The Washington times., 1894-08-19
No More Legislation Nill Be Had Be-
fore Next December.
IMPORTANT MEASURES GO OVER
Bills for Issuing Bonds, Street and Sewer Ex-
tension, Dollar Gas, Increased Water Sup
ply, a New Printing Office, and a New
Municipal Building Must Wait.

puts an end to the placing of new District
bills on the calendar, and the decision OF the
Committee on Rules of the House not to as
sign another day for District business in that
body practically puts an end to possible leg
islation there In the Senate there Is no
regular District day, but there are fewer I'M
portant bills on the calendar than in the COM
mittee room, and general disposition is
evident not to take action on any OF them
before adjournment.
The close of the session throws great deal
OF District legislation over until next Decem-
Der, The most important measure, perhaps,
which will narrowly escape action before the
departure OF Congress is the bill for the is
suance of 81. 900 bonds for sewer and
street extension. bill for this purpose is on
the House calendar. and similar one is on
the Senate calendar. There is important
difference between the two, however. The
Senate bill puts only half the expense on
the District, in accordance with the general
"organic act," whereby expenditures of the
District are to be assessed half against the
Federal Government and half against the
District The House bill placed the whole
cost on the District. This matter is. OF course.
of vital interest TO Taxpayers.
The next most important bill which mas
failed to become law is that for dollar gas. 1t
passed the House and was sent TO the Senate,
but some mysterious power, at the bidding of
the Washington Gas Light Company, has pre-
vented the bill ever being pushed beyond that
Probably no measure Is OF more universal IN
terest to every householder in Washington
than this bill, and the failure to act on II Is
not only objectionable. but strongly suggest
Ofd dalih n
The Investigations and report into the ques-
ton of dollar gas were very full and instruct
ive and it is little short Of a crime to make
the people OF Washington bear the burden of
an excessively high gas rate another six
months to enrich this local monopoly. The
bill TO incorporate the National Light. Heat,
and Fuel Company which was rejected once
by the committee, was taken up, after protest,
only to be more efectually pigeon-holed than
ever. This was the company that proposedto
establish rate lower than Il, to be decreased
at regular periods thereafter.
INCREASED WATER SUPPLY.
After the gas bills. that to increase the
water supply of the District is probably the
next most important. That bill, which is on
the Senate calendar, provides for the con-
demnation of the water rights at Great Falls,
although it does not carry an appropriation.
The payment is to be fixed by the Court OF
Claims This bill, however, belongs to the
class which usually require good deal OF
agitation before they come to head, and it
has hardly been expected that the measure
would be passed upon this session. There
are some lively protests by the owners of the
water rights against the taking of them by
the government, on the ground that such
action is unnecessary at this time, and there
fore unjusufable.
One OF the most pressing pieces of leSisla-
. aI 10 MT bs1
ment Printing House. The recent develop
ments in this matter are so fresh in the minds
of every Washingtonian that it is hardly
necessary TO recur to them here. Suffice it 70
say that the Senate is alone responsible for
this delay as their insistance on the Malone
site and unwillingness to consent to the
natural businesslike proposition of acquiring
additional land adjoining the present site, has
caused the failure to settle this question this
session.
The bills for new municipal building and
a hall of records are both important, but in
view of the present condition of the Treasury,
it has been practically certainty for some
time past that no action involving such large
OUTLAWS of money could be expected at this
time. By next fall it Is probable that the
revenues will be in such condition that the
municipal building question can be taken up
and treated as it deserves. 1t would have
been folly at this session to have passed on a
project which, so far as scope and expendi-
ture are concerned, would nave been treated
niggardly.
STREET LEGISLATION.
Street legislation has been very effectively
cared for by both Houses, and but little of
Importance goes over. Up to this time the
bill amending the Belt Line charter known
as the 81 street bill, )" and that providing that
etreet railways in the District shall pave and
repair pavements between their tracks with
asphalt, vitrif1ed brick, or granite blocks, are
the only important measures unacted on.
The bill allowing the Mount Vernon Electric
Railway a right Of way through Arlington
reservation was brought up in the Senate
yesterday. but went over on the objection of
Senator Vest, who said Senator Hale had re-
quested him to object to the bill, as he had
serious objections to it.
The bill for free circulating library to be
formed by collecting the duplicate copies in
the Congressional and departmental libra
ries has been called up two or three times In
the House, but in one way or another action
on it has been prevented. 1t is highly prob
able that reasonably prompt action may be
taken on that measure next session. as there
was a general misapprehension among men,
bers as to the purpose Of the bill, and the
fear that it would entail large appropriations
for the library, was largely responsible for its
being obstructed.
Another most important measure which
goes over. on the Senate calendar, is that to
simplify the form OF deeds of conveyance and
trusts and releases of land in the District
which Mr.. Faulkner has urged. Its purpose
was to allow prompt and inexpensive pro-
ceedings in cases of foreclosure and a simple |
form of transfer in cases of sale, the idea
being that in that way it would be much
easier to borrow on real estate property in the
District. Very considerable opposition de-
veloped to this measure, however, arising
from fear that the provisions Of the law
might be SO employed as to work hardship |
on mortgagors.
Other bills affecting rea estate left on the |
Senate calendar are: Making judgments a
lien on the real estate of debtor in the Dis |
trict; one amending the law relative to sales |
Tor unpaid taxes, requiring publication; one |
preventing the recording of subdivisions of |
law in the recorders office, and the old |
measure to change the name of Sixteenth !
street to Executive avenue
The bill to bridge the Eastern Branch, |
while !. very materially affects the citys well |