Evening Star Newspaper, January 14, 1882, Page 2

4 CIniues Against the Street Railronds. THEIR LEGAL HISTORY BY ATTORNEY RIDDLE. wit st of the District , Atlorney itiidie has transmitted @ mt of the legal history of the claims of & again-t tie Washington and George- Fhe Distr plinn a Ted Fost stern jrowd Company Metropolitan Rail- ay, and the Columbta Raiirowd Com ae costs of repairing that portion of the venues © Which by their chart Tabi prope row ¢ by them severally, ¥ were cupie as construed, 2 | : enterprise of Improving the late beard of pubtle works, be- 1 March, 171, and June 20, INT, the streets jet by the compwnles were mostly Improved not done by the Commtssioney orn uty wos List re 10, 1871, Laws 0} May could it cab Is re nN, is 2, bon Spee aus st. board of € that Cong: ine i be mace wt of the 1 $ nok unt and iL commits. When 1 of this Up st fements of the cases amt applied to t era ott 3 of the railroads to join moeking up HthS irom Marea, oF, Whe pose of the rall- | of lrttotions to the | n, November actof Marslani of angerent, stands Soon as Te € General rty tonss i the nied that they and that no tet tom on every @ the op! wer the request Lit beter to sive wole Taster in on How South Washington is Treated. To the Fa Stan: i little been done long lines of unimproved | 1 at tact I inv eity government. To obvic the conduct of that gov tention of all concerned. Olten credited with mi Ex-President Hayes rece that Washfagton has 2 the attention of our | at, I invite the at- | The Commissioners are king a good government. LY Said (so It ts reported) best municipal govern- Ment Inthe world; than which, nothing can be further frou the truth. In thelast ten years, @ Yast sum of money has deen put on the streets, incipaily In the northwest section, where it will | jo ni y of reputation. Ip con- ve a beautitul appear- em some fine di n impression as the sined ar w of every pe & at nang! t 13 Its duty to pro- ensity cre But inys te such nus ton the rights of tect, oad corporations to bear | sway within our city; to use our streets and ovenues as thelr depots; to multiply the umber of traci and aby tte pri by perm auc wir ‘ move tie he al 1 be the | und the i turther tw allow the buliding on 6th and C f own enactments and pro- 3 citizens. AN this tn the and | prosperit; nce to South Wash- ich exists for guinst thi nekshborin i Comu! ners have attempted any- at all in Chis section of impassable open | me, Cut Into Fi aeep ruts by the neces- e it ts no m ep closed endart: fectin | robbea. < E street ge those two seas of | us, extend on either section. The tin- | lation, two s]uires, W side to the bo provement of 43 si accomplishment p of inind that we Dut it was a great mis: north and south of vement put down Been unirornly tmproved trom F Due to the Arsenal; it was necessary—these roads ‘Will not stand the travel upon Uein—and it will cost more in the end. ‘To this point 1 have menttoned only what has | Deen done. To indicate all our areas of mud which most urgently need attention, would be beyond | my typils of Space. Aud here, 'as T view it, a wu. nit 4 W lay Costly and yet more costly Imp nts UpOD One section, while other | quarters hy aratively nothing bestowed | Upon a tside Of the mere question | Of justice 1 each. Sirects are provided as conve ences of locomotion and traltic, and not to be 3 and front yards for rich erty, to be Improved at the expense of nobly situited, who have only the 1 \ them of pulling throuzh sloughs | lwithia the Capitol 3 general looseness in | Sssin: tt | entertain his | victim dtd suit | What if a ¢ | be recorded tht the tii! n = CAPITOL GROUNDS, A Bill fer the Eegutation of Their Publi Mr. Rollins reported in the Senate Tuesday, from the committee on public buildings and grounds, a bill “to regulate the use of the Capitol grounds,” and asked that it be printed and recommitted. it is as foliows: Whereas the Capitol grounds have been formed to subserve the quiet and dig- nity of the Capitol of the United States, and to ent the occurrence near it. of such @isturb- ident to the ordinary use of pub- d places, the following statute for culation of the public use of said grounds is hereby enacted: Pabiie travel in and oceupancy of the grouuds shail be restricted to the roads, prepared for the purpose by © otherwise. See. 2. It is forbidden to ocenpy the roads in such manner as to obstruct or hinder their se; to drive violently upon them, or not under perfect controlor to use the conveyance of goods or merchan- pt toor from the Capitol on govern- ortodisplay any sign, placard or er form of advertisement; to solicit fares, ims, subseriptions or contributions. jen to step, climb upon, re- any statue, sTection, or any tree, shrub, pl xe, or display .ed or adapted arty, organiza- assent) vice, desiz notice any inst this set shall be triable t of the District of Colum- nnishable by fine or imprison- nt. or both, at the diseretion of the Judge of said court onment not to exceed sixty days. ase of he by reason of which public property st e suffered damage to an amount exceedmg $100 in value, said judge of the Police Court may commit or hold to bail the offender for trial before the Supreme Court of the District, when the offence shall be pun- e by imprisoument In the penitentiary tor ‘ec. 3. It shall be the duty of all policemen and watchmen haying mnthority to make arrests the District, to be watrhfal for offences and to arrest and bring before ¢ who shall” offend rration, or of whose ed by witnesses, vas em rhment in th or in its grounds to prevent, as far as be in the'r pi ould the y ecuring the | & See. 10. In order to admit of dua ob; national interest beeomin of the House, a authorized to suspend, for h of the above it the use of the who signs rs from the fed writer ok and ¢ Juius siderst Cesar spment 0: bebali of th AW remarks. iter sare about fifty es tant James A. “4S now being tried for ity (Which seems quite ertne, a y jeatia s ation,” or that dead- indling and fornt- ud, consequently, furthermore, op- inst ere it within his power, limit altean's festivities to cating are Curistts evidences of Insn: twa A would, lng vietion 5 Mr. Daniels says, “Popula” should, at ive his tall name, so that Guiteau—as we lve murderers trom the West End, now know who thts man of the that he may be made a ta: nal vituperation. In @ word, “Popu