Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-08
LOCAL LEGISLATION
Many Measures of District Interest
That Will Go Over.
1NE THAT WILL PROBABLY PASS
That is the Bill Regulating the
Assessment of Property.
A FEW HAVE A CHANCE


present session Of Congress is very near at
hand. and those interested in local legisla-
tion are anxiously watching the calendars
or the two houses In hope and in fear
Ihere are some very important bills yet to
De acted upon. and 1t is a serious question
whether they will be reached before the
hral adjournment comes, as the result of
the agreement or hopeless disagreement of
the houses on the tariff The assessment
bill. which has a most important bearing
on the affairs of the District affording As
II does, an immediate relief from the lack
OF tax adjustment facilities that has SO long
been a burden. will unquestionably become
law. unless. indeed. 1T should be vetoed
by the President, which is not even a re-
mote possibility. 1t has already passed
both houses. and is now In conference, with
little or no difference between the managers
Inc SenateS amendments are likely to
stand. including the abolition of the defini-
ton OF value adopted by the House.
The Bond Issue Biii.
Next in Importance is the bond ISSUE or
sewer and street extension bill. which has
been favorably reported from both District
Committees. and is now on the calendars.
The Senate BILL however. differs radically
from that before the House In several par
ticulars. but especially in the matter of
the snare of the burden of the improve
ments to be borne by the government The
House committee has sought to impose the
entire expense the District while the
Senate committee has insisted upon a recog-
milton of the principle laid down In the or
ganic act. namely. that one-half of all local
expenditures should be paid by the general
government. In view of this great differ
ence between the houses the prospect of
fra action on this bill is not bright, more
especially as there Is quite a strong opposi-
ton to the measure in the House itself. 1t
Is probable that the Senate bill could pass
To Increase the Water supply.
Then there is the bill, now on the Senate
calendar. with Il most urgent report from
the District committee. providing for an
increased water supply for the cities. Sena-
tor Proctor in charge of this bill. hopes to
secure action on 1t before adjournment but
he is not very sansuine. The bill does not
carry a cent of appropriation. but provides
Tor the purchase or condemnation of the
property necessary in order to secure all
the wate- rights at Great Falls. and throws
the question of payment into the Court of
Claims. there to be adjudicdted and after
ward to be paid after the fashion of ordi-
nary claims coming from that court The
measure has not received action of any
kind in the House. and it would be tight
squeeze to get it through should the Senate
now act. This is the more doubtful, In
view OF the temper shown by the Senate on
the amendment which Mr.. Manderson
sought 20 place on the sundry civil bill pro-
tfding for the purchase of the water rights
at the falls. 1t is quite likely that no ac-
ton in this direction will be taken until a
final report has been made by the engineers
detailed by Secretary Lamont to explore
this entire question of the water power at
the falls, for which work an appropriation
OF $1,000 was added to the sundry civil bill
in the Senate
The Free Library Biii.
The House will probably discuss the free
library bill on the next District day. which
should occur next Monday. This was the
program for the lest District day, which
was lost on account of the superior attrac-
tveness of N. Germans anti-Cleveland
speech in the Senate. Chairman Heard ex-
poets to get favorable action on this bill be-
fore the end of the session. but there is no
absolute certainty that the Senate will sup
plement it,
Street Hallway Legislation.
with the Metropolitan street railway bill
signed by the Preside mt, the most vexatious
OF the local traction measures has been dis
posed OF. The omnibus railway BILL which
settles charter questions for the Great
Falls. Washington and Georgetown and
Eckington roads. will probably become a
law in a very short time 1t is expected
that before many days the Mt Vernon road
till VIII have passed the Senate, and being
a House bill, will then go to conference SO
that there is excellent prospect that this
extension will be eventually authorized this
session Beyond these three bills it is not
likely tnat there will be any further street
railway legislation, except. possibly, that
action may be taken on the bill designed to
regulate the tracks of the cable and forth
coming electric lines on 14th and 18th
streets northwest. This however ts a very
comprehensive matter, and it is more than
hkeiy that there will be nothing done in the
Snort time now remaining. as it seems to be
thought best to allow the question to re-
main open a few months for further con-
s.deration.
The Muutctu.r uuspa,u .
ONCE.
Among the measures of importance that
may be designated as dead for the session
the foremost is that providing for a new
municipal building. Such BILL with Judi
eiary Square as the site, is now on tn.
House calendar. with favorable report
frcm the committee on public buildings and
grounds 1t may be taken up at any time
put II is not thought that such action will
De taken. similar bill. with the market
reservation as a site. is on the calendar of
the Senate committee. and it will doubt
less remain there
Much depends upon the action of the
conferees on the sundry civil BILL who are
now in session, in the question of a new
prin ting office. That bill was amended by
she Senate by provision to buy the Ma
hone site. at the corner of North Capitol
and NJ streets, for the office. without pro-
viding for a building beyond an aDDropria-
tion of sl0To for the preparation of plans
favorable to this proposition although IL
received a large majority in the Senate
IL is understood that the question is TO be
submitted to the House for direct vote
This will determine the matter to a certain
extent. but not wholly.
No Action Likely.
The following local bills are now on the
calendar of the House, which action is
improbable: III. X. J1o2. sppropriating for
the construction of county roads and
suburban streets; :. %. for hall of rec
ords; III. Il. 6596, amending the charter of
the Belt line-the IL street BILL H. r.
12tS. for the Improvement of the road in
Alexandria county connecting the Chain
and Aqueduct bridges and Arlington; III. r.
1IJ9 locating the printing office the old
armory site: T.. X. I115. granting right of
way through Arlington for electric pur-
poses: III. r. 223. authorizing the sale of
burial sites for the benefit of the Congress
sional cemetery; II. r. 1871. continuing the
system of trunk Sawers-the bond issue
bill: H. r. 6167 to sell per cent District
greenback bonds; III. X. sol, to amend the
Police Court act: III. r. 1893 to prevent
desecration Of graves; II. r. GS16. to amend
the charter Of the Suburban road; II. r.
f,Sn TO amend section .l3 nf tbs RSSi~ u