Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-13
The District In CONGRESS.

Senator Dorsey introduced in the Senate to,
gay bill to amend an act entitled, an act re
a1lng TO the Alexandria canal, approved July
q, 1858. The bill provides. that section 4of the
act referred to be repealed, and the bridge
authorized uii to he constructed by the Alexan-
ora or s canal company, across the Potomac river,
declared a free bridge.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT
have granted hearing on Friday nex5 to
Columbus Alexander and Judge Dent to speak
In opposition 10 the bill in relation to assess
mentS in the District agreed upon by the COM
mlttee Yesterday, and mentioned in yester-
REMOVAL OF RAILROAD TRACKS
Mr.. dorsey introduced in the Senate yeSter-
DAY Oil which provides that the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company is hereby re-
CURED to remove its railroad tracks on any
portion Of the city of Washington south of the
nOrth side OF Massachusetts avenue within
TWO years from and after the passage of this
act and all parts of any act or acts authOriz-
ing SAID railroad company, or the Metropolitan
branch of the said road to lay down or main
tam tracks south of the north line of MasSa-
cnuSet1S avenue, ale repealed.
Sec. Z mat the said Baltimore and Ohio
kallf0ad Company and the Metropolitan
Dranch OF said road are authorized to lay down
thelr tracks, not exceeding four in number,
either along lst or along Delaware avenue, as
sad company may elect, north of MaSSachu.
setts avenue, through the city of Washington
and nOrthWardly beyond Boundary street, SO
as TO connect with the track or tracks of the
metropolitan branch of said road at any con-
yenient point in said District north of Boun
Diary street upon the payment for the right OF
way, to be aScertained and assessed in the
mode and manner prescribed by the act or
acts authorizing the construction of said
lumbia.
Sec. B. That prior to January l. 1880, the B.
80 company shall remove all its railroad
tracks from any portion of the city of Wash
ington other than the tracks herein author
ized; and al! parts of any act or acts author
lzlng said railroad company, or the Metropol-
tain any other railroad tracks in the city OF
Washington than these herein authorized are
repealed and the city of Washington, or any
officer OF the United States or of said city, or
OF the District OF Columbia, authorized to re-
pair or improve the streets of said city, are
hereby AUTHORIZED and required to remove
any such railroad tracks within the limits of
sad city remaining therein after the date
Sec: 4. That in constructing the tracks here
IN authorized wlthiE the city of Washington
the said B. \ o. r. R. company. shall build
protection stone wall on each side of its road
bed, where its road bed is below the natural
surface OF the ground, to be approved by the
officer of the United States charged with the
Superlntendence OF the public buildings and
grounds: and when said road bed crosses the
streets or avenues of said city below the
grades of said streets or avenues the United
States shall build, or require the city of Wash
lngton to build, suitable bridges across said
road bed, SO as to allow free passage along
Sald sac streets and avenues over said railroad
Sec. 5. That all the conditions aud restrc-
lions OF any prior acts now in force in relation
to said B. & .: r. r. company and the Metro
p9itan branch of said road not modified or
changed by this act, and all provisions for the
requirement of land by condemnation or
otherwise for the use of depots or other neces-
saTy s;ty @ railroad purposes, shall be and remain in
not be lawful for the said B. 4 o. r. r. com
pany, or the metropolitan branch of said road
TO run any steam locomotive engine within
tne city OF Washington at rate of speed eX
ceedlng four miles per hour; and any viola
Ton OF this provision shall subject the com
pany aforesaid to penalty of sl09
PRACTICE OF PHARMACY IN THE DISTRICT
The committee for the District of Columbia,
to whom was referred the House bill to regu
OF Columbia, having had the same under con.
slderation, make the following report: The
safety OF the public requires that the practice
OF pharmacy and the sale of poisOnS Should be
put under certain restrictions. 1t is a recog-
-nIzed principle thatno person shall be allowed
rOrfaetlce laWin the courts who has not given
of the necessary knowledge of the law; and
yt II party to lawsuit employs person
VINO has not acquired that necessary legal
Iuaifcat1on, he can only be injured in his
eafthiy welfare. But person who makes it
his business to dispense medicines and sub
stances which, although wholesome if prop
cry apIlled, may be destructive of human life
been and is at present, in the District
of Columbia, free from every control or
restraint save only the interest he may
In all European countries the business OF a
pharmacist or druggist is put under legal re-
Str3int, and also in this country several states
have passed laws regulating, the practice of
York, Pennsylvana and Illinois. That legis-
latlve regulation of the practice of pharmacy
IS wise is now almost universally admitted and
that it is needed. in the District of Columbia
your committee is most positively assured but
any law of that kind, in order not to be op-
pressive, must be simply prospective in its re-
be SO framed as to be deemed inquistorial in
its character, and any restrictions other than
such as are absolutely unavoidable in order to
insure competent pharmacists and protect the
public from ignorance should be carefully
avoided. Acting upon these principles, your
committee framed the bill so as to be simply
pinlh prospecting, radd and to AVOID everything which
The question next arising was, how the com
missioners of pharmacy, whose duty it shall
be to decide who in future should be per-
appointed. The original bill provided for
their appointment by the President from a
nuMDer OF persons nominated by the National
considering that these commissioners were
only local officers, came TO the conclusion that
ihelr appointment ought to be left to the Dis
different interests, that three should be taken
from the practicing pharmacists and two
from the practicing physicians. The bill pre-
scribes the qualifications which pharmacists
should saS oh have in order to be considered quail
range. Those qualifications have been eS-
tablshed he after consultation with lead
In accordance with the law in force in the
state OF New York, your committee put Ger
tain restrictions on the sale of poisons and
poisonous substances and compounds, and
prohibited pro- 61teo the sale OF Intoxicating liquors
stores stores as beverages. The place where medi.
to drinking saloon, but ought to be confined
to the legitimate business of preparing the
medicines for the sick Another sectiOu Which
your committee added to the original bill is
intended to. restrict itinerant quacks in the
sale OF quack medicines, and practicing upon
the creduIity and Ignorance of the unedIcated
classes. With the alterations and additions
indicated. your committee recommends the
passage of the bill.
MARYLAND CONFERENCE METHODIST PROT
EsTANT CHURoH:-This body meets in its tif-
tieth annual session to-day at Easton, Talbot
county, Md, Rev. d. w. Bates presiding and
ReVs. B. F. Benson, j. d. KinZer, and f. T.
Tapp secretaries The confaranca iS oonSti