Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-13

Actisn Taken'ea the Distrise ApproPsiaaioa
Bill.

Actaon TAken'o O the Distrise ApproPgiattoa
Bill.
TEE COMMITTEES AMENDMENTS DDcussED
FREELr-LrvELr lxNARxs UPox TIE TUNNEL
AND THE BIOLOGICAL PARx-xo REASON WHY
TEE DISTRICT SHOULD PAT roa HIrHER.
The Senate yesterday afternoon passed the
District appropriation bill with little difficulty.
The amendments proposed by the Senate COM
mittee were generally adopted. Some interest
ing remarks were brought out on number Of
matters of District interest.
In regard to the committee amendment
striking out the appropriation of 81, 800 for
arranging and indexing old records, Mr..
Plumb explained that further information was
desired on this point. He did not approve of
spreading appropriations over q series of years
when time and money could be saved by fur
nishing the whole amount at once. The amend
ment was agreed to.
Other committee amendments were then
rapidly passed, including the change in the as
sessment provision from an appropriation Of
SIS, 600 to clause providing for three assistant
assessors at 81, 500 each, who shall make the as
sessment.
LIGHTING THE CITY.
The reading of the bill was continued without
discussion for several pages. In regard to the
lighting Of the city, Mr.. Ingalls, complained
that the lights seemed to be run by the calen-
dar. He thought the lights should run from
sunset to sunrise. Mr.. Plumb explained that
the bill provided for the running of the cleo
trio lights during that period, the gas lamps
were to be lit 5000 hours during the year, which
is an increase of 400 hours over last year.
The committee amendment reducing the
salary Of eleven school teachers from $4,000 to
81 800 brought out tile explanation from Mr..
Plumb that the amendment had been inserted
under mistaken impression and he asked that
the amendment be rejected, which was done.
The amendment reducing the appropriation
for free school books from 351 900 to $40 600
was agreed to without debate.
A GRAMMAR INSTEAD OF HIGH SCHOOL.
The item providing for one high school build
ing on Capitol Hill was changed to read zone
grammar school," at the suggestion of Mr.
Plumb, who stated that Superintendent. Powell
said this term more nearly characterized the
use to which the building would be put.
NO further debate arose on the bill until the
committee amendment was reached providing
that disbursements for the Columbia Deaf and
Dumb Institution be accounted for through
the Secretary of the Interior. Mr.. Plumb ex-
planned that this institution was not local
affair, but persons from all parts of the coun-
Try were admitted by the Secretary OF the In
terror.
militia were agreed to without discussion.
The new section providing for crediting to
the District the amount charged in the de-
ficiency bill of 1859 for water supply and the
payment of this sum by the District in twenty
five annual installments and also the repay
ment to the District Of the sum paid for the
maintenance of the Geological Park in 1880
| created some comment. MIR. Plumb explained
that the cost of laying the water mains should
never have been charged against the current
expenses Of the District. The water fund
should pay this amount even in installments.
THE BIOLOGICAL PARK.
In regard to the Geological Park Mr. Plumb
was Outspoken.
when it comes to the Geological Park" said
he, there is involved a matter which has been
the subject of disc ssiOn in both houses OF Con-
gress. and which has sooner or later to be met
1t seemed to the committee entirely improper
that the District should be charged with the
expense of maintaining the geological garden
or any part OF 1t. 1t is in no sense municipal
expenditure. Whatever idea Congress may
have about Geological Park can not at any
| time be subjected to the question even incl
dcntally as to what revenues the District of Co
lumbia have for the purpose of carrying on their
municipal expenses, and therefore have some
thing left over which might be applied to the
gardens.
1T can be readily seen, of course, that the
park itself might fail to answer the purpose /,
for which it was intended or to be of any con-
sequence, If We were to be all the time limited
in the acquisition Of specimens and in the in
curing Of expenses, to funds which might be
derived from taxing this District rather than
to the ability Of the treasury to meet charges
of this kind.
..But it is unjust that this expenditure should
be put upon the District OF Columbia, because
common to all the people Of the United States.
Congress may think, guided by the views of the
head Of the Smithsonian Institution or some
body else, that we ought to get some expensive
specimen, or zebra, or q rhinOceros or an
elephant, or hippopotamus, or something of
| that kind from great distance in which the
interest Of science and the spread of general
intelligence are involved, but not questions re-
lating to this immediate locality.
''W lille l say now, as have heretofore said,
that think the arrangement today between
the District OF Columbia and the government
Of the United States with reference to the pay
ment of the expenses of the District is too lib
eral to the District, yet am unwilling to dis
turb it in this Indirect way, and think il is
very important that we shall not do So because
II we are ever to take up that question again
with view Of establishing new relation we
should not want to be embarrassed by such a
consideration as the expenditure Of part of
the money of the District for geological pur-
poses, which would necessarily be involved"
THE BONDED DEBT.
The provision providing for the taking ~
of the District bonds falling due in 1891 and
1892 by an appropriation and of repayment to
the treasury from the District sinking fund.
with interest at per cent, caused Mr.. Plumb
| to explain that this bonded debt was in a sense
debt OF the United States. In the opinion of
the committee and OF the Secretary Of the
Treasury the method provided was cheaper
and more satisfactory plan than the issue OF O
new series of bonds.
At the suggestion of the Commissioners Mr..
Plumb offered an amendment, which was
| agreed to, providing that hereafter the rate of
| interest on arrearages of taxes should be fixed
at per cent. if paid before June so, 1891.
Mr.. Plumb then offered an amendment that
Sl0, 600 Of the money appropriated for grading
Brightwood avenue should be expended to inn
prove the east side of that street. provided that
the land on that side of the street necessary for
the improvement be donated by the property
owners. The amendment was adopted
An amendment offered by Mir. Plumb was
adopted providing that the money appro-
priated for the erection OF school buildings and
the improvement Of country roads should be
Immediately available.
THE HOSPITAL FOR INcURABLEs
Mr.. Call proposed an amendment appro-
printing $4,000 for the hospital for in
curables, which started discussion on
the question Of charities. Mr. Call
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