oF, perhups, somewhat ‘Incrustated, the remaining fc -nine million, nine hun- na ni net, 2 tho ad, nine hundred and ninety-hine Americans who believe that the “Hon. Chas. Guitean” is now & guilty murderer, and has ever been an muintigated fraud. : te a different sort of man t3 Mr. Dantels, who evidently belungs to the odd hundreds which the Just census reports Ip excess of the afore-men- Uoned ise “a sudden gust of p: community and Teading t culog Of a great criminal.” But than that he would not move a peg in the matter of punishment or retribution. Hi YS, at Lue Outset, that the article contrib ¥ “Popula” ts designed, among other tines, W intimidat+ the “frien:ts” of the prisoner, but, ere he concludes, very touchingly adta!ts that th prisoner is “friendiess” I lengthy communi- 3 r harsh allusions to Mr. Guitean—never employing the words mur- derer, assassin, criminal oF thug—but, on the con- trary, expressihg ender solicitude Ist the pris- ouer Should be “hurt.” Wuat if Gulteau did ob- tain money under false pretenses! What if, with the money so obtained. he purchased a_ pistol of deadly caltber, and, after weeks of practice, used it to take the life of the Prestdent, who refused to cel What Ir his and suffering sunk into the grave a5 the resuit of Ubis man’s maltee! voted husband was ruthlessly torn from an affect happy futuersnatehed from his tender children and an aged mother neblé aud uoaorabie son! What of all this? othing! Certainiy not, Mr. Dani author of these calamities 1s a nero, aud rust not beso much as “hurt.” Let the evidence of Gul- teau’s cuilt be counted as righteousness, and let it peopl emott Was a farce, gotten up for Ui Guitean and bis te) the remaining “miscre- ttiily miiliou—what conderana- 2 Shail we tar and feather them, ta from the mouths of ¢: on, for the usement of Guiteau and his friends? Of shall. a dangerons pack—these peopte who in banging mu They (locluding the Jury, witnesses aud prosecution) should be citizen, now in the 1." Tn this con- agRPSL (Cre "Lis too late) to the mental and aesthetic admirers of Guiteau, nice a thing It would be to have a life-size portrait of the good man artistically painted, and Compel the #5 of the United States to ap- propriate money for the same, and assign it a place in the rottinda of the Capitol. Jt woul wsthetic and becoming also. to see that Gui Sin tie county jail are ex- y y furnished, tn coniormity with the occupant’s “nigh toned” notions and re~ Of mud to tl ar I wild spec irown homes. Of the streets im TLY BAD CONDITION, rom 7th street to South Capit reet from 44 east and 34 from B street south, which are Mteral quagunires andwell nich absolutely impassable. (A short Une since, a truck of the fire department, proceed- ing toa bu te on Virginia avenue was stuck Gust n e's throw ‘irom its destina- tion, ant ntil tong after the fire was out} ¥ all Lmpertant thoroughta: Se Father would be tn the eo of the city an: S business, were they to receive proper attenuon. ‘They are now but vast areas of earth Ia soludiod OF frozen cluds of vast clouds of dust, a8 the tem- Perature may be. Virginia avenue i$ the natural ore re trom the upper part of this section to the navy yard, «s G street tsof the lower section and the business from te wharves, yet {ts coz Hon arsdeseripvon. It has no sidewaik tren street eastward, and its roadway Is simply the Cd ee Sty Uiinits. ‘Third street is the prin. Zhororchtare of a plat left utterly to its own, mained conuition. L refer to that plece of land, jstake Included (on the maps) in the Dg Washinctor between Ist fined taste; aud as a further proof of the kindly feeling entertained for the assassin, let Mr. Daniel or some other bu:nane ciuzen hire the Marine band to Serenade their darling, or tnaucurate a ball for his benefit—to which they may invite al! the West Enders, including G. PRenpex, ——_—__»—___ Free Reads Wanted. ‘To the Editor of Tas Eventne Stan: ‘Will you be kind eoough to give our legislat ure (Congress) a delicate hint, about the partial man- ner in which they distribute their favours to this portion ofour vast domain. Years aco Beas or Conrress the toll was taken olf the Tia street turapike, and allowed to continue on the Rockville road Out to Georgetown, thus discrimi nating against us, Farmers and Others who for- meriy dealt with our merchants, naturally turn off before they reach the gate, and take the road into Wash! ‘thus ruining our trade, as well as the road itself. We want a free as weil ueduct. £8 a free bridge at or above the agi Onn Foor, ———— Who ts this Creature with Long Hair and a Wild Eye? He is aPoet. He writes Poems on Spring oman’ Strange, unreal Thi ofthe mea. Wicaeas Wishtug he was but he wouldn't Let anybody him tf ee en ee A nics came a Poet. He ould Look Rar ‘be- oe i ; the fine not to exceed 100; the | But in | uitention of | Tagtonto subuai| Guiteau and Elis Defense. To the Raitor of Tur Evextso Sran. It is proper, as we stand amid the final scenes of the Guiteau trial, to note a few points as to the prisoner, and as to his defense, which ought not soon to be torgotten. FIRST,—aS TO THE PRISONER. Whatever the verdict of the jury may be, he stands forth in the full view of the world as the “supreme scoundrel.” By his own evidence, by the known facts of his history, by the evidence of the prosecution, and by his conduct, claims and words during the trial he is seen to be A liar. ‘A perjurer. A thief. A blackmailer. A swindier. An adulterer. A murderer. 