Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-27
AFFAIlls AT THE CAPITOI.


The Potomac River Improvement.
TIE APPROPRIATION NcRIAsKD By IN. sKxATl
COMMITTEE TO HALF A MuLIoN-oTEKR cHANGEi
IN TIE RIVER AND HAROR BILL.
Inc nver and harbor blu, Is reported back from
the Senate committee on commerce, increases Tx
appropriation for continuing the Improvement d
the Potomac river at Washington from sesO,0oc Il
100000 Senator Ransom (chairman) and Messrs
Vest and Conger, OF the select committee on riyel
mont Improvement, are also members OF the com
merce committee which has charge OF the rfvel
and harbor bill II was well understood that the
amount appropriated by the House was not AIDE
quate to proper prosecution Of the work. and
hence the increase made by the Senate committee
Other changes made in the House bill by the
senate committee In relation to improvements IL
this section Of country are: For continuing the I'M
proveMent Of Baltimore harbof the amount Is In
creased from $4,000 to $e500OQ An amendmen,
Is inserted for improving approach TO Norfolk har
Dor and Norfolk navy yard and widening channel
OF Elizabeth river, $4,000 For continuing i'm.
provement OF Corsica creek, Maryland, 5000 The
road bridge in Maryland Is increased from $4,000
TO $4,000. For improving harbor At entrance oil
saint Jeromes creek, Maryland, $4,000. The ap
preparation for Appomattox river, Va, is increased
from $4,000 TO SIS GOO, and that for James river
Va, reduced from SIS, 900 TO $4,000. For Staunton
river, Va, 5000
The District in Congress-.
PROPOSED NEW OFFICIAL
Senator Plumb offered an amendment to-day In
the Senate to the sundry civil appropriation bill to
provide for an appropriation OF to enable the
Secretary OF the Treasury to employ suitable per.
son 70 inspect all public buildings, and examine
lnto tne requirements for furniture and other fur
nlsh1ngs OF such buildings, Including lights, fue
ana other current expenses
MECHANICS LIENS
On motion OF Mr.. Pike the Senate to-day took W
and passed the House bill to amend chapter 20, OF
the Revised Statutes relating to the District This
Is the Dill to amend the law In relation to mechan.
les liens, so that the mechanic or contractor shall
nave prior lien on all buildings hereafter erected
PROTECTION OF FISH IN THE POTOMAC.
In the Senate to-day Mr. Lapham called up the
House bill to prohibit the taking Of fish in the
waters of the District, by nets or seines, for a
period OF five years Mr.. Lapham urged the passage
OF the bill and said that the fisheries here had
been practically destroyed. Mr.. Platt opposed the
Dill, saying such an act would not be tolerated out
side the District OF Columbia. Mr. ingalls, favored
the bill, saying the waters within the District are
the spaw ming ground OF the shad and herring; that
Dy some mysterious instinct the fish assemble once
year IN these waters for the purpose OF procrea.
ton and they are disturbed and driven away by
the fishermen with their nets The bill was passed
WIN an amendment, making 1t unlawful to dis
charge any gas tar or other waste or refuse, in
furious to fish, within the waters OF the Potomac
or Rock Creek. For violation Of this fine OF S1OC
Is imposed
Government Printing and EnRravtn1.
CLAUSE OF THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL TO DO PART OF
THE WORK BY CONTRACT.
Inc Sundry civil appropriation bill, which passed
the House the other day under suspension OF the
rules, with fifteen minutes on side for debate
contained an important clause which escaped the
attention Of most OF the members The bureau OF
engraving and printing, which few years ago was
established In their new building with facilities to
do all the government plate printing and engrav.
ing, has received annually about $500 900 for the
regular printing OF bonds and notes. and something
over 100000 for printing revenue stamps The
bureau Is In charge OF Salaried officials and is fitted
out with the latest improved plant, and the appro
prlatlon Is to pay the printers and employees and
cover sundry expenses.
present sundry civil bill provides that instead OF
having the revenue stamps printed in this bureau
the commissioner OF internal revenue must adver.
tlSe for BIDS and give the work out by contract II
1t can be done any cheaper than the government
can 90 1t: The appropriation for the purpose is
placed at $405, OO0
UNEAsINESs IN THE PRINTING BUREAU.
II this should pass the Senate, and the work gc
OF about half the force now employed eleven hun.
dred), and leave idle that much OF the expensive
plant There is considerable uneasiness In the bu.
reau, and the republican members having their at.
have gotten through the House s the b had mot
been hurried through, without giving them time to
take breath. A large number OF members on both
sides say that they do not know anything about
the bill at ALL they did not have time to look at it.
but that they depend upon the Senate to so amend
1t as to correct all hasty legislation This clause
dlsapproval, as 1t Is looked upon by republicans
as party move. They consider 1t an assault upon
the administration, carrying an implied charge Of
extravaganza.
THE DEMOCRATS on THE COMMITTEE SAY
that they believe the work should be done at less
expense, and that this action was taken with q
view OF reducing expenditures. They say that II
private individuals, furnishing their own plant can
DO the work cheaper than 1t can be done at the bu
reau, 1t is time that the nonsense OF the govern
ments trying to do its own work should stop.
The General Appropriations Bill.
AMENDMENTS BY THE SENATE PROVIDING FOR
CHANGES IN THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT, ETC.
The Senate yesterday passed the legislative, ex-
ecutve and judicial appropriation bill substantially
as reported from the committee, with a total of
81 ,647.2 200 On motion OF MI Sherman, an item OF
$4,000 was inserted for the library committee to
purchase works OF art and SIS 900 for the purchase
OF Mrs. FasSett'S electoral commission. An amend
ment prohibiting printing In the Record OF speeches
not actually delivered was adopted. The clauses
Tor the reduction OF customs and revenue districts
were stricken out. as also the clause relating to
small distilleries. A provision was adopted au-
thorzing board OF pension appeals, to consist OF
three members, to be appointed by the Secretary
OF the Interior, with salary OF $500 each, and
strikes out the provision for second assistant
retary or the Interior department.. 1t increases
the salary OF the commissioner OF the general land
ONCE from $4,000 to a, 500 year, and provides for
an assistant commissioner at 1000 year, and in
creaSeS the salary Of the commissioner OF patents
from $4,000 to IS, 900 year. The bill as amended
now goes TO the House for concurrence or non-cOn-
currence In the Senate amendments
Capitol Topics.
TIE ADJOURNMENT QUESTION.
The slow progress made for the last several DAYS
in Congress has had the effect OF considerably
dampening the hope Of ad1ourning by the end OF
next week. Mr.. Randall OF the House. and Messrs
Beck and Dawes, OF the Senate committee on
appropriations, still believe in adjournment on the
5th prox.
There is some fear on the House side that the
split in the House appropriations committee over
the fort1cation bill, and the likelihood OF disa-
greement between the two houses upon the sundry
civil bill which passed the House SO rapidly, will
render an adjournment On the 5th impossible. A
large number Of the members however. say that
they are bound to adjourn by the 9Th, even II some
OF the appropriations have to be simply bridged
over until they can meet again. The members Of
both houses are getting very tired, and the prOba-
b1lity is that they will not let any political SQuab-
bic keep them here. Mr.. Horr, OF Michigan, viii
make a political speech on the fertilization bill
which viii probably provoke replies from number
OF democrats, but the debate viii not be likely to
last more than day or two, and the House win
have that time to spare.
NO APPROPRIATION FOR SUBSTITUTE LETTER CAR
RIERS.
Representative Davis, OF Illinois, appeared before
the Senate appropriations committee today to urge
an appropriation OF OO0OO to be inserted In the
sundry civil bill pay for substitutes for the letter
carriers during their leave OF absence. The House
voted to grant them leave but neglected to make
the necessary appropriation.
THE SENATE INVESTIGATION OF DEPARTMENT FRAUDS
The Senate committee to investigate alleged