Several licutenahts
| were changed about with view of increas-
! ing the efficiency of the fore. Colnmis-
| soner Wight made a special report ubcn
| the subject of grade crossings. because of
| misunderstanding Commissioner Eoss re-
| signed, but reconsiiered his determination
to retire from the Commssio7ersa:p.
| The Markets.
One of the earliest happenings in the new
year of 1897 was the withdrawal of the
| Washington Market Company from its con-
| troversy with the District Commissioners
| for the possession of B street adjacent to
the market. This was practically the fight
of the farmers who occupied the space. and
the withdrawal of the market company was
| followed shortly afterward by the passage
| of joint resolution by Congress which
conceded to the farmers the use of the
space in question under regulations of the
| Commissioners.
The Citizens Associations.
During the year of 1897 the several asso-
Citations met regularly and transacted bust
ness relating to their respective sections
On January % the Meridian Hill and Lam
Ter Heights Association was formed and
the following May saw the birth of the
| Washington Heights Association. The
East Washington Citizens Association cele-
| brated its twenty-seventh anniversary June
2 in the hall of naval Lodge, F. A. A.
NJ. The proposition to sell to the b. and O.
| K. r. Co. the reservation known on the
| maps as 226 was vigorously opposed by the
Northeast Association. Among the impor-
tant discussions during the year by the
| associations were the reclamation of the
Eastern branch flats by the East Wash
| ington and Northeast Citizens Associa-
tons; n discussion of the highway act by
| the North Capitol and lexington Associa-
ton; numerous discussions by the North
| east Association of grade crossings and
the general subject of railway extension by
| the Mount Pleasant Citizens Association
The Liquor business.
The excise board during the year materi-
| ally reduced the number of liquor saloons
and adopted the policy of not granting new
| licenses and refusing licenses to those who
violated the law. In this way it was urged
| that after few years all the bad places
| would be weeded out. One of me impor-
| tant questions decided during the year was
| the necessity of real estate agent to show
| authority for signing his clients name to an
| application for liquor license The attor-
ncy for the District held this was not nee
| esSary. There was a test case brought
| during the year to determine the validity
of the mile limit, and the court sustained
| the law.
Building Regulations.
During the year one of the most i'm
portant things considered by the District
| Commissioners the preparation of a
| set of new building regulations. The new
| regulations We're first suggested by Com
missioner Truesdell, who urged an entirely
new set because of the errors and inequal-
| ties in the old. The new regulations, said
| to be the most complete ever issued, and
| taken from the regulations from the prin
June 20. For the purpose of better COW
erng the building field, the assistant in
| spectors were provided with bicycles. Sew
| eral hearings took place before the Sec
| rotary of War upon the subject of bay
window projections beyond the building
| line, and on August IS a rule was
| adopted relating TO this matter
Gas and Electric Lighting.
| The old fight between the rival electric
| lighting companies was carried on through
out the year, with few intermissions. There
| were hearings before the Senate commit
tees early in January. The Potomac Com
| pany made application for n permit to light
| lexington, but withdrew it's application.
| The appropriation bill showed meager APP
preparations for the lighting service, and
| the authorities said it would necessitate a
reduction in the number Of lights. When
| the bids were opened for the public light
| ing the United States Company outbid it's
| rival, and offered to light certain streets
| free of charge. Later it obtained the con-
tract. To carry out it's proposition to light
| the streets occupied by the conduits of the
| Potomac Company free of charge it was
found that the Commissioners would have
| to permit the United States Company to
occupy the conduits of the Potomac Com
pany, reserved for the District and later
decided this could not be done. The con-
test between the rival companies for the
contract for lighting the parks was settled
| by awarding the contract to the Potomac
| Company. The authorities discovered an
D street from the Baltimore and Ohio sta
ticn, and ordered the removal of the wires,
which was not needed. and the authorities
finsl lily took them down and compelled the
removal of conduits laid across public al
leys without permission. The Commission
ers went into court to prevent The United
States Company from stringing overhead
wires. An important question arose early
in September as to the rights of the United
States Company under the law to extend
its conduits northward along such routes
as 1t desired. The attorney for the District
decided in favor of the company, and the
work commenced. When, later, another
applica alton was made to extend q different
conduit the Potomac Company took ont
an Injunction. and the case is still pending.
The Commissioners decided to take out the
electric lights in lexington because of their
Inferior quality. and later revoked their
order upon the promise of the Poto-
mac Company to improve the service Com
plants were received from all over the city
because Of the inferior quality of gas which
was explained to be due to the enrichers
put In the product to increase its candle
power.
Garbage.
The Commissioners settled the old con-
hats -