Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-04-03
District Affairs In Congress.
PIoCfspiNGs OF THE SENATE COMMITTEES To-

T EKNATR C0MMITTEE no
DAY.
The Senate Committee on the District Of o.
lunbia held their regular weekly meeting to-
day; present-Messrs. Lewis (chsirman), Hatch
cock, Robertson, Johnston and Spencer.
TIE BILL TO PAY THE SCHOOL TEACHERS.
The first measure taken up for consideration
wss the hi whsch recently passed the House
spIIopratin2 Sg7 400 ser the payment of the
tea6 h, r. OF the public schools. Messvs. rhomp-
son, Hilton and Page, principals OF the Jeffer-
lively, were present. Mr.. j. h. Thompson,
principal eff the jefferson school, explained th .
Ut cessIty for the passage OF the bill. He SAID
there are go teachers in the District, of whom
I ut % are men, and they all actually sat
feIing The bill proposes simply an advance,
and the money is to be repaid by the ID strict to
the general government. He explained that
the organic act IL not sufficiently explicit In
gard TO the schools and how they shall be sup
ported. Several members OF the committee
said the trouble was that Congress has no guar
aI'tse for the reimburse ment OF the money
which it is proposed to advance. Besides, this
bill would, II passed, establish a precedent, and
ut the next session OF Congress the District au-
thOriti might again come forward and ask
tor a similar measure The members gener-
to relieve the teachers Finally it was
agreed to report the bill fav0rably. Mr.. Rob
ertson was in FAVOR of the bill, except that Dor
ton of 1t providing that the District govern
ment shall levy tax on personal property to
reimburse the general government. He moved
an amendment to strike that out, but it was
lost, MI; Robertson alone voting aye. He gave
amendment when the bill came up for action in
the Senate. Mr.. Spencer was directed to report
the bill without amendment. On motion of Mr..
Johnston, a sub committee. consisting OF Messrs
Johnston and Hitchcock, was appointed to draw
mp bill to be submitted to the committee
which shall prevent the necessity for a recur-
fence OF similar action on the part of Congress,
and making more definite provisions for the
levying and collecting Of moneys for the support
of the schools.
During the discussion on the school bill, Mr.
j. .. Wilson, superintendent of schools, and
MesSrs. Hart, Henry johnson, Archibald Lewis
and 5. Wolf, trustees OF the white and colored
schools, entered the room, but noticing the
presence of the teachers, ana that they were
explaining the necessity for the passage OF the
bill, soon left.
TIE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO TIE INCoR
PoRATIoN ACT.
The bill to amend the act OF Congress for the
formation of corporations under general law
was reported by Mr. Spencer, to whom it was
referred at the last meeting Of the committee :,
with the statement that he saw no reason for
Its passage, as, in his opinion, the act of Con
gress covers the ground. The bill and amend
ment were referred to Mr.. JbertsOn.
THE POINT LOOKOUT RAILROAD.
DR.. e. III. Nichols, of the government hospi-
tai for the Insane, appeared before the commit
tee in reference to the bill supplementary to Al
act to authorize the Washington City and Point
Lookout Railroad Company TO extend a railroad
into and within the District OF Columbia. He
udu no epcCldl 10 the existence OF tue
road but appeared in behalf OF the inter ests OF
the general government in the insane asylum.
The company should be required to build a
tressle work across the front of the hospital
grounds, and tor twenty five feet outside OF
both of the lateral boundary walls of the hospi-
tai grounds, and the present embankments
fronting the extreme ends of the river wall,
and for twenty five feet outside of the boundary
walls should be removed. He said the company
had agreed to build tressle for the track across
the entire front OF the grounds, but have used
embankmeDts at both ends-5O feet at one end
and 156 feet at the other. They should be re-
quired to build q tressle work in order not to
interfere with the interests of the hospital. AS
1t Is, boating and bathing, both OF which are
excellent exercises for a certain class of pa
tients, are now cut of. After hearing DIR.
Nichols, the committee directed Mr.. Spencer
to report the bill as amended by DIR. N, and
with the following additional section:
Sec. -. "That no railroad or other corpora
ton at present existing, or which may be here
after incorporated, shall enter upon any lot.
square, or other ground or part thereof, owned
or held by the United States within the limits
of the District Of Columbia, for any pur Doses
whatever except as may hereafter be allowed
BY special act Of Congress"