Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-13
THE DISTRICT COMMITTEES.
The Senators Agree to Report the Nc
Pherson Railroad Bill.

Pherson Railroad Bill.
MR. INGALLS, STANDS OUT AGAINST 1T TO THE
LAsT-MR. FAULKSERs AMENnMENT-oTHER
MEASURES CONSIDERED BY THE sENAToRs-No
QUORUM OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE PRESENT
TODAY.
The House District committee failed to hold
their regular meeting, quorum of the mem
bers not being present. An informal meeting
was held, however, and several measures dis
cussed Mr.. Grout was at the Capitol
and seems greatly improved in health He
will remain in Washington until after the next
District day. when the Baltimore and Potomac
railroad question will be further discussed and
probably finally settled
THE SENATORS AND THE RAILROAD PROBLEM
There never was a greater quantity Of con-
densed discussion over any one measure than
was tn rned loose by the Senate committee on
the District of Columbia this morning
when it considered the MCPHERSON
Atkinson bill to legalize the right Of
occupation now claimed BY the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Company. The whole
business was done in less than half an hour
and 1t would have been concluded sooner had
not one or two Senators insisted that the pub
nc mad present rights as we'll the corpora
measure was reported to the full committee
by Senator Mcmillan, chairman of the sub
committee, and there was no delay until the
work had been done and Mr. Mcmillan was
clothed with authority to report the bill to the
Senate.
More than one Senator was Of opinion that
the bill should be amended so as to compel the
company TO give something tangible in return
forthe valuable gift provided for in the measure
put these were assured that such propositions
were inopportune. The company, it was
stated, was more than willing, even anxious. to
please the citizens of Washington. but it would
Wltnhoid the beneficial improvements re-
quested until its grip upon everything in sight
was legally clinched.
MEsSRs. INGALLS, AND FAULKNER OPPOSE.
From beginning to end Senator Ingalls, op-
posed the bill. not because he was unwilling to
grant the railroad such facilities as might be
necessary for the proper handling of its freight
business but because he thought the public
rights were pre-eminent and should be recog-
nlzed III the bill. Senator Faulkner was of like
mind, but his opposition was hardly so sharply
defined as was that of the Senator from
Kansas.
There was nothing slow about the language
Everybody tried to talk at once and for awhile
everybody succeeded, and while the talk was
going on the bill slipped through to the place
destined for 1t ever since its introduction.
Mr.. FAULKNER's AMENDMENT
Seeing that the motion to report favorably
could not be defeated Senator Faulkner sue
ceeded in adding new section to the bill to
the effect that Congress reserves the right to
alter, amend or repeal the act; then he voted
to report. Senator ingalls, maintained his po-
sltiop to the last.
FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION.
Speaking of the bill after the committee ad-
journed, Senator Mcmillan said to a STAR re-
porter that 1t was the fairly unanimous desire
OF the committee TO give the railroad company
the facilities it Immediately desired, leaving
for future consideration the questions of mall
occupation or track depression.
II shall, IN a little while" said the Senator,
introduced a resolution calling upon the Dis
trict Commissioners to have made such
maps and plans as may be deemed
necessary to make plain all matters
connected with the improvements desired
as much by the railroad company as by the
people of the District. II we had delayed the
present bill until these maps could be made
the business men would have continued
to wrestle over the freight problem for year
to come. Now the Commissioners can get us all
data during the recess and when we meet
again next December everything will be ready
and we can go ahead with a clear understand
ing OF the engineering difficulties that are evil
IDENTIFY in the way. / will prepare bill which
Will have for its object the amelioration Of the
road company will do everything in its power
to aid me in making the bill a law"
AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL.
The amendments to the bill are few and far
between. The first one is to section and
restricts the streets on which the Commission
ers are authorized to allow sidings, making that
portion of the section read 1T shall be the
duty of the Commissioners. whenever they
consider it a public benefit, to grant the Balti-
more and Potomac Railroad Company
permission to Law. maintain and
use side tracks and sidings from their main
line east of 9th street and west of 18th street
southeast into. any real estate, &c"
The second amendment is to section 8
which authorizes the condemnation of land.
The amendment restricts the ground which
can be taken within closer limits, making
the bounds south of the line of the railroad
and north OF l. street and east of Delaware
avenue, and north of the Eastern Branch
and south of street southeast, and
east of 18th street southeast and also any
squares abutting on the line of road on Mary
land and Virginia avenues east of 9th street
and west of 18th street.
NOMINATIONS CONSIDERED.
The committee considered the nominations
OF Messrs. Waters, W. C. Harper, j. A. TAFT and
C. s. Bundy to be justices of the peace, and de-
cided to report them fayorably.
TO ASK A CONFERENCE
When the House of Representatives got hold
of the bill Incorporating the King Theological
Hall Gan attachment to Howard University
it amended the bill by inserting the
word 'colored' before the word
students" The Senate committee will not
have it that way-will make no reference to
coior-so Senator Spooner was instructed to
ask for conference on the bill.
ACTION ON OTHER BILLS
The bill creating the Office of inspector Of
hay, straw, grain and feed was indefinitely
postponed while the bill providing for the as
sessment and collection of water rents and
water main taxes was referred to Senator
Vance II subcommittee.
general trust bill which had been prepared
by Senator Spooner was regarded as being lust
the thing needed, and the author was requested
to report it to the Senate. Authority was given
Senator Vance to report favorably the bill for
the relief OF Nathaniel Magruder.
Interior Department Changes,
The following official changes have been
made in the Department of the Interior:
Office Of Indian Affairs. s.-Appointment
Winthrop A. Roberts of Maryland, copyist