Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-19
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS.
Two local Amendments to the General 4
6ciency Bill.


ficiency Bill.
While the Senate was considering the do
ficiency appropriation bill yesterday Senator
Mcmillan succeeded in getting two District
amendments added to the bill. The FIRST re-
lows:
THAT the Metropolitan Railroad Company is
hereby required to repair the bridge across
Rock creek at p street, in the District of Column
bia. at cost OF not exceeding 5000: said re-
pairs to make the bridge sufficiently strong 70
allow the passage Of storage battery cars Of the
said company and to be made under the direc-
ton of the Engineer Commissioner OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia and in accordance with plans
and specifications TO be prepared BY him.
The other provided for five garbage inspec-
tors at salary of s90o each, q, 500, for fiscal
year 1898.
NO HOUSES IN ALLEYS.
The House yesterday agreed to two confer
ence reports on alley bills. The first was the
bill to prevent the building OF houses along Ger
tain alleys. The House passed this bill, which
provided that no house for the dwelling of hu-
man beings should be constructed on any alley
within the District Of Columbia which WAS less
than forty feet in width. The Senate having
amended this proposition. and the House hav-
ing refused to concur, the conferees agreed to
report that hereafter no dwelling houses shall
be built IN alleys less than thirty feet in width
and which have have not been provided with
light sewerage and water mains. The bill pro-
rldes further that no dwelling house shall be
constructed on any such alley less than twenty
feet back, clear Of the center of such alley. SO
as to give at least a thirty-foot roadway and five
feet on each side of such roadway for a walk.
and that all such alleys upon which houses shall
be constructed shall have at least one exit of
feet hat fha all hall tri.y
angles to one of the streets bordering the square
upon which il is situated
This bill asks for no expenditure from the
public treasury, and makes no provision that
any expense shall at any time be laid upon the
public.
THE OPENING OF ALLEYS.
The second report was on the bill providing
for the opening Of alleys. The House passed
this bill amending the act which was passed for
the city of Washington alone in 1892. The Sen
ate substituted for thisa bill containing number
OF sections providing for complete system for
opening, widening, Strengthening and extending
alleys within the District of Columbia The
House having refused 10 concur in these amend
ments the bill Was referred to a committee Of
conference and they report back certain amend
ments to the Senate bill which provides "a safe
and complete system In the opinion Of the con-
ferees for the opening and extending of alleys.
The bill provides that all parties interested
shall be notified; that the damages and benefits
for the opening and widening Of the alley shall
be assessed b. a jury of twelve men; that the
total expense shall be paid by the parties bene-
flied, and that where an existing alley is con-
demned the land Of the alley shall revert 20 the
original owners or their assigns. In the event
that any part Of the alley belongs to the United
States government il is provided that this shall
be sold at price not less than the assessed
value, and that the money received from this
sale. after complying with the variouspro-
visions of the bill. shall be turned into the
treasury OF the United States. The bill more
over confirms whatever acts have been done by
the Commissioners in the opening and closing
Of alleys since 1871.
The whole cost Of the proceedings, including
the cost Of condemnation, shall be borne by the
parties benefited, and there are no demands of
any kind to be made upon the public treasury
under the bill.
Conference Agreements as to Measures of
Local Interest.
Today's work will practically finish up the
legislation for this Congress in the interest Of
the District Of Columbia Three conference
reports were agreed upon today, which about
brings the work to a close. The con-
ference report on the Metropolitan
railroad bill. that extending the time in which
the change of motive power might be made. is
an agreement substantially with the Senate
amendments. The trolley plan is left out as is
the no seat no fare proposition.
GIVES ONE YEAR.
The road is given one year in which to change
the motive power, with the proviso, however,
that the road in the meantime shall be kept in
first-class condition and that the electric cars
sball be substituted as received Failure to
keep the roadbed, &c, in good order is made
punishable by fine Of S25 per day. An i'm
portant provision is also added which
gives Congress the right to alter,
amend or repeal the act.
The conference fixes the matter SO that when
Congress convenes next December if the affairs
Of the road are not advancing satisfactorily,
Congress can again take up the matter.
THE BRIGHrwooD RAILROAD.
The report on theBrightwood railroad bill is also
an agreement with the Senate amendments with
the exception Of the clause which compels the
road to transfer passengers to other lines with
out additional fare. This provision is left out.
GUARDIANS FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN
The report on the board of guardians for
dependent children in the District has been
amended so to strike out the provision for
home and to add provision for two agents, to
receive between them a.. 400 per annum.