Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-02-06
The District in CONGRESS,

The House committee on the District of Co
lumbia met to day and had q long discussion
on the bill to provide a form of government
for the District of Columbia 1t was decided
That no one should be entitled to vote here who
shall not have resided here three years and
within that time never claimed u residence
elsewhere. In addition, that every one enti-
tied to vote shall have paid the poll tax, the
amount of which the committee will hereafter
determine: The qualifications for election to
the council were also decided upon. to wit:
that no person shall be eligible to a seat in the
body who shallnot have been a bona fide resi-
dent OF the District for five years. and own in
lee simple at least 5000 of property in realty
The committee adjourned with an amendment
pending that the council shall consist of T. in
stead OF "a members.
wAsHINGToN's BIRTHDAY
The bill introduced in the Senate few DAYS
ago TO make the I'D of February a legal holiday
in the District of Columbia was referred to the
Judiciary committee. To-day, on motion of
Mr.. Edmunds, the bill was referred to the
committee on the District of Columbia.
NEW LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.
Stanley Matthews introduced a bill in the
Senate today to incorporate the National
Security Life Insurance Company of the Dis
Sidney Dean, Jas. F. Starbuck, EnOch T. Car,
s%i,h s"n W., W. MRsekey O. Hadley Oliver Sod
Thompson, A. j: Kelar, +. $. Davis, Harry
Mccoy, Preston Roberts, X. d. Simpson, John
G BuIch ivI: D; VIC: Wheeler, A; H. Fish, s. B.
III. IL. Us j,
PW Hitchcock, E. W. Keys, % Geo. S A. {; Cantne, n
Joseph T. ~ Patten, Charles Clayton, John A
aega O sm6 W MdrTlinn MMi1s9 John a. f5ees
Smith, {. l.. Magee, p. c. Cheney, WIN. Van
deyer, Joseph y: McQuade, Wmi. NJ. Ashley
John F. Swift, Alex. Ramsey, Jas: o. Broad
mead, NJ. g. Urum, John +. Devlin, Seth l..
Phelps. Harvey NJ. Watterson. John Kim
ball, William Larabee, Joseph Kenyon,
George w. Chilcott and Orlando j. Hodge.
N m or or fi,-a
OF them, shall be board of commissioners to
meet IN this city during sixty days after the
passage OF the act to open subscriptions to the
capital stock of the company. Directors. not
less than seven nor more than thirteen, are to
manage the business. and the officers of the
company will consist OF a president, two vice
presidents, secretary, treasurer, and one
actuary. The capital stock of the company is
hXed at sum not exceeding S2.000,O0, in
shares of 800 each.
THE INADEQUACY OF THE POLICE FORCE.
The Attorney General has sent to the Speaker
OF the House communication from the sec
retary OF the police board to Secretary SchurZ,
which says" The executive force consists of
l major and superintendent, captain and in
SpectOr, 10 lieutenantS. 20 Sergeants. 300 pr
Yates, and detectives, comprising for active
service on the streets, 23S. This allowance was
what 1t is, and the area requiring police sur
yeilance not One-thrd. Through failure to ap-
prOpriate by Congress for the past two years.
the number is much below that authorized
The number of privateS now in service is 49,
or these $50, numbers are doing permanent de-
tail duty, and cannot be called upon for patrol
duty. There are 19 details. These details are
essential; in fact, there are numbers of Others
that should be made-nOtably in the public
Squares-but owing to the inadequacy of the
force, the number has been restricted to those
absolutely necessary. The District is divided
into eight precincts, under the Immediate con-
troll OF lieutenant. The men in each precinct
are divided into two platOOns, each platoon
into two sections. During the night a full pla
t0On is on duty, during the day section.
There are upwards of $40 miles of streets and
alleys requiring police patrol Now, but 70
men can be put on duty at night. 1t follows
that when the city is patrolled as thoroughly
as possible under the present allowance each
man has nearly five miles of beat A serious
hamperng Of the force by lack of appropria
ton and lnSut1iciency of numbers, is the few
mounted men We are able to retain Outside
the city limits of Washington and Georgetown
the county is infested by thieves and burglars:
foOtmen are useless for the protection OF this
section, an area of five by thirty miles There
should be at least thirty mounted men,"
SEVENTY FOUR BODIES from the lost steamer