Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-20
DISTRICT MEASURES
Laws That Have Been Enacted at the
Present Session.
BILLS NOW PENDING IN CONGRESS
Some on the Calendars of the
House and Senate
AND SOME NOT RTED

The regular session of Congress, which,
II is expected. will end in a few days. re-
suited in twenty-five local bills being sent
to the President OF these twenty have
been signed and two are now awaiting sig
nature OF the twenty signed, one was the
regular District appropriation bill, which
contained a few items of new legislation.
or all the rest, excepting two. the act amend
ing the charter of the Metropolitan Rail-
road Company and the act providing for a
system of tax assessments and revision,
there Is not one that marks any special ad-
vance on the part of the city or the Dis
trict- Noted in the order OF their approval,
with the dates on which they were signed
preceding. these laws are as follows:
December 21-An act to extend North
Capitol street to the Soldiers Home. This
provided for the condemnation of property
belonging to Annie E Barbour and the
Prospect Hill cemetery in order that North
Capitol street might be cut through to the
grounds Of the home. Condemnation pro-
ceedings were had and an order to the
transfer was signed by the court, but an
appeal was taken by the owners of the
property to the District committee of the
Senate. as the result of which, at the in
was inserted in the District appropriation
bill in the Senate providing that the con-
domination order be vacated and that new
condemnation proceedings be instituted.
under the provisions of a different law re-
lating to condemnations. This was because
the owners claimed that they had not re-
ceived full value, that the commissioners
OF condemnation had not given them credit
TOR the benefits that would accrue from
the improvements This amendment was
enacted into law. and thus the extension
has been delayed.
al.
March 12-To amend the act organizing
the Smithsonian Institution by a lewiston
OF the list of ex-olncio trustees in order to
eCnform with the present organization Of
the cabinet.
March Ito make service connections
with water mains and sewers. This bill
merely provided for amendments to the
existing laws and rearranging the system.
May Ito amend the liquor law approx
ed March 3. 1885. This bill has two princi-
pal effects. First, to require the testi-
Wony of but one witness in order to secure
prosecutions; and second, to exempt hotels
and wholesale establishments located with
In 4OO feet of churches and schools. having
been established within those limits prior
to the passage of the act of 1888. This
saved from revocation of license the great
cluster Of hostelries in the vicinity of the
corner of 18th and III streets northwest.
May 25-To provide for the sale of new
tickets by the street railway and herdic
companies of the District. The nuisance of
old. tattered and serm-laden tickets has
been borne more or less patiently by the
patrons Of the local companies for many
years, and this bill granted great relief by
compelling the companies to issue their
tickets in sheets of six for % cents and to
cancel each ticket presented for fare SO
that 1t could not be used again. An appro-
PIRATE penalty was provided to punish
proved violations of the law. Since the ex-
~$<x1
to the companies after the passage of the
act there has been iraugurated an era of
clean, crisp and wholesome trip-slips such
as has never before been experienced in
Washington
May 2S-To construe the act incorporat-
ing the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral
foundation. This defined certain powers of
the trustees OF the institution necessary be-
Tore complete organiza ton should be had.
June l9-To close part of an alley in the
square on which Gonzaga College is located
Tor the relief Of the officials Of that institu-
ton.
June 2S-Making Labor day q legal holi-
day. An interesting controversy has arisen
concerning this act, in regard to the ter
ritory Of its application 1t assuredly re-
lates to the District, but there has been
some doubt al to whether 1t goes further
and established the holiday outside. But as
TO that. the local folks have no particular
interest, for sufficient unto Washington is
the holiday therein
June ZeTo incorporate tho Supreme
Lodge of Knights of Pythias a body cor
porate in the District of Columbia This
was in anticipation of the coming national
Sncampment of knights IN this city.
July 3U-Amending the act establishing
the Court of Appeals of the District in GER
tain matters. 1t provided for an additional
clerk, and established a new system of
terms instead of the monthly terms here
Before in vogue.
August-To authorize the Metropolitan
Railway Company to change its motive
bower. This is one Of the most important
ktreet railroad bills ever passed by Con-
eIeSs- 1t solves, to the satisfaction OF
most citizens. a problem that has kept
Washington from possessing one of the
finest systems of street railroad transporta-
ton in the country for a number of years.
The Metropolitan Railroad Company was,
several years ago. given notice by Congress
to change its motive power. anu Gate was
fixed after which, in case of failure, the
company should lose its charter. The COM
pany experimental with storage battery
cars without success. and, claiming that it
Could not use cable on account of the
crooked character of the line, was looking,
1t was asserted, to the trolley electric sys-
tenn, and applied TO Congress for an extern
Sion of the charter on the ground that its
experiments had been costly without afford
ing the requisite relief. At this time the
District Commissioners brought forward an
old tax claim against the Metropolitan
Company, resulting from certain improve
fnents done some years ago under the old
board of public works. amounting, In round
numbers, to about s!5OOOO. This case had
been brought to trial in the Supreme Court
Of the District. and there, on account of
plea III bar the basis of the statute of
1imita tions the court awarded judgment to
the company. After great difficulty and
much debate. the committees Of Congress
decided. on the plea Of the company that
It could successfully maintain its suit on its
merits, that the case should be reopened,
the statutory limitations lifted, and the suit
tried for final Judgment without appeal in
the Court of Appeals of the District. This
was accomplished by the bill which was
finally agreed upon by the two houses. and
In addition, the CON pany Is authorized to
change it's motive power to an underground
electric system The 9th street line is to be
completed in one year. and the F street
line in two years from the date of the ap-
prevail of the act. Meanwhile, all old cars
In use on the road-those that have been in
1lse for three years and upward-are to be
Replaced with new cars of modern pattern
within ninety days, under penalty of fine
OF SO for es oh day of delay. most i'm
portant section was added, providing that
the company shall make reciprocal transfer
arrangements with street railway COM
panies running connecting lines. This was
for the purpose of enabling the Rock creek
and Chevy Chase railroad TO secure a city
To- without building a new trunk line