The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-06

ouircd hy the Government. Out
They Do Not-Street Railway Em-
pIoyes ana Fircmcn to Play Ball.
Charles II NIerfIat. Of 2562 University
Place. recently called the attention Of the
Commissioners to what he termed very
unsatisfactory inspection of gas meters
as shown by an experience at his house
on the night Of May 81 Mr. Merilat
states that several months ago on com
plant at the gas Office a new meter was
placed in the cellar of the house men
toned. Some time afterward this meter
was found TO be leaking. and II was taken
out and a new one put in.
On the night Of May 50, Mr.. Merilat
states, his mother was awakened by the
smell of gas in her room. Though the
windows of the house were open. which
allowed q large part Of the gas to es-
cape, enough gas was left in the rooms
TO prove very disaEreeable- Mr.. NeriIat
says that there was too much gas to al
low Of striking a match or of lighting
any Of the gas jets Investigation showed
that the gas came from the meter in the
cellar The Eas was turned off and the
windows of the house left open the rest
of the night, and yet Mr.. NIeriIat says,
there was a perceptible smell of gas in
the cellar in the morning. An investiga-
ton showed a split several inches long
in the side Of the meter and when the
gas was turned on it escaped through 1t
with such force as to he felt on the hand
several inches away Mr. MeriIat ex-
presses the opinion that the present in
speCtion of meters as eXemplifed at his
home, is a farce
Mr. Merilat's letter was forwarded by
the Commissioners to s. Calvert Ford,
United States Inspector Of Gas Meters.
who has reported on the complaint He
states that Mr.. Merilat, following his
complaint to the Commissioners, visited
the gas office, and the detective meter
was replaced by new one In regard to
the inspection of meters by his Office Mr.
Ford says:
Every meter coming here for inspec-
ton is first tested for tightness. then as
to its accuracy and no meters are seal
ed or allowed to go in service that are
not perfectly tight and that do not reg
lister within the requirements of the law
This particular meter complained Of was
inspected and sealed in this Office in No
vember, 1894. and has not been here for
inspection since that time \ great
many meters that the gas company has
IN stock are placed in service without
being brought here for inspection and
under these conditions there are perhaps
many leaky meters IN service that this
Office cannot be held accountable for
Mr. Ford stated that he had not re
ceived any official report relative to the
meter in question from the washington
Gas Company The Commissioners nav
voted that the complainant be informed
IN accordance with the report Of the IN
spector Of Gas Meters
Andrew b DuvaII. the Attorney for the
District, has submitted to the Commits
sioners an opinion upon the coEnmunica-
ton Of Mrs James Wood The question
raised IN Mrs Woods letter concerned
the condition of an alley in square 693
= complaint was also made against tht
erection of gate at the entrance Of tbs
alley. It appears from the history Of the
case given by the Attorney that on MAJ
u. 1919. the owner OF the original lot q. II
square .69}, recorded IN the Office Of tht
Surveyor a subdivision OF said lot int
lots q to IS inclusive with alley ten fee
wide for the sole use and benefit of saic
subdivision.
MT DuvaH calls attention 10 section IS
of the Revised Statutes Of the District o.
Columbia. which provides:
The ways. alleys, or passages lald on
or expressed on any plat OF SubdlElslOl
shall be and remain open 10 the puD4lc
subject to the uses declared by the per
son making such subdivision, at all time
under the sarne police regulations as IN
alleys laid on by the COMMISSIONERS U
division with the original pToprletoTS-
Continuing Mr. Duvall says ne 0Wne
of said lot I9 expressly declared in max
ing the aforementioned subdivision tina
said alley was for the sole use ana Den
eft Of said subdivision. that Is. the SAL
alley was not dedicated 70 public uses
but to the private uses declared an
Of the opinion that the alley i not a pub
lie one and that its care and its CD
struction by gate is purely a matter 0
The attention Of the Assessor shouI
be called TO this lot, and / the area 0
this aleyway IS exempt from taAdtlonl
should be listed as taxable property
G. z. Moray. Secretary Of the Stree
Railway Employees Association, recent,
addressed the Commissioners stating tina
the members Of the association INTENDED
giving an excursion TO Chesapeake Beacl
on June y. Mr.. Moray stated that one o
the diversions for the day would be {
game Of baseball. which the railroad mel
desired to play with the District fremen
He asked that a sufficient number Of fire
men be spared from duty on that day I,
make up j baseball team TO engage in IN
game.
The matter was referred TO P W Dut
ton, Chief Engineer Of the Fire Depart
ment. who today submitted the following
report on the matter
''RespecrfuIly referred to COMMISSIONS
Macfarland with the statement that tn
following members OF The Fire Depart
menJ desire TO engage in the propose
game Of baseball with the street raIIwa.
men
Fireman " Z Boyle Engine COmpau,
No. y, captain, TIilcrnau, J f. Hooper
Truck A Assistant Foreman W T. Coul
ter. Engine Company no. .. HCStler A /
Jusby, Engine Company No 3; Fireman
Charles Sears. Engine Company No 2
PriTales o Learuan- Truck F D O'Con
nor Engine Company No .: J 3 Watt
Truck +; A. Is. Orpin. Engine Compau,
No g, r Z HUNT, Chemical Compaul
No. J. ana H. +. Mcconnell, Engine Com
pauy No. J.
'On the day Of the excursion they vii
b entitled 10 their regular day Off an,
they VIII De granted permission to 90 4
Chesapeake Beach
A Medal for Saving n Life.
Secretary Gage mailed a letter yester
DAY to w W Griesseu, Of the Buffal
Life Saving Station, transmitting a col
Iife-saviug medal awarded under the act
Of Congress passed in 1874 and $50 In tn
Great Lake storm Of November las