Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-20
The District i'm Congress-.
THE SENATE BILL FOR PERMANENT COVER

llt Stlldte COIlllllltttc Oh DlStGlCG Vi SOlum-
bia met this morning. No subcommittee
were ready to report, and beyond referring a
few bills no public business was transacted.
The members OF the committee discussed in
formally the management of the District bill
in the Senate. The committee is practically a
have been proposed to the House bill, and they
will resist all attempts which may be made in
the Senate to alter the committees amend
mentS.
THE VALLEY OF THE TIBER.
Senator Window presented in the Senate to-
day petition largely signed by residents and
property owners of that section OF the city
known as the Tiber valley. The petitioners
want an appropriation of $50, 600 for the special
purpose OF enabling the District Commission
Capitol and the grading and sewerage of said
valley between the points of and L streets
northeast.
PoLICEMEN's PAY.
A committee of policemen this morning
waited upon the House DistrcS committee for
hearing on the subject of a reduction of the
pay of police of this District, that being a
question before the committee in the con
sideratiOn of the new DiStricS bill. The COM
mittee were not ready to hear the delegation,
and fixed the time for hearing on Wednesday
next. The public sentiment is against the pro
posed reduction. The police force of this Dis
trict is one of the best in the country; made
up Of able bodied and generally sober and re-
liable men, and considering the arduous
duties they have to perform and the extended
beats they have to cover, the pay is little
enough.
TAN ON STREET RAILROADS.
Mr. Rollins introduced in the Senate to-day
the following resolution, which was adopted:
ReSOtred, That the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia be. and they hereby are,
directed to furnish TO the Senate the following
information: FirSG. The amount of taxes
assessed against the several street railroads
in the District of Columbia Tor each fiscal year
under the provision of their charter, declaring
that their roads shall be deemed real estate
and liable to taxation as other real estate, and
what portion of said taxes has been collected
Second. If there has in any year been any
omission to assess such taxes or enforce the
collection of the same, the reasons therefor
Third. The amount of special improvement
taxes assessed against each of said roads. the
streets or avenues upon which such assess
ments were made, the amount collected there
ON, and the streets, avenues or roads occupied
by said roads, for the improvement of which
no assessment has been made against them.
Fourth. Whether in case of the changes in the
grades OF the streets and avenues occupied by
any Of the said roads, the said railroads are
required TO change their said road so as to con-
form to such altered grade and pavements, or
was the cost of such change paid by the Dis
appraised value of the real estate other than
their roads or tracks owned and occupied by
each of said roads Sixth The amount Of
licenses or other taxes assessed or collected of
each of said roads for each fiscal year since
July l, 1871, and the amount, if any, now due
and unpaid.
DISTRICT BILLS IN THE HOUSE.
The District of Columbia committee will be
called at two O'Clock this afternoon, when the
following bills will be reported favorably:
A bill appropriating $500 in aid of the
Roberts Lunch House. 1t directs the pay
ment OF this amount in weekly installments of
$lG0 each.
Also, a bill to authorize the District Commits
TO iha hY,ilH Hin.r ,l,tin
the District, and to prescribe such regulations
for the sale of coal as they may deem eXpe-
dient.
Also, the bill to provide for the CONVEYANCE
of the low grounds in the city of Washington.
1t provides that chapter 90, of the lSt session
of the 18th Congress- which vested said lands
in the mayor of the city of Washington be
vested in the Secretary OF the Interior.
Also, the bill TO compel the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad to remOVv its tracks. 1t requires
their tracks entering the city to come in by
Also, the bill for the Improvement of the
sewerage of Washington. The bill is to carry
out the Major Randolph plan but it is left dis
cretionary with the Commissioners.
vised statutes Of the District, the effect of
which is to vest the appointment of Register
OF Wills for the District in the Supreme Court
of the District.
Also, the bill to provide for the settlement
OF all outstanding claims against the District.
The bill gives the Court of Claims authority to
Also, the bill to provide that persons SEN
fenced to hard labor by the courts of the Dis
trict may be confined in the District Jail. 1t
workshops within, and wall around the jail
Also, bill amendatory of the act to incor-
Porate the Capitol, North o street, and South
tension Of the road to the Howard University,
Soldiers Home, and st. Patrick's cemetery
Also, the bill authorizing the District Com
missioners to purchase the SeatOn House for
nffi inoS arta ainin tn hQ niStri or
Also, the bill to regulate the practice of
pharmacy IN the District.
Also the bill regulating the appointment of
bse u The for ieee eas
to be appointed by the President, two for
Georgetown, one for Tennallytown, one for
BrightwOOd, one for UniOntown, and ten for
Washington, to hold their offices four years
The authority to appoint twenty constables is
vested in the District Supreme Court.
Alsoi the bill compelling the street railroads
OF the District to accept in payment of fare the
tickets OF any other company.
!, Also the bill to protect game and birds in
the District. Its provisions have heretofore
been printed in THE STAR.
Also, the bill to allow the trustees and over
seers OF the Columbian University to hold here
an annual meeting in May or June.
Also, bill authorizing the Commissioners
OF the District to refund to any persons who
have heretofore been enormously assessed for
special improvement taxes on property not
belonging to them, such moneys as they shall
be found to have paid as taxes upon such er-
rOneOuS assessment.
Also, the bill prohibiting the leasing of the
Unitarian church property for police court
purposes.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE ON THE ABOVE BILLS.
At two O'Clock Gen. Williams, chairman of
the District committee, reported the bill au-
thOrizing the Commissioners of the District to
refund taxes enormously assessed, and it was
passed.
Also the bill to change the time of the an
nual meeting of the trustees of the Columbian
College, which was passed.
The bill to authorize the District Commits
SiOners to make and enforce rules to insure
full weight of coal in the District, and also to
make and enforce building regulations was
passed.
Mr. Blackburn reported the bill to incorpo-
rate the National Fair Grounds Association,
andit was pending when our report closed.
ANOTHER WHISKY BELL PUNCH BILL.
Mr.. PridemOre, of Virginia. this morning in
trOduced bill similar to the Moffet (Va)
liquor law and providing for its use in the
District of Columbia. About twenty bills on
whisky sold are now pending before the Dis
trict of Columbia committee.
Mr. EDISON says that he has set two of his
most Skillful assistants at work testing his
The many letters he has received on the sub
Ject of such an apparatus convince him that
the demand for it will be enormous. He feels
sure that he can produce practical one with
in six months.