Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09
MANY DISTRICT BILLS.
Important Legislation Blocked by the
Atkinson Bill.
ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR
Review OF the Measures A Vaiting Ac.
ton - The Stream OF Liquidation
ChOked Up by the Pennsylvania Road
Various street. Railroad Projects.

| alton Of bills reported from the District COM
mttee to the Atkinson bill. The session may
| still run on for some time, but past experience
shows that the number Of District days have q
sad falling off toward the end of q session. The
number of days remaining for consideration of
| District bills in the House are then very few
! and glance will show that there ia plenty to
occupy these few days even if no further bills
| should be reported, which is a thing not likely
to happen. The situation at present may be
| compared to a dammed-up stream. The Atkin-
| son bill blocks up the sire am, while the COM
mittee continues to pour in fresh supplies of
| legislation.
! Besides the Atkinson bill there are on the
calendar of the House twenty-five bills re-
| ported from the District committee and every
one OF these twenty-five measures Is just hum
] gering to be heard.
The two of the most important ones the
/ bills providing for the extension of the street
system and for the formation Of trust COM
panies.
| THE STREET EXTENSION BILL
| This bill has been on the calendar since
| May %. 1t is entitled a bill ito provide a
permanent system of highways in that part OF
the District of Columbia lying outside OF
! cities" This bill is of much importance to the
| District, having in view thing which, 1t Is
claimed. must ultimately be done at any cost.
| and which can be accomplished now with a
| much less outlay than even in the near future.
| The bill was drawn up and reported by Mr..
| Hemphill, and provides for a system of high
| ways as nearly in conformity possible with
| the present street plan of Washington through
| all the adjoining portions OF the District The
| roads are not to be less than 80 feet nor more
| than 160 feet. Maps are to be made OF the pro-
| posed highways and the necessary land is either
| to be purchased or condemned in the usual
| way. In case only portion OF "a parcel of land
is to be taken the benefits to the remainder are
| to be considered in the Judgment. One-thlrd of
the amount awarded as damages is to be charged
tothe adjoining property, and the bill besides
carries an appropriation not to exceed Sl,000,-
900, one-half of which is to be paid by the Dis
trict An extra S25. 900 is appropriated to cover
the expenses. The only objection which has
been advanced to this bill is the present rather
doubtful condition of the District finances, but
1t is claimed. on the other hand, that only a
small amount of the money appropriated will
be needed at once and that. besides, some ar
rangement could be made for the future pay
ment of the Districts share. as is proposed in
J the Rock Greek Park conference report. The
/ friends of the measure are of the opinion that
/ 1t Is of the highest Importance that this bill
should become law at once.
( 1t is not the later subdivisions that require
handling SO much as the earlier ones as by
| order of the Commissioners the newer divisions
have been laid out in conformity with the
street plan. Some of the extensions immedi-
/ ately adjoining the city, however, are in a
sadly chaotic condition in relation to the orlgi-
nal plan of the city. Many of the streets in
these subdivisions have been laid out narrower
than the city streets; in many cases streets have
| been discontinued and nearly all the subdivi-
siOns have dispensed with the diagonal ave-
nues Often adjoining subdivisions have been
| laid out on an entirely different plan so that
streets In one have continuation in the
| other. Promoters Of the bill say that as it is
certain that in time Washington will cover the
entire District of Columbia the quicker the
ground is laid out symmetrically with the pres
ent plan Of the city the better it will be for all
parties
THE GENERAL CORPORATION BILL.
The other bill already mentioned is intended
to provide for further and additional purposes
for which corporations may be formed in the
District of Columbia. This bill is also con-
sidered of the greatest importance to the Dis
trict, and especially to the business interests.
| The incorporation laws of this District are so
| limited In scope as not TO allow OF the incor-
| poratlon of great body of business enter
/ prises which exist i'll other portions Of the
| country and which, it is claimed the expand
| ing interests of Washington require here.
! There has been especially no provision for
| trust companies. Congress in the past has
been flooded with bills charterrng safe deposit,
| insurance, security, guaranty, indemnity,
| storage, ware house, trust loan and mortgage
| companies. From necessity few of these bills
| passed. and the business interests Of Washing
/ ton have been handled in large measure by
| foreign companies, which not only contribute
nothing by way Of taxation to the District
revenues, but whose power to transact bust
ness Is naturally limited.
! To answer the needs of the business element
| Of the city 1t was thought best by the District
| committee to discontinue the practice of re-
| porting separate charter bills aud finally ad-
| Just the matter by reporting general incor-
! Lazy ia uaa all tha frui 0f
| Mr.. Hemphill's work and is thought to be es-
| pecially thorough. 1t provides for the carry
! ing on of three classes of business. First, a
! safe deposit. trust. loan and mortgage business
| Second. a title insurance, trust loan and mort
| gage business. Third, security, guaranty, in
| demnlty, loan and mortgage business. The
| capital stock Of any company is not to be less
| than Sl.O00.000. The bill is very full
! and elaborate In its details, especially
! the portions relating to trust business. Strin-
gent provisions are made for regulating cor
porations which are liable to be summary
| closed. Provision is made for proper taxation,
and twenty-five per cent OF the entire capital is
required TO be deposited to guard against loss.
Regular examination and supervision Is pro-
| ylded for, the corporations being put under tn
control Of the controller of the currency, who
| is authorized to incorporate any given company
and who Is given yisiatorial authority ano
power to close any company when in his judg
| melt IL is necessary.
fair and just that this city be placed on an
equality with other places in regard TO business
facilities and that It is neither fair nor lust 10
compel them TO make use of foreign companie,
neither subject to local control or taxation.
TO REGULATE STEAM ENGINEERING.
Another bill which is being watched closet,
by large class Of citizens is Mr. Bur,on's bil
to regulate steam engineering in the District
According to the present law any person OBJ
tanning a license TO act as engineer in any state
| or from United States steam boiler inspector
i'can come to the District of Columbia and ac
! as engineer without obtaining any license OF
! permission from the local authorities Ii i,
easy TO be seen that an incompetent man could
obtain license from the most lenlent Icens
ing board OF official IN the country and
then without further examination act in
the most responsible position in the District
This way of doing bus ness was not considered
fair to a community that has some slight OBJ
jectionS 10 being blown skyward by bursting
boilers in the hands OF ignorant men, and the
burton bill was framed. 1t also perfects some
| OF the present regulations The bill forbids
| any person to have charge Of a steam plant OF
stationary engine who shall not have been reg
uiarly licensed for the District United States
licensed engineers and licensed engineers oi
| any state are not exempted except those acting
| as engineers in buildings or grounds controlled
/ by the United States. The act, however, does
not apply To persons in charge OF locomotive
engines or boilers any boat or ship
The examining and licensing board Is to con-
sIst of the inspector of boilers of the District
whom shall have had not less than ten years
hay tn ha annnlntHd Ina