5 A blasphemer, who charges his crime to the inspiration of God. A disobedient man from his youth up, and “to every good work reprobate.” Other erimes and forms of wickedness could probably be found in his record. Not often in human history has a man appeared in whose record so inany conspicious forms of wickedness have found expression. Yet the most F: tifie expert in insanity find hi erdict of intellix ommon people, isihat he is we account for-his phenomenal re we not face to face in his case Bible problem of the The beloved apostle of Chr concerning th derer, that h the evil ome.” Ch miself, in. th the wheat and the tares, recognized is, of men; one kind—th: nas of parable oF two kinds, n of the from wicked one”’—whose spiritual fatherhood was from the de These two seeds may be called respectively—using terms analogous to the -field and the wheat and tares af the parable heophytes aud Ponerophytes, 1 e., God- nted ‘and Devil-planted; from the’ Greek words Theos—God, P ros—the evil one, and SE plant,” “whieh my Heavenly Fatner hath erring plainly ss Chris! | not planted, shall be rooted uy | to two seeds, two kinds of plants in the form of men. Paul came in contact with one of these Ponerophyles in “Ely mas, the Sorcerer,” ana did not hesitate to call him’ not only “an enem of all righteousness,” but a “son of the devil.” May it not be a reasonable conclusion, and one in harmony with the fundamental facts of hi: career, that this Jast great murders —whose deed shocked the hearts of all the | World, and who to-day stands forth in the view of all the world as the most heartless and de- praved of eriminals—is also a Poneroplyte, and a son of “that wicked on who “was a mur- derer from the beginni Is he nota type of that class of incorrigible ones who have “no ear for the glad tidings” of God, into whose hearts the truth and merey and love of God find no entrance; who trou. pir whole career are “vessels of wra and destined to be “taken and destroye The Bible recognizes such a class. Human ob: has recog- | nizad such a class. z criminals a no reforming i nences ¢: there is also auong the great masses of men a n proportion of individuals whose hearts the Influences of the Holy Spirit, tie trath and love and rizheousness of Christ, never re and | ch ve intellectual pere n Teach or chan tual perc: -but they hi eld themsely | hold of them with their li Hacorricible crimix ; itis to bet | incorri tion of & pure ve no heart dis- to them and take The proportion of. ald not to be @ larze ed that the proportion of the ly wicked class, in these is e ie to time its fetously in all | as the mard and depra ands to- Cri in some s forms aps, generally a expression of theire’ life—not — al- metines they pass. through an r of amore subtile and_ inconspicu- | ous ch and are simply mediums of the Jo not perform the ease and desi In the murd Sseem to be com- $ ee, onthe one hand, inate craving for snf otoriety and conspicuousness, which after seeking its’ goal ‘ouzh many channels, finally reaches it by the murder of the head ofa great nation. On the other hand, a very important feature of his career is found ina great variety of compara- tively secret and inconspicuous movements. He is very quiet and cat-like in his personal movemeuts; he is fond of traveling from place to place; fond of seeking, privately, the recoz- nition and acquaintance of prominent men. He does not secure their friendship or contidence— there is nothing in him to attract that—but he | follows them, seeks the places where they congregate, and contrives in some way to speak to them, to touch them, and circulate among them. Ail the time he feels himselfto beareater | .n thanany of them—tobethe supreme, central n —‘bigger than Grant,” greater than Conki a the man w Ignoble and inca: men, in his own greatest, the leader of leaders. thus feel and think of himseli? It is not simply because of his natural mental endowment, his twisted head and his great bump of self-esteem. It is primarily because he is a medium. He rep resents, acts for, and is a distributor of the spiritual power and magnetism of Hin, “that opposeth and exalteth himself azainst all that is aulled God, or that is worshipped: so that he eth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.” As a medium of this supreme egotist, he went about among the re- publican leaders In New York in 1580. As his medium he haunted the President at the White Uue peer of the Why does he House, Blaine in the State departm and Washington generally, all last spring. How much his presence and occult mediumship of evil had to do with originating and intensifying the fight of factions in the republican party, atter Garilcld was elected, perhaps can never be known till the day of judgment. But to stu- dents of the relation of outward events and outward human movements to the spiritual world and to spir.tual causes, there are some significant poiutings to Guiteau_as an infernal medium in that quarrel. Certainly he took ad- vantage of the existence of that quarrel to achieve his life-long purpose of world-wide notoriety in the killing of the President. Such an act demanded a foreground of spiritual preparation and co-operating spiritual manipu- lations. The circumstances out of which that act wasto leap like a shaft of infernal flame had to be prepared. And with Guiteau as one of the important mediums—outwardly obscure and insignifleant though he may have seemed—his master was preparing those circumstances dur- ing inany previous months to the 2d of Jul ‘The public will do well to take the prison bis word and study the “spiritology” of his In dealing with him the couit and the American people are dealing with more than a mere hnman personality—they are dealing with spiritus! in‘lueaces which haye their souree in the far depths of infernal rezions. This a: is a medium, and strong and intelligent princi palities of ‘spiritnal wickedness are working through him. ‘To prove him.guilty of the mur der of Garfield, and to legally avenge it upon him, is not the main thing for the people to seek, The main thing is to tear away the vails which hide his inner life and bring the master powers of spiritual evil which are using him into the daylight of truth and judzment. Taro. L. Prev. ee The Commissioners and the Public Schools. ARE THE ACCUSATIONS TRUE? In connection with the address read to the President Thursday by the delegation of ex- school trustees who went before him to urge the appointment of two-new Commissioners, on the ground “that the present civil Commissioners have neither a sympathetic nor an intelligent appreciation of the requirements of a system of public education,” the following extract from the last annual report of the Commissioners upon school matters is herewith published, as a matter of justice to them: Inder authority of the 4th section of act of 3d March, 1881, making priations for the poreroment of the District, the paves ot land herein described have been sold by the Chief of Engineers, United States army, and the pro- ceeds of the sale, amounting to the sum of $7,452, haye been ‘deposited in tlie for the erection of @ high school building in Wash- t quthortty of the act of 84 March, to the of Columbia