Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-15
SCHOOLS UNSETTLED
Conditions DepIored by North
east Citizens Association.
AUTHORITY OVER STREETS
Bill Before Congress Referred to the
Executive Committee.
CHEAPER GAS BILL ENDORSED
Reciprocal Transfers on Street Rail-
ways Discussed-Cross-Tow
Street Car Line.

stated chairman roster OF the ScnOOl COM
mittee of the Northeast Washington Cit
liens Association, at the regular monthly
meeting of the association, which was held
last night at Northeast Temple. But he
added, 1T is hoped that things will settle
down so that the teachers and parents will
eventually know where they stand"
Mr. Foster said it had been reported that
the board of education or the superintend-
ent of the schools is contemplating doing
away with the weeks holiday at Easter, but
he sincerely hoped this would not be done
This holiday has been a break in the mid
die of the school year that has always
greatly benefited both teacher and pupil
1t comes at time of the year when both
the teacher and the pupil should relax and
get in condition for energetic work for the
remainder of the session, and he sincerely
hoped the board of education would not
take the breathing spell from them.
reaching school, he declared. lis about
the hardest work that has to be performed.
Know from experience, having taught
school In this city for five years. l have
farm and in the ice fields, many times
working during the entire twenty-four
hours of day, but none of the work was
SO latlgulng as teaching school,
The association took up the matter and
voted to sustain the contention of the
chairman of the committee
Topics Introduced
President Tucker called the attention of
the association to the Terra Gotta wreck
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and
made the suggestion that the railroad COM
panies should make an effort to have better
lights on the rear of passenger and freight
trains. He thought that the small lights
now in use are insufficient to serve the
purposes intended and suggested that two
large headlights would serve better pro-
lection than one small red one. The matter
was referred to the railroad committee
The question involved in the bill recently
introduced in Congress by Mr. Often which
provides for thirty days leave of absence
for policemen as heretofore stated was
brought to the attention of the association
by the president. He said he thought the
members of the force worked hard enough
to earn the rest and he thought the associa-
ton should help them. Other members
seconded the remarks of the president and
the bill was referred to the committee on
police and fire departments
president Tucker, as chairman of the
executive committee, stated that the COM
mittee discussed the question Of having the
Commissioners cited to appear in the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
for alleged contempt in the matter of mar
rowing certain streets at its last meeting
and decided 1t would not be advisable to
rush the matter at this time The whole
subject, ne stated, is pending before Con-
gress and 1t was thought that by going into
court at this time favorable action by
Congress might be jeopardized.
Mr. Tucker referred to the bill which was
recently introduced by Representative Bah
cock to regulate the width of parkings,
sidewalks roadways and carriageways
1 would like to hear the bill read" said
Mr.. Josiah Willard, after Mr.. Fleming had
told of protests that had been made against
the bill by other associations.
Provisions Of the Measure
The bill was read. 1t provides that the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
shall be given continuing power to estab-
lish, change, alter, narrow, or increase the
width of all parkings, sidewalks, roadways
and carriage ways in the District of Column
bia. with certain provisions.
Commenting upon the action of the Com
miSsiOnerS upon the question of narrowing
the streets and upon the bill of Representa-
tive Babcock Mr.. Willard said the whole
question only shows that the people of the
District ought to have something to say in
the conduct of affairs He said he had been
in favor of suffrage for some time and he
thought this question was enough to con-
vince anybody that the people should have
suffrage. The present method of governing
the city, he stated, is more tyrannical than
is that of any city In Russia.
The question of taking action in opposi-
ton to the bill mentioned was left to the
executive committee.
Reduction in Price of Gas.
Secretary Sowerbutts read the bill recent
ly introduced which provides for decreasing
the price of gas and President Tucker sug-
gested that the association might take
some action upon the bill. He stated that
the price Of gas was reduced from $1.25 to
81 thousand feet in 1901, the candle power
to be 70. Later, however. he stated a clause
was inserted in an appropriation bill per-
hitting the company to furnish preamble
power gas. This reduction, he stated,
about evened matters, leaving the price
about the same as it was before the pass
age of the bill in 1891.
Mr.. Lang said he had heard a complaint
made against the quality of the gas. Mr..
Fleming thought the gas had been poor, but
that there had been an Improvement since
the agitation of the gas question. He
thought his bills had been higher this win
ter than heretofore, although the gas was
of much poorer quality.
At the time the question of reducing the
price of gas was agitated in 1901, said
gas company said that to decrease the
price of gas would be confiscation of the
companyS property.
But said Mr.. Tucker, ''since that time
the company has paid it's usual 10 per cent
upon it's stock and had $2,GO0,COO to dis
tribute to it's stockholders Does that look
like confscation of property?''
He concluded by saying the same cry is
being made now that was made in 1901.
The 22-candle-power gas, he suggested, is
more satisfactory than the 25-candle-power
because it does not smoke the walls Of
houses SO much.
Mr.. FrizZell told of the hearing upon the
question by the District Commissioners and
said he thought the Commissioners were
pursuing the proper course in calling for
figures from the gas company before franz
ing their action upon the pending bill.
President Tucker suggested favorable ac-
ton upon the bill at this time.
Mr.. Sowerbutts, Mr.. Long, Mr.. Foster and
others discussed the question. 1t was their
opinion that the company should be made
to produce its books and give an Idea of
the cost of making gas.
But One Dissenting Vote.
With but one dissenting vote, that of Mr.
Frizzell, the association voted to favor the
bill for cheaper gas, and the members of
the executive committee were instructed to
do their best to secure the passage of the
bill
The executive committee. President Tuck
err stated had thoroughly discussed the re-
ciproccl transfer bill and had reached the
conclusion that the bill should be Endorsed.
Mr. Fleming suggested that the associa-
ton would accomplish more by making an
effort to get competing lines in the north
east section than by working for the free
transfers between the lines. Mr. FriZzell
said he agreed with Mr., Fleming upon the