Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-12
District Affairs I'm Congress.
THE POINT LOOKOUT RAILROAD.

nlItee dSfeeu 10 again report the Dill giving
| authority to the Washington City and Poin,
Pookout railroad TO extend their line within the
limits of the District of Columbia, with the
amendment: shat no grading shall be
| ton City and Point Lookout railroad com
Dany in the city of Washington until II
shah have graded and tied the entire line of it,
railroad from a point on the Baltimore and
Potomac railroad at or near Brsndywine city.
in Prince Georges county, to a point on the
railroad now constructed by the Washington
City and Point Lookout railroad company part
ly within the county of Prince Georges and
partly within the District OF Columbia; and
provided that the said work of grading and tieing
shall be completed within two years from the
LIST of July, 1874.
This amendment is represented to be satisfac-
tory TO both companies, and secures the con-
structiOn of railroad communication from Point
Lookout to the city of Washington without I'M
necessary delay. BraLdywine is the point where
the Southern Maryland railroad intersects the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad.
THE INDUSTRIAL HOME SCHOOL.
delegation from the Industrial Home School
of Georgetown was also heard, asking an appro-
priatOn OF $50 600 for the erection or building
adapted to the needs and requirements of the
institution. The subject was referred 10 a sub
committee.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS
of the House District Committee hold a special
meeting next Wednesday to consider matters
pertaining to street railroads in the city OF
Washington.
THE COLUMBIAN INSTITUTION FOR THE
BLIND.
In the Senate to-day, Mr. Johnston intro
duced bill, which was referred to the District
OF Columbia Committee, amendatory of the act
approved February %, 1865, entitled ''An act to
amend an act entitled AN act to incorporate
the Columbian Institution for the Instruction
of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind APP
proved February l6, 1872 The bill provides
that section of the said act approved
February %, 1865, be amended as follows
That all after the word constructed" In line 4,
be stricken out, and in lieu thereof the fellow
ing enacted: ''The Columbia institution for
the blind, at cost not greater for each pupil
lumbia Institution for the blind, and not
greater than the cost of each pupil in the Mary
land Academy for the Blind, and to cause the
same to be paid out of the Treasury of the
United States. That this act shall take effect
from and after said Columbia Institution for
the Blind shall have been actually established
ana ready to receive o,,. pupils and shall
to the Secretary of the Interior. This
bill is for the purpose of aiding in the establish
ment of the institution referred to, which was
authorized by the District of Columbia.
MODE OF CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION
The sub-committe. of the joint select com
mittee TO investigate District affairs, held a
meeting at O'Clock this afternoon, 10 consider
the best mode of conducting the investigation
1t is understood that they will report to the full
committee in favor OF having the accusers of
the District authorities present their CHARGES in
writing, together with the names of the wit
nesses by whom they expect TO prove their ale
cations, and that the committee will confne
themselves to the investigation OF these charges.
Inc committee Will sit during the sessions of
Congress, and will not be ready to begin before
Tuesday of next week.
RRTRENCHMENT.-FdifOr of the Fre1ino yfnr.
Rumors are abundant with respect to what Con-
gress will do in the matter of retrenchment in
the executive departments but il is difficult TO
determine to what extent these are reliable
something real, however, is presented in the
Dill introduced in the house the other day by
General WOodtord. 1t Is at least a proposal
auth0ritatively made public to do something in
that direction. He proposes to reduce the force
ten per cent, increase the Office hours half of
the year one hour each day, and the other half
two hours each day, and to increase the paw
five per cent.
My understanding of the opinion of the com
mlttee having this matter of retrenchment in
the departments in charge is, that the force i'm
these departments is ten per cent. too large
NOW, II this opinion is correct what need is there
OF increasing the number OF the Office hours?
just stop filling vacancies as they occur from
designations, deaths, and dismissals from "good
cause" at once, and by the end of the fiscal
year tne redIctlon contemplated will have been
accomplished, or nearly so, and nobody harshly
expelled from place, with no business to sun
port himself and family.
But have valid objection to an increase Of
once hours. Is General WoodfOrd and those
acting earnestly with him In the matter of re-
Ienchment, not cOgniZant, or only obliyious OF
the fact, that physiological law has impressed
itself IN results in the faces and forms of the
human Kind that mental labor at the clerks
desk is very much more exhausting to the fac
ultles than physical labor out OF doors. -Four
hours at desk in an office, of close applica-
uon. is much more hurtful than eight of man.
ual labor. in the fields. And this Is the reason
why there are more instances of impaired
health from various causes from nervous de-
ellity, general debility, dyspepsia ETC., in these
departments, in proportion to the number en-
ployed there-than there is in any other class
outside of them. really indulge II q hone That
congress will not do it, despite the humane
tendencies of the age and 70 the prevalent dis
position to heed hygenic conditions and rules.
y. Y. L..