The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-09
NEWS FROM GEORGETOWN
Two Suits Instituted Against the
District Government.
Question OF River Rights and Title
to Il 1siIIrnce. Long Pending in Dis
pute, to BE Determined by the
Courts - Bank DepoSitOrs Enter
tanned at banquet by Directors.

Ths Two suits. aggregattng $20 900. in
stituted yesterday against the District
Government. by Cropley and BoteIer. as
tenants. AID CropIey. Boteler. and Cramp-
ton as owners. constituted the last steps
taken by these Georgetown men N mat
ter that has been pending for several
years. and has been productive of many
written communications verbal requests
and demands and official explanations.
Several years ago, under an act of Con
gress. the District sold at public auction
certain property lying on the south side
of K Street, in the line with Potomac
Avenue. and extending back to the Poto-
mac River. CropIey, BoteIer. and Cramp
ton bought the property. it is claimed,
with all the river rights appertaining
thereto, together with the absolute
rights to a certain millrace. tunnel, etc,
that ran under and through the property.
After the purchase, it is alleged by
MessTs- CrOpley, Boteler, and Champion,
the District Government turned into this
miIIrace or tunnel one of GeOrgetown's
largest sewers, without authority or
right, thereby pOlluting the water, rem
dering it unfit TO turn power wheels and
bringing a discharge of filth and mud into
the river. greatly affecting the depth Of
the stream Immediately on the plaintiffs
property and largely destroying wharfage
facilities 1t is further alleged by MessrS-
CropIey BoteIer. and Champion that the
value of this tunnel and millrace was
doubIy affected by a great rush Of water
during heavy rains, which would have ut
terry destroyed any machinery depending
upon the water for power. The District
Government was finally prevailed upon to
take some notice of the grievance pre-
scented. but. it is charged. instead Of turn
ing the sewer water complained against
into proper channel, at some time when
the tenants and their Representatives
were absent from the premises. a Dis
tTict force came upon the scene of the
trouble and built a wall at the head OF
the tunnel where it entered upon the
plaintiffs property, thereby cutting off
entirely the stream which had formerly
been valuable for manufacturing pur-
poses, diverting the flow into an 1iacent
miIlrace and leaving beneath the property
a bare yaIueless tunnel
The following gentlemen were elected
Yesterday for directors of the Farmers
and Mechanics National Bank NJ J. Ad-
Ter. G. ". Cissel, J. Edward Libbey. S.
Thomas Brown. A B. jackson. Samuel c.
Palmer. Charles H Cragin, William King,
and Louis D. Wine. = pleasant feature OF
the election day was a banquet to which
the dep0sitoTs of the bank were invited.
An elaborate menu greeted the many who
cOngregated 10 paTtake Of the banks hos
pitality- The hoard will convene on Thurs
day for the purpose of eleeting officers
About 9 o'clock last night a fire was dis
covered in the three-story brick dwelling
3505 Prospect Avenue. occupied by Freder-
Tx HAWKING The fire was caused by the
explosion OF a gasoline stove. UwEns to
the quick response Of the fire department
the flames were extinguised before any
Roadway was gained The property is
owned by Mr.. George ". Manogue.
Miss Catharine L. Whelen, died this
morning at go o'clock at her home. 1921
Thirty-third Street The deceased had
been III but a short time. Miss Whelan
was the daughter Of the late William
WheIan.