Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-10
The District in Congress.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE on THE Es



lumbia to-day finished the consideration OF the
estimates for the District of Columbia for its
/ expenses for the next fiscal year, and the same
will now be turned over 10 the appropriation
Committee to be Incorporated in the sundry
civil appropriation bill. The aggregate of ap-
/ preparations agreed upon foot up nearly three
| and half million dollars OF which the United
! States will pay one-half. The estimates are not
much reduced from those submitted by the Dis
| tflct commissioners. The important changes
are an increase OF the school appropriation by
| $4,000, TO enable the commissioners to build
| TWO new public cSchOol-houseS-oLe o be located
on Massachusetts avenue, east Of 18th street.
The estimate for the support OF the Metropoi.
tan police force is cut down 500 900, which viii
! neceSsitate the reduction of the salaries OF Off
GERS and men, In all grades. about { per cent,
and will reduce the mounted police force from
fifty to forty men.
MEETING OF TIE SENATE COMMITTEE
A meeting Of the Senate committee on th
District Of Columbia was held this morning
| Representatives of the Aqueduct bridge COM
! pany, and persons interested in the purchase
or or that structure to be made free bridge in
| lieu OF building new bridge across the PotO-
mac at Three Sisters Islands were given an
! other hearing. There is a difference of onnion
ainone me members OF the committee as to the
proper price 70 be paid for the Aqueduct bridge
some think that 100000 would be fair price
Tor the structure and others thai smaller sum
/ should be paid for the bridge
Col Robert Christie asked the committee to
amend The act passed by the House on January
Zuth; 1879, to provide for the settlement of ali
unlbia and comforting jurisdiction on the Caurt
OF claims TO hear the same, and FOR other pur-
poses.
Tie committee agreed to report adversely an
act passed by the House CT Representative yes on
t.e 18th CT January last to Incorporate the
/ Washington Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. The
committee report the bill adversely because the
! proposed corporation may be organized under
existing laws OF the District Of columbia The
lhrolpcfatoIS were named in The STAR a day
ortVOago.
Tie committee also agreed TO report adversely
lolnt resolution passed by the House on the
sun of January last, authorizing the COmms-
sCrerS OF the District TO receive ana repOrt
upon unadJuSted claims for damage 10 real eS-
tate IN tie District Of CUlumbia-heretof0re
printed IN THE STAR
MI MeTr1m0n was instructed to reDOrt favor
abiY to 1Ge Senate, with an amendment. al act
passed by the House, TO abandon portion OF
Rock street, in the city of Georgetown; ana for
other purposes. The act passed By the House
provided that so much OF Rock street as lies
north or Bridge street. south OF Olive street and
west OF Monroe street. be abandoned as public
street. and yeStng the title Of the Land hereto
fore occupied by Rock street in the owners Of
the lois or parcels of land on either side thereof
and abHttng thereon. The Senate committees
amendment provides that on narS Of property
on the abandoned street Shall secure their title
10 The property III the courts OF the District OF
Columbia,
THE ELL N EELAT10N TO ASSESSMENTS
introduced in the House to-day by MI Eden Of
, H., directs the District Commissioners TO in
I
national banks Of the United states and the
District OF Columbia or between such banks
ana any person holding or who has held any
office under the District touching any assess
ments for special Improvements made since
February 25th. 1871. and shall report the result
OF their inquiries 10 the Attorney General and
to Congress- and if ii shall appear that any
such bank has cOnSpired with any person or
persons holding Office under the District touch
ing sucn special assessments or has entered
INTO any contract or arrangement with said
District providing for rate OF interest in excess
OF that allowed by law, it shall be the duty OF
the Attorney General to institute the necessary
proceedings for the forfeiture OF the franchises
OF such bank or banks. and all contracts or ar
rangements thus made be declared wholly
void, and no recovery shah be allowed nor any
! payment made on any security held or received
10y such bank or banks under any such contract
or arrangement.
THE BILL TO ABOLISH THE OFFICE OF WATER
REGISTRAR
III the District, introduced In the House by Mr..
Fort, OF Illinois, to-day provides that the duties
OF that officer shall hereafter be performed by
the engineer OF the Washington anueduct
whose duty it shall be to keep an accurate
account OF the expense OF keeping the Wash
lngton aqueduct The pipes. stop cocks. hydrants
&c, IN repair, and OF the cost of any improve
mentS or extension Of the same that are now or
may be hereafter authorized, and report the
salle TO the Secretary OF the Treasury annually
on Tie auth OF June, together with detailed esti-
mates 10r such service and improvements
needed for he ensuing fiscal year, and the Sec
ietaiy OF the Treasury shall charge one-half OF
Sald cost TO the District and transmit said esti-
mates 10 congress. 1t provides that the water
bonds OF the District shall be funded and con
Solldated with the general bonded debt OF
lne Dlstrlct and become a part thereof; pro-
N!ded that no charge or rent for water
shall be hereafter assessed or collected except
to manufacturing establishments and railroads
and for steam engines, fountains. or street
washers, and the water rents for said purpose
shall not exceed those now charged. The enr-
neer is also in his discretion authorized to ston
The water supply TO all manufacturing estab-
Hshlnenls, @ when the quantity furnished is no
more than sufficient TO supply the wants OF the
general government and OF the Inhabitants.
All persons owning or occupying houses 'front.'
ing or abutting On any avenue street or alley
III which sewer or water pipes are laid and
which houses ale not supplied with suitable
and proper water closets, shall, within six
months from the passage OF this act, provide
sucD accommodations, and the use OF prlvies or
pIlvy boxes in such localities are prohibited
alter such date under penalty of s. per week
Ii is made the duty OF the health officer to en-
force the same. Referred TO the Diftrict COM
m!tee.
A HARB0R IMPROVEMENT COMPANY :.
The bill introduced in the House to-day re-
lating to the Improvement OF the river front
provides that the plan of the board of survey
approved March 5th. 1872, be entrusted to
corporation to be denOminated the Washington
Harbor Improvement Company, with the fol-
lowing incorporators: James G. Berrett, w. b.
John T. Mitchell, ". Forsythe Thomas 'k' KiDg''
a s. SolOmons, Otis Cole w. p. Blackford s. <.
kdfWe1Se ana H. L. JGnneSS. The capital stock
OF the company is fixed at five million and NAV
be increased TO eight million dollars in shares
OF $lo0 each. The company is to carry out the
plan OF the board of survey within the time
contemplated in said report.
THE LICENSE LAWS
This afternoon, the committee OF Washlnp
ton merchants having in charge the matter OF
revising the pending license BILL regulating
business in this District met at the Office of the
District commissioners and laid before them the
bin with the eamendmentssuggested. The com |
mittee consisted OF MeSsTS. J. L. Barbour. III. |
Browning. w. II. Claggett, A. Saks, NJ. Adler. |
and others. After discussion of the proposed |
amendments, the committee asked that the |
privilege be granted them OF going before the |
House District committee with the Commits |
SlOnerS tomorrow.
PERSONNEL OF THE CIPHER COMMITTEE-The |
room i'll which the committee held its session |
was Paror F, right behind the bar. Consider |
ing that the members of the committee are |
quite distinguished temperance advocates, this |
proximity appeared to be a piece OF needless ,
satire on the part OF the hotel clerk. Two long
tables were placed across the room one for the |
committee, the witness and official stenogra- |