Farpoocs equare Ro. 100. know as eee | looks gh | event of steady other cemeteries; and this valuable property is now available for the uses to which it has been dedicated, whenever the Commissioners shall be authorized to dispose of the same. The four new school houses mentioned in onr Jast annual report a8 in course of erection, have beén completed (except two rooms in one of the county buildings) at an aggregate cost, not in- cluding sites and furniture, of $89,552.24. The two located in the second school district contalp twelve rooms each, with an ageregate eapucity for the accommodation of about 1,500 pupils.and are models of convenience, comfort. and the most approved school architecture. One of them is for colored pupils. The two in the countyare plain but convenient and substantial brick batidings, and will accommodate about 400 upils, Puthe five additional houses, inclnding the high school, provided for in the appropriation for schools for the current fiscal year, are pro- gressing satisfactorily, and will no doubt all be teady for use at the bezinning of the next school year; thus adding, since 1878, eleven first-class buildings, including a spacious and commodious edifice’ for a boys’ high school, to the accommodstions of the public schools ot the District of Columbia. But more are needed. While this evidence.of progress in the work of public education at the cap’ isa subject for congratulation, it is to be rezretted that thns far it seems to uave been regarded by Congress 48 a matter of merely local concern, and not as a subject, ag it reallyis, of the highest national importance. Whilé many millions have been lavished by the federal lezislature to foster edu- cation in the states and Tervitories, the burden of this high duty and responsibility at the na- tonal capital has been thrown upon the scanty and wholly jaadequate resourres of the people of this District. Is it unreasonabie to ask and expect that the capital of the Union shall receive from Congress equal consideration with the states and Territories of the Union, and that its commgn schools, under federal eare and nur- ture, shall be made convenient steps to tl tibuleand hatls of a great national university? This was the wise and patriotic ec of Wash- ington, and its valu r been acknowle y ofa national burean of edneation. The wisdom, culture aud worth of the Union onably be supposed to be more fully represented at its capital than elsewhere; and the people of the Union, therefore, will natur- ally look to the eapitai for the highest types of their institutic 1 the most pi pthods ent and pr It is local resourees of the Dis- trict of Columbia can ever meet this popular demand; nor ought it to be expectod, For detailed inforw regard to the public schools reference de to the: aded report of the board af school trustees.” WILL THERE BE AN 10K FAMINE? The Present Sitnation Gloomy—A Freeze Satily Needed—Very Little Ice Gathered So Far. The mild winter thus far causes considerable solicitude among the deaiers and consumers of ice in this District us to the prospects of a sup- ply this coming summer. Thus far there las been none red, and the present prospect Heretofore considerable ice has been stored In this vicinity by the butchers and brewers for cooling purposes by the first of January. not possible that the say. The Indepentest Ice its own site and ice houses on the Kennebec ies the larger quantity of ice to as made full arranzements to jent supply should there be @ freeze. Mr. Church of that company left for the Kennebec river. with the purp of topping there rvising the filling of the i Mr. Win. i, Yerkes, super- pany in this city, states to a Stan report on the k the compa in store lostan The changes ly wa ached, and tot a mome stoving ice, should op; He states that it requ about six weeks of it jouses, And slipping by in which this At most there is not | weeks re which t unt with nerop. Ti 2 on the Kennebec is now almost f ¢ on that river during the na bad 5 y mixed up with the ice, and the rain and thaw about the first of January broke the whole surface of the river, and mo of the jee and snow went down stream, and what is left isin a chopped-up state, and will re- its removal in order that be in proper condition for auother He also staies that what is said of the Kennebec river applies to all other places where ice is gathered. A GENERAL SCARCITY. Advices from other places are to the same ef- fect. In New York a few thousand tons of ice has been gathered by the brewers for cooling purposes, and so of Philadelphia and Baltimore. On Monday, the 2d instant, the Kennebec was entirely clear of ice, and thousands of men were busy in small boats breaking up and sending down river the shore ice which had formed the night before, and the river closed that nicht, leaving the “fields” on the whole id a@ bad con- dition, Some of the compauies are more fortu- pate and have as fine prospects as ever in the d weather fora few week This is about the condition of the Kennebec river, and while the outlook is gratifyingto some who are favored with good fields, the general prospect at present cannot be said to favorable. In any event, the cost of cuttin, harvesting will be increased above the ordinary cost, as the labor costs much more when forced into a short time for its operations. Mr. Yer says he expects to receive advices from Mr. Chureh as scon as he looks over the groun: and he hopes to haye more encourazing tidings: but, judging from present appearances, ice will be scarce and high the coming suinmer, THE REPORT OF THE GREAT FALLS COMPANY. Mr. John Van Riswick, the president of the Great Falls Ice Company, replied to a question by a Stax reporter as to what his company had done towards obtaining a supply, “Why, nothing as yet other than to arrange for gathering the crop wheu Dame Nature will give it to us.” “Yes,” said the reporter, “the season hasbeen backward. Mr. Van Riswick:—“Mnch more backward than usual. Last year by this time we had nearly our entire supply in.” Srar:—*And none now?” Mr. Van Riswic not a pound has been gathered that we know of as yet, bat we ere hopeful. ‘The ontiook is not yet cheering for the last accounts were that on thie ponds and the Kennebee river but seven inehes of ice had made, and the weather being warm It could not. well be harvested, even had it been of first