The evening times., 1899-02-08
CURRENT EVENTS
In dEORGETOWN
GAS COMPANY TO PROSECUTE
superintendent Middleton Talks
About the Byrne Case-Other
Items of Interest.

@e5 Items of Interest.
RI Middleton, superintendent of the
Georgetown Gas Light Company, in con-
versation with a Times reporter regarding
the theft of gas. for which Dennis Byrne
was yesterday convicted and fnsd $le0 in
Police Court, said that this was the third
case Of gas stealing that has come to the
knowledge of the company within the last
three months. The company is particu-
larly anxious to punish offenders in G!s
respect, not SO much because of the loss to
the company, but because the crude man
ner in which the disconnections are usual
ly made lays the company liable for 10 S
of life and destruction of property In two
instances noted by the superintendent the
authorized connection was ignored and
rubber and canvass pipes substituted. In
the. Byrne case leak appeared in the COM
mon rubber hose used which constantly in
creased in size by the pressure behind.
This caused the gas to escape and h:l tIe
cellar and miracle prevented the desttuc-
tion of the house and the death or serious
injury of the inmates. William WhelaA,
one of the employees of the company, was
among the first on the scene OF the Byrne
catastrophe, and on examining the con-
neetions about the metre discovered the
fraud that had been perpetTated upon the
company.
Any man" continued Superintendent
Middleton, puts his OWN life and tne
members of his family in jeopardy when
ever he introduces into his house such con-
nections as Ryrne was found 10 have in
troduced. In the future the Georgeto"n
Gas Light Company, to avoid being held
responsible for loss OF life and property
which is always possible, viii prosecute 10
the fullest extent of the law ali who at
tempt TO initiate the man who was yester-
day found guilty"
Georgetown people are disappointed over
the fact that no bid was received from any
railroad by the members of the Board Of
Public Works yesterday in Annapolis for
the interest OF Maryland in the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Canal. There was abso-
lutely no competition i'll the bidding
Charles X. Lord appeared 10 be the only
man who wanted it, Offering 100000 in
cash, proposing al the same time 10 insure
the maintenance of the canal as a water
way. This is just what the Georgetown
people do not want. The canal has been
a waterway for nearly seventy years, dur
ing which time ii has proved itself 4 very
10 the entrance of railroads which George
town looks upon now as the only means
to permanent prosperity. The West Vir-
ginia Centrals desire To get possession oi
the canal bed as manifested in the pas
was dissipated two or three days ago by
officials of the Baltimore and Ohio, who
offered the former road such terms and
advantages for transporting their freight
and passengers and il became unnecessar!
TO look into this hitherto coveted direc-
lion Georgetown people. however. i'll spite
Of the dropping out of the West Virginia
road do not look upon the canal question
as being settled. 1t is the general opinion
that the present agreement between the
railroads will not last long and that soon
er or later determined effort viii be
made 10 secure the right of-way for a
railroad over the present route of the ca
nal.
William W. Winship has decided 10 the
Dumbarton Avenue VI. f. Church in trust
to be kept and used as place of divine
worship a 2-foot strip of land in the rear
of the present church. On the reconstruc-
tion of the Dumbarton Church it was found
necessary TO extend the organ alcove. and
it rendered unavailable for use the alley
in the rear. Mr.. Winship. who owned the
! lot to the rear of the church. donated this
strip in order 10 render the alley one OF
use again.
The cars on the Tenleytown Road are
still seriously handicapped by the heavy
fall of snow. As soon as the snow is swept
from the tracks passing wagons cover the
rails again, so that ii is difficult TO get
the road open.
The ladies Of Dumbarton Avenue NJ. f.
Church gave a supper last night in the
church dining rooms. the proceeds OF which
will go TO the church fund. y large num-
ber was present and partook of the ex-
cellent-fare. About $50 was cleared.