Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-10
Bills Considered and Acted On by
the House.
THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY DEBT
Gas Must Be furnished for Ono
Dollar Per 1000 Cubic Feet.
AS TO STREET CAR TICKETS

between friends and opponents of the Metro
| rclitan railroad bill, whereby the bill
Withdrawn for the present for the purpose
! that 1t might be called up again on the next
District day, with the understanding that in
| the meantime the District committee will
| carefully consider an amendment offered by
Mr.. Cogswen- This amendment refers the
| whole question at issue with regard to the
| debt of the company to the District to the
Court OF Appeals Of the District, the rail-
| cad company to waive any benefit that it
! may have by reason of the statute of limi-
tations in the pending case. The question
| is then to be tried by the court on it's
merits. There was considerable discussion
| previous to this action to whether such
amendment and agreement would be ac-
ceptable to all opponents of the bill and
| testimony to this effect was heard ON the
| floor from those who had made the most
open OPPOSITION. In Withdrawing the bill,
| MI. Richardson, who is in charge Of the meas
ure, said: we propose to draw an amend
| ment in the general form / have stated
| with the understanding that it is acceptable
| to gentlemen; at least to those who have
| said SO on the floor of the House, and we
| hope it will be acceptable to all others. OF
| course, gentlemen who have not said SO will
| not be bound by the agreements"
The Race Track Bill.
| Mr.. Heard called up House bill G1O9 ITO
more e1ectually suppress gambling in the
| District OF Columbia This bill is Of the
| same general purport as that which was so
| fatally amended in the Senate last week, ex-
| GLIDING from the provisions of the act of SO
in regard to book making all spring and fall
| meetings Of any jockey club or other racing
association conducted beyond the mile limit
between the LIST of March and the 18th of
december. The committee had authorized
| an amendment reducing the limit to three
quarters of a mile. Mr. Burrows asked If
| this bill did not authorize gambling at horse
races. He said the title was very shrewdly
drawn, and he advised the friends of the
measure not to waste any time with it, as
II would not pass during the day. He was
sorry that the District Commissioners had
| authorized the bill. There was considerable
controversy between MIR. Richardson on the
one hand and Messrs. Burrows and Gros-
venor on the other. On a division the COM
mittee's amendment was agreed to- Is to l,
and when the House divided on the passage
OF the Dill the ayes were 30 and the noes
"a, whereupon Mr.. Burrows raised the point
OF no quorum and Mr.. Richardson with
crew the bill from consideration.
HarbOr Regulations for the District.
The House next passed the bill H. r. 54i3
TO establish harbor regulations for the Dis
trict. There was no opposition. This bill
provides that every vessel coming to anchor
In the Potomac between the junction Of the
Washington and Georgetown channels and
N-iS SANCilSAOH VI the south line L street
southwest shall anchor as near the flats as
possible so that the channel shall not be OBJ
structed. II the vessel is to remain over
twelve hours IL shall be moored with two
anchors, SO as not to swing and obstruct
the channel. No vessel shall be permitted
10 anchor in the Washington channel be-
| tween or h street south. No vessel
| shall be permitted to lie in the 18th
street canal. New Jersey avenue canal
or James Creek canal so as to OBJ
struct the passage of any vessels going into
or out Of the same. All vessels sunk in
| canal shall be removed in five days Vessels
at the end of wharves and in docks may be
compelled to haul either way to accommo-
date vessels going in or out: they shall not
occupy the berths of regular steamers or
packets without permission, and they shall
be required to rig in all fore and aft spars,
hoist boats and turn up their davits. YES
sells not engaged in loading or discharging
snail give place to vessels ready to receive
or deliver freightS. All persons refusing to
obey the harbor master his representa-
tive shall be guilty of misdemeanor, and on
conviction shall be punished by fine of not
| more than 800, or an Imprisonment of rot
| more than six months.
| A Cheap Gas Bill.
The next bill taken up was H R., 1919.
| relating to the sale Of gas in the District
| The bill as drawn reduced the price of gas
| to 81 per 1000 cubic feet, and provided that
| the company may charge delinquent con-
sumers at the rate of 1925 Mr. Cultivate
offered an amendment, that the bill would
refer to the Washington GasIight Companv
| and all other gaslight companies doing bust
| ness in the District of Columbia He also
| moved the insertion of the following addi-
| tiOnal sections:
section . That section 1 of an act en-
| titled An act regulating gas works. ap-
proved juno %. 1874, is amended so as to
| read as follows: That from and after the
| aOth day Of June. 1874, the illuminating
power of the gas furnished by any gas light
company, person, or persons in the District
| of Columbia shall be equal to sixteen can
dies by the Bunsen photometer. using the
EngHSh parliamentary standard Argand
burner. having fifteen holes and finch
| chimney, consuming five cubic feet of gas
| per hour; and such gas shall not contain
| more than twenty grains of sulphur in any
form In 100 cubic feet, nor more than five
grains or ammonia in any form in 100 cubic
| feet, and shall be free of the impurity
| known as sulphureted hydrogen, said i'm
| purity to be determined by passing the gas
| through a glass vessel containing strips of
bibulOuS paper moistened with a solution of
the acetate Of lead, and if any discoloration
OF the test paper is found to have taken
place. this is to be held conclusive as to the
presence of sulphureted hydrogen in the gas
When the Illuminating gas supplied by any
company person, or persons in the District
| OF Columbia shall, at any one time, be of
less Illuminating power of less purity
| than according to the standard just hereto
| fore given, it shall be so reported by the in
spector OF gas and meters to the company
FSl SOl VI perSOHS supplying the same, who
shall be subject to penalty of 800, to be
recovered before the proper tribunal and
paid into the treasury of the District of
Columbia aforesaid for each and every day
| during which such violation shall continue:
Provided, however That if it shall appear
| that such deviation from the above-named
standards could not have been prevented
| by ordinary care and prudence, but was &C.
casloned by some unavoidable cause then
the said penalty shall not be enforced
! section 3. That any gas company or per-
sons placing gas meter in service in the
District OF Columbia that has not been in
| spected. proved and sealed, as provided for
| by the act of March 5, 1873, entitled An act
n aklng appropriate for the expenses of
the government of the District of Column
| bta for the fiscal year ending June 80 1894,
and for other purposes for each and every
| such violation of said act shall be subject
| 70 penalty of 500, to be recovered before
| the proper tribunal of the District of Column
/ bia.
| section 4. That clerk shall he appoint
ed by the Commissioners of the District of
columbia to perform clerical services and
assist generally in the work required in the
laboratories of the inspector of gas ard
| meters, and his cOmpensat shall be 81 900
/ per annur. That an additional inspe ctor of
lamps shall be appointed by said Commits
sloners, and mis- compensation shall be $500
per annum.
h.