quality. We will require ten days ar two weeks of good freezing weather fur a good quality of ice, and should that come we have our men en- gaged and will go right to work. One result of the late season is THE ADVANCE IN LABOR. Of course we have to look ahead and engage our force conditionally, but the season having been open, giving men work at other indnstries, and the ice season being curtailed, the prices of labor during the ice season have advanced. Usually there are plenty of men to be had at $1 per day, but offerings of $1.50 per day are made, end many have been engaged at $1.25. We are waiting for the ice to. make, and hope that it will reach a foot in thickness, when we will go in. Should the crop fail, the artificial ico man will have an excellent’ opportunity to try his “scheme.” “Haye yon extended your works on the Ken- nebec?” asked the reporter. “Oh, yes.” Mr. Van Riswick replied. “We have about doubled our capacity tor storing and handling ice. We haye at Booth bay a pond with 50-horse power engine, and on the river we have two other places, one with a 30-horse engine and the other with two enzines of the saie power. We are fully equipped with all the modern appliances, and will work in the season about 100 men at each place. As I stated jn the beginuing, we are expecting a freeze, and ag soon as the ice is thick enoughI will hurry on. much § the field m: ft Livery Tore 1 ~ phate onan ath eo ae ing the progress of a inesday at Mount Vernoi eyORN Maliins, a wi applied in- sulting language to the presiding judge, who or- dered him ta be 2 fer contempt. He ran out Of the court reom, pursued by the jatier deputy sher who brought him back. Tather interfered, and the two Mullins oMcers fought thetr way out of the dows ee ‘the street. oon a the alsorder Company, which owns | | to div se from the auditorium. For the present a heavy wooden one covered with ast ing the coming summer. Onthe roof over the stage certain iron truss rods oyer from | m the | SAFETY FRO" FITES OR PANT ‘Fhe Theaters and Public Halls of Washington. REPORTS AS TO THEIR CONDITION AND RECONMEN- DATIONS FOR SECURITY OF AUDILNCES—SOME DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, NOTABLY THE REFORM SCHOOL AND OTHERS—CONDITION OF THE GOY- ERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, BTC. The commission appointed by the Distri¢t Com- missioners (consisting of Messrs. P. F. Bacon, W. R. Collins, James A. Tait, M. Cronin, Thos. B. Entwisle and Win. G. Brock) to examine all buildings used for public assemblies, and make report to the District Commissioners as to their present condition, with such recommendations as they deem necessary to insure the public safety in case of accident by fire or otherwise, report the result of their inspection of the Capi- tai Theater, National Theater, Ford's Opera House, Theater Comique, Lincoln hall, Ma- sonie Temple, Tallmadge ball, Abner's hall, Shea’s hall and the Government Printing Ofiice, as follows: THE CAPITAL THEATER, y known as the Metropolitan hall, but remodelled). The main objection to » they say, is the owner's intention Tt is suz- this pla to heat it with hot-air furnaces, gested that they substitute a steam-heating ap- paratus, the bviler to be located outside the building, and covereed with asbestos. A sub- partition, made as near fire-proofas it can be, should divide the stage from the audi torium, and over and around the proscenium arch there should be atwo-ineh water pipe or otler sitnilardevice, perforated insucha manner hat by turning a stop handily located a steady sheet of water would fow. In addition, the staze should be provided with water-piugs aud hose ready for use. ‘t' r exit door swings inward, and should be reversed. NATIONAL THEATER. The around floor of this theater 1s amply pro- ided with exits, and the only sngzestion they offer in regard to it is that the owner or owners Ve required to cut openings in the rail whic di- vides the orchestra chairs and orchestra circle at cach of the aistes in the orchestra circle. This would greatly facilitate the exit of the people in the orchestra chairs in the event of a panic. The two main stairwaysleading from the dress cirelo should be at once provided with stontiron hand- tails. The exits from the gailery are considerd very defective, and they suxyest that an addi- tional stairway be constructed, which can be done in the seuthwest corner. ‘They state that @ partition wall ond arch of brick, reaching above the roof, should divide the auditorium and age, and it should be filled with perforated 08, 88 iS suseested also for the Capital Thea- partakes of the nature of a perm: ntial improvement, it is surest required until the present theatri- son closes. In tne meantime, they sug- two members of the fire department be | detailed nightly to attend to the present fire ap- | paratus on the stage. cident, th venting a would utili as, in the event of an ac- ould go far towards pre- ic, and it is certain they could and | e the means at hand with far more deficiency than any of the regular employes of the establishment. FORD'S OPERA HOUSE. ° This theater, like the National, needs a wall should be h wrapped. y coated with asbestos and ra panic there would be danger of the aking down Uke rails to the present platformns on the acrth and south sides of the bnilding, ‘To prevent th f should be provided with high, si also be the : commission fire-proof curtains be in this theater for use in case of fire. THEATER ComiQ This theater was found to contain the brick proscenium wall and arch so essential. Its exits | e ample and it is provided with a stationary | nical apparatus of ample capacity to quench Very y n permitted to get out of order, and they recoramend that the proprietors be pelled to have it r ed and placed In proper working condition at once. On the roof over the stage and buttin tthe adjoini property is a rickety frame stracture, which should be taken down at once. URLIC HALLS. Lincoln Hall.—This hall was found to be sat- i except the exit door of the west gal- lery, Which leads to a passage, thence to the northwest stairway. This door and the one from the passage to the main stairway should be widened and swung outward. Masonic Temple.—The only suggestions the commission offer in regard to this building are iat in the event of a fire. either in the Temple or the adjacent tall buildings on 9th street, it would be almost impossible to save either, as a very narrow alleyway only separates them. ‘To protect both, iron shutters should be piaced on the windows on the north side of the main build- ing. Talimedae Hall.—Chanzing the doors of the main building here so that they wili swing out- ward will afford, with the other modes of egress, ample opportunity for all to escape in the event of a scare. Abner's Hal A change of the main exit doors on E street, leading from the upper hall, and | ore in the southwest corner, leading to the bal- v v stairway, so that they will swing | outward, are ali the suggestions offered in re- gard to this hail. Shea's Hail.—A change in the door on the Avenue. so asto make it swing outward, and several other minorsugzestions already adopted by the proprietor, are all that is recommended at Shea's. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. This building contains some eighteen hun- dred employés, many of them females, and is freighied with stock and machinery. It has al- ways been a souree of solicitude to the fire offi- cials. Precautions are taken to prevent a fire, but if one should occur during the office hours, it would certainly result disastrously. The frst sugyestion is that the six-foot stairway at the east end of the H street wing, which now only runs from the ground to the second floor, should at once be continued to the top. story, and the outer doors of all the exits should be reversed. ‘The several passages and hallwavs connecting the four sides of the building should be provided wit iron doors, for in the event of a fire they would, if permitted to remain open, only serve as fines, while. if closed. they would stand as a bars.er to the flames, and be of great service in the firemen. The new stable, whichabuts ast the west wing, should not have been placed there, but as it is there, all the windows on that end should be provided with iron shut- ters, as should be also all the windows of the four wings opening into the court yard. GENEKAL RECOMMENDATIONS AT TO THEATERS, Ere. It 4s alsosugcested that the law in regard to obstructing the aisles of theaters be rigidly en- foreed; that a coil or ventilator, in the shape of # funnel, be erected in the roof of each, over the stage, to act as a flue and carry off the e, und that the gas pipes and meters for the froat part of the house and those. for the stexe be entirely separate. They recommend ihe Martin & Barnes combined autom: fire extinguisher with sprinkler for the Goyernment Printing office aud other goverament buildings in the District. Report No. 2, THE LEFORM SCHOOL, INSANE ASYLUM, DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM, ETC. ‘The second report of the commission, sent to the District Commissioners to-day, is as follows: We have the honor to state that since the pre- vious report we have examined Odd Fellows’ hall, 7th between D and E streets; Marini’s hall, E between 9th-and 10th streets; Sheldon’ hall, F between 10th and 1ith streets; Congre- gational church, corner 10th and G streets; in- Sane asylun, Known as St. Elizabeth, situated on the north bank of the Anacostia river, and the reform school, situated on the Bladensburg pike. on galler} see if any eavesdropping reporter had con- cealed himself within the chamber. dignity even stooped to look under the benches in the galleries and under the seats in the reporters’ gallery. Of course, no intruding re- porter wa: vinced that none save those legally eatitied to standing this precaution, the pewspapers con- tinuedto publish full reports of the secret ses- sions, including the expedition to and search of the galleries. “After aday or two's talk over the matter it dawned upon the Senatorial mind that Mr. Edmunds had, in fact, discovered the method of leaking, by the search be instituted. that the only way in which the secrets got out was by some Seuator telling them. He was not willing to stand up in the Senate and intimate that the Senators gave away executive secrets; but he compelled the Senate to show ftself that the body contained the leaks. tor upon Senator Fair recently, Senator called upon a widow of this city, who formerly resided on the Pacific Coast. The widow has a bright little girl, ive or six years of age. Senator Fuir during his visit got on such friendly terms with this she insisted upon showing him her doll. It was a very common rag doll, but the little girl of- course thought it a beauty. The Senator left without his coat pocket where the child had put it. He discovered it the next day, however, and in- stead of- sent her a box strengthed at the expira’ son of assemblazes. ‘At Sheldon’s hall we propose that bot) sets of exit doors at entrance and the one on second Qoor between the back rooms be changed to open outward anda hand-rail placed oa the west side ofthe main stairway *At the Congregational church w all the exit doors be chan, asa matter of precatt! if being crowded, to place an iron post under the circular corners of each of the galleries. Atthe deaf and dumb asylam, with the ex- ception of the west section, the butl¢ are of ordinary construction. The stairway floor joists and a portion of the partitions are of wood. It is well provided with water in case of fire, but a8 & precaution to check and contr it occur, we recommend the piacinz of one of Martin & Barnes’ Automatic Fire Extinguishers, or any other equally as efficient, with sprinkler attachment, in the eastern portion of the build- ing. The insane esyium buildincs are of ordinary constraction—the floor, joists and stairways ‘on of Uie preseat sea- west that outward, event of (except two small ones), the roofs and & portion of the partitions are of wood. The buildings are provided with water and haveattachments at various points, but containing such a large number of persons, nearly all of whom are incapable of taxing care of themselves in case of fire, we would suggest that as fast as practicable the stairways and floors of corridors be reconstructed h fire proof material, and to prevent a general fire we would also recommend that each section of the buildings, where connected by corridors or doors, be fitted with iron partitions where there are no brick ones, and iron rs at all c onnect- ing openings. team coils in basement are enclosed by long lines of board partitions, ex- tending from fioor to ceiling ning a hollow chamber, which is not only combustible, but if once on fire a perfect conductor from one por- tion of the building to her, and to the floors. which are of wor ediately over them. We would r end that all these partitions be remoy and the chambers be formed by four inch brick walls with iron doors in same, for use to repair or replace the coils. The rm school, acceunt of its Isolated con, 1 and construction, needs special atten- lion. ‘The water. supplied’ by two tanks in the fourth story. and the hose and connections are totally ina wate if a fire should get well started, es} ly if one should ovcur at night The dormitories are on the top floer in what may be termed a story formed by a mansard The ing. is of wood. The’ oniy is by a narrow door at onecor which opens in each case into a narrow passage, which leads to the stair- way. Iferther of these passates or the st way shouid be blocked by fire, the loss of life would be great. We would suggest that an ad- dition be constructed at the 1 cn of the wings, with ample stairways in each.from bas mentto top floors, connecting at each floor with doors of sufficient thus affording ape trom fire ifthe passaze’or stairway be obstructed at ths ciher extreme end of the room. As this building, if on fire, is out of reach of the fire department, and in its present condition and facilities would no doubt be en- tirely consumed, we recommend that an ample fire extinguisher be placed in the building as speedily as possible, and the walls of the upper story be built of brick to take the place of the Present wooden construction. +++ EB CLOAK-ZOOMS, Peenliaritics of these Instimtions—The cratic Moom the Jotliesi—Why tb Cleak-room Jokhes—ilew ecutive Session Secrets Lenk Out. The Senate cloak-rooms are the recesses where the Senators hang their bats and coats and relax their dignity. There is a cloak-room on each side ot the Senate exte main or south ent t one THE ce round to the side en- ices on the east aud west, respectively. The on the republican side is reserved for re- publican Senators; that on the democratic side | for the undera be . It would bea violent | jon of senatorial dignity for any outsider to use one of these pers. The rights of lican senators are confined to the repu cloxk-room on the east side and those of demo- crats to the democratic cloak-room on the west side of the chamber. WHERE CONKLING HUNG HIS HAT. This custom has been ignored only in one no- table instance. Senator Conkling, during nis service, always hung his hat and cloak in the democratic room. He had the peg nearest the door leading into the Senate ch: Though he made use of that cloak-room be spent less time in it than, perhaps, any other republican Senator. He rarely ever stepped longer than was required to dof or don his wraps. Why Senator Conkling made himself the single ex- ception to the rule observed by all others of using the cloak-room of their respective side was a source of wonder to a great many; but no explanation was ever made. It is a somewhat remarkable fact, observed by all visitors to the cloak-rooms, that there isa marked difference in the general tone und character imparted to the two. THERE IS MORE SOCIABILITY in the democratic room than inthe other. It seems as if it were easier for the Senators to lay aside their oppressive dignity in the democratic room. When republican Senators want to un- bend for awhile and, while smoking a cisar, ex- funny stories, tell joke char etc., they fre- quently visit the democratic cloak-room. 38 an air of dignity and decorum which contin- ually pervades the republican room; it is not visible inthe democratic room. It has been suggested, by way of explanation of this, that the most rigid sticklers for senatorial dignity are on the republican side, and they act as a sort of damper upon their less stately associates. SENATOR EDMUNDS’ PRACTICAL JOKE. Many good stories and jokes upon Senators find vent through tite cloak-rooms. Upon one occasion discussion in cloak-rooms enlightened the Senators to the fact that a joke had been practiced upon them all. It was at a time when the secrets of the daily executive sessions were leaking out freeiy. In fact, the executive pro- ceedings were no eecret, for the newspapers daily published everything that was said and done which was worth publishing. Senator Edmunds is a strict constructionist of all rules and laws. He believes im making executive sessions secret. No newspaper reporter ever found aleakin him. It isdoubtful if any one ever tried. In one of the executive sessions the subject of the accuracy with which the pers got reports of proceedings supposed to be secret was brought up by Mr. Edmunds, who protested against it and insisted that it should be stopped. At his instance all the doors of the were examined to see if they were , and all the recesses were looked into to locks Senatorial iseovered, and the Senate was con- be present heard the proceedings. Notwith- He had compelied the Senators to demonstrate | A JOKE UPON SENATOR FATR. ne, should | ading from the | | for 1882 g RELIGIOUS NOTES. —The Jowwish Messenger hax just celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of it# fire publication. —Nearly three-fourths of the churches in the Episcopal diocese of Central Penusylvania have their seats tree, or $9 out of 86. —A great revival is ingprogress In the Ha- waiian isiands. The missionaries say there has been nothing like it since the revival of 1838. —Rev. Chas. Yates, of Rappahannock, has ac- cepted the call of the Oid School Baptist churea, at Luray, Page county —Rev. Win. H. Cooke, pastor of the Presby- terian church in Havre de Grace, has received & call to Virginia, and holds tt under advise- ment. —By vote ofthe faculty of Chicago Theological Seminary the revised New Testameut wiil bere- after be used in the religious exervises of that acho @ Rev. A.B. Simpson, who lately became a Baptist, but is unaMliated denominationaliy, has secured the Acade:ny of Music, New York, for Sunday evening services. —The Rev. Dr. Heary Little, sr., of Madison, Ind., ts gradually dying of cancer in the face, @ disease which it wil! be remembered, caused the death of Dr. W. I. Budington, of Brooklyn. —The pastorate of Calvary church, New York, with Its income of £12,000 a year, has been de- clined by the Rey. Canon Carmichael, of Hem! ton, Canada, to whom it was offered recently. —The Central Congregational church of Brooklyn has a body 50 Chinamen under ita The recent Christmas festival in which Participated was a novel and interesting affair —The Roman Catholic Archbishop of San 1 steps to establish a serie city for evangelizing the Chinese, © or three young priesis have beon sent to China for special training. —Mr. Bee last Sunday expressed disbe- Hef in the doctrine of eternal punishment. Iis doctrine is this: “Penalty so long #m it ceases to do ; then annihilation if you believe it; but eternal punishment nev —Dr. Jessup, of Beirut, reports that unusval crowds have been attending ser in the and that it is the preaching of ys sermons, obtained from ine Beirut , that has cansed the great stir. —The synod of the French Protestant church ax appointed a commission to consider all the existing French translations of the Bible, with w either to the adoption ef one or the rec- idation that a new version be made. —Those members of the Cooke church, Toron- to, who separated from the congregation on ac- count of the introduction of a musical instra- ment, have formed them A sOCiet called “The Presbyterian Defeuse Association. —The Arkansas conference of the Union Afri- can Methodist Episcopal church has been aly rbed by the Little Rock conference (also-ool- ed) of the Methodist Episcopal church. ‘The former conference embraced 25 preachers and 350 members. —It is reported at Rome that the Pope has sented to allow Cardinal Ledochowsky, the Archbishop ef Posen, to resign his see.’ The Ss considered the chief obstacle to a i between the Vatican and Ger n David A. Wills, who is now stn tioned at Walla Walla, Washington Teritory, bas | consented to occupy the pulpit of the Camber- and Pi an church, at that plice, just va- iby Kev. 1. W. Eagan, uutil a regular | pastor can be obtained. | —The Rey. W. HL i ! er, D.D., probably the preacher in the United signed his parish in Chicago, and inistry to study Jaw. | He is said to be weaithy and abie to live a reste It is also sald that his doo | views Lave undergone a chauge. —The Year Book of the Unitarian churches ves as the whole number of churches 44, seven more than for 1881. The whole number of ministers is 404. Of the list for 1881, 14 died the past year; 10 were graduated from the two divinity schools, 6 from Cambridge, and 4 from Meadville. The names of four wo- meu ure in the list of ministers, —A very successful revival Is in progress at High Street M. E. church, Baltimore, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Dr. E. D. Owen. Already more than fifty persons have professed conver- sion, and the interest seems unabated. Dr. Owen was eminently successful in the several stations of which be was pastor in this city the last twelve or fifteen years. — The “ Boy Preacher,” Harrison, commenced a series of revival meetings in Cincinnati Wed- jest Universalist has nesday evening. The attendauce was not as large as had been“ e: but he deciared that be had come “to shake Cincinnati from end to end,” and that “a breeze of Almightiness would sweep over the city, and a thousand a night be converted.” ‘There are in Richmond, Va., 55 churches, with 30,146 members. The list of churches in- cludes 3 Catholic, 19 Baptist, 10 Episcopal, 10 Methodist, and 4 Presbyterian congrezations. The Baptists number 16.554, of whom 12 colored. The Episcopalians number il, the Methodists 3.150, the Presbyterians 1,471, and the Catholics 5.051, The population of the city — and nearly one-hwif are church mem- TS, —A correspondent of the Living Church writes from Buffalo: “Bishop Coxe has been expressing himself very decidedly in a Buffalo paper on theater-coing parsons. His views condemna tory of this custom are well put and to the point, and wilt doubtless have much more tn- fluence than his Official Counseis’ of last sum- mer on confirmation veils. It is not likely, how- ever, that theater-going on the part of the clergy is a very wide-spread habit.” —Dr. Pentecost, who was once a Baptist, but is now a Congregutionalist, thus states in the Independent his position on “infant baptism:” “T have had but two lufants presented for con- secration since I have been here. In both cases T have distinctly disavowed infant baptism and administered the rite of consecration, never using the word baptism in theservice. I do not believe in infant baptism, but I do believe and practice infant consecration, when parents so desire it. —Spurgeon thus speaks of the misrepresenta- tion of clergymen: “As surely as any of you speak for the Lord you will be misunderstood. That is not the worst of it; you will be wilfully misrepresented. They will turn your words up- fide down. As for me, it is utterly Impossibie for me to saya single sentence which some fool or another cannot twist into mischief, andI give patent and license to everybody to do 80 that chooses to do It, as far as 1am concerned. The thing that was farthest from our mind, and which our soul abhored, bas often been made to be said when we neither said nor thought any- thing of the kind.” —Inanswerto the Inquiry, “ifCongregational- ism hasany permanent hold inthe District of Col- umbia,” a corre-pondent of the Chicago Advance says that Plymouth rock has not a firmer base than this denomination here ; that it has the first Congregational church, formed in November, 1865, now numbering about seven hundred mem- bers, a Sabbath school of some 350, besides its large mission schools, a very large chureh centrally located, and worth $100,000. Next is the Lincoln Memorial church (Rev. 8. P. — an outgrowth of the mission among the color ople in the northern part of the city. It was Formed ebout one year aro, has some poeta aed members, and a fair-sized Sabbath school. Third, the “Co jon of the Taber- nacle,” Rev. W. W. Hicks, or, & new or— A good joke was told by a brother Sena- The Nevada young Miss aware that the rag doll was in it to the juveni handsome dolls. Upon ganization composed of meni of the Ryland M. E. Chapel, who left about nine mouths ago on accouat of the rulings of the presiding elder over the question of assignment of a preacher. They have about fifty members. They have nearly finisped a beautiful church. in South Washington, to seat about seven hundred. The 4