Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-04
LOCAL LEGISLATION.
What the Fifty-First Congress Did
For the District.
MEASURES OF IMPORTANCE.
A Review of the Work Done by Congress as
the District Legislature - Some Notable
Conte~ts-The City Post once and the Rock
Greek Park-PennsyIvanis Railroad Bill.

4
upon On the south side of Pennsylvania avenue
between 11th and 18th streets. The site takes
IN al entire square and in time Washington
will possess a post Office more in keeping with
the size and Importance of the city than the
present dilapidated structure. The choice of q
site for this much-needed building has for sew
| eral sessions been matter of conflict. and the
selected location was not obtained without q
| struggle. Later on in the session paragraph
was inserted in the sundry civil appropriation
bill providing that the building to be erected
| should not be less thar eight stories at n cost
/ of $500, 900. This session the sundry civil
bill increased the limit of cost TO =. DOC. 900,
and provided that the building should be fire.
proof. The process of condemnation is now in
active operation on the chosen site, and the
property, at least. will shortly be in the hands
| of the government.
| THE ROCK CREEK PARK.
The Fifty-first Congress also passed the
much-needed bill providing for the Rock Creek
Park and save the District from the danger of
a disease-breeding open sewer, where now
! will remain permanently picturesque stream.
Much credit is due to members of the House
and Senate who champiOned this measure,
| dragged it out of what seemed certain defeat
| and finally landed il on the statute books. The
bill appropriated 81, 200. 600. but provided for
| an assessment of benefits and for annual pay
| ments of the Districts share. In the House at
| one time this measure was voted down, but by
| an earnest effort tine vote was reconsidered and
| the bill finally passed.
THE GEOLOGICAL PARK.
! While the legislation in regard to the Rock
Greek Park net the support of District people
the enactments in regard to the Geological
i Park have met equally strenuous opposition.
/ The Geological Park having been established
/ by the Fiftieth Congress the fight during the
| past sessions has mainly been on the payment
| of one-half of the cost of maintenance of the
park by the District. although a strong and
| vigorous effort was made to have the Districts
! half of the original cost refunded In the first
| session a separate appropriation bill for the
| development and maintenance of the park was
passed. The Senate amended this bill. which
| appropriated Sgl 900 by providing that the en-
| tire cost should fall on the United States. Mr..
| Cannon and others in the House. however,
| caused that body to reject the amendment, and
| in conference the Senate receded. This year
| the appropriation for the park. amounting to
So, 800. was included in the sundry civil bill.
| The same fight took place and the District was
again unsuccessful. Another effort was made
| on the District appropriation bill, the Senate
inserting clause providing for the refundins
of the amount paid by the District at the last
| session for the maintenance of the park. The
House. however. would have none of il and the
| amendment fell in conference.
THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD BILL.
The passage by the Fifty-first Congress of the
bill for the benefit Of the Pennsylvania railroad
is one of the acts for which the Congress will
not be so gratefully remembered by citizens of
the District. This bill. legalizing all the IN
lawful actions of the road and confirming them
III the occupation of streets. avenues and
| reservations, was fought vigorously during
nearly all of the first session and portion of
the second. An active lobby and an unlimited
quantity of misrepresentation. however. Sc
cured the final enactment of the law. Prob
ably no District measure in the history of Con-
gress has ever consumed 30 much time as this
bill and this time in the House, where the
main night was waged. came out Of the allotted
District time. the so-called Atkinson bill must
have charged to it the indirect defeat of many
| measures much needed by the District.
EXTENSION OF INCORPORATION Law.
An important law to the business community
of the District was the act passed during the
first session, providing for the incorporation OF
trust, loan, mortgage and certain other corpo-
rations-
LEGISLATION IN APPROPRIATION BILLS.
The regular District appropriation bills we're
passed during the sessions. In the first session
the appropriation bill contained clause in re-
gard to the changing Of motive power by street
| railways and providing for the issue of bonds
| by the roads to cover the cost of such change.
special provision was inserted. aimed at the
Washington and Georgetown and the Metropol-
itan roads providing for the forfeiture Of their
| charters in case an improv ed motive power was
not substituted on the roads within two wears.
| The appropriation bill this session provided
among the new departures for new board of
assessors, fo- free school books in the lower
grades, for a restriction in the laying OF cleo
| trical conduiss and subways and for the re-
funding to the District, and the charging of
| the same to the water fund, to be paid in
| twenty-five annual installments, of the cost of
| the forty-eight-inch water main and of the l4th
| street main.
| STREET RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
One brand-new street railway has been char
tered during the year, the lucky road being the
Washington and Arlington road, whose charter
provides for bridge across the Potomac and
/ road to Arlington. This lire is intended to
| connect with road running to Mount Vernon.
| Other street railways have had their charters
! amended. The charter of the Anacostia and
| Potomac River road was altered as to allow
| the tracks to be placed on 1lth street from the
| present terminus 10 q street.
\ The lexington and Soldiers Home road Sc
! cured a substantial extension OF its charter
| bringing the line down q street to 18th street
| and also extending the route TO the entrance Of
Glenwood cemetery and to the south boundary
| OF Soldiers Home.
| The charter OF the Georgetown and Tenley-
| town road was also amended 80 as to allow the
road to the Tenleytown road.
1 The route OF the ROCK Creek railroad WINS
largely altered so as to provide for u road from
| the intersection of Connecticut and Florida
avenues 10 Rock creek and to the Woodlev
| road.
| ALONG THE POTOMAC.
The river and harbor bill, which passed dur
ing the first session, appropriated s2sOOO0 for
the improvement % the Potomac river, $50 900
Of which sum was To be used on the Auacostia
branch.
Another enacted bill connected with the
Potomac river was the appropriation of 80 coo
| out of the District revenues for the free public
bathing beach the Washington monu-
ment.
| PRINTING OFFICE AND SOLDIERS HOME.
An important measure to become a law dur
ing the Fifty-first Congress was the bill appro-
priating S2J0.00o for new site for the govern
| I,ent printing Office. Another act authorized
the treasurer of the United States to receive
ard keep on deposit funds Of the Soldiers
Home.
| SANITARY REFORM AND THE POLICE COURT.
1t is expected that the sanitary condition of
the District will be greatly improved by the
enactment of the regulations for the prevention
of the spread of scarlet fever ami diphtheria.
The bill provides for reports of all cases to the
| health officer for proper quarantine OF affected
! persons and residences and prescribes penal
ties for violation OF the regulations. BY an
amendment of the Senate the last District ap-
preparation bill appropriated 5000 for carry
ing the law into effect
The passage at the close of the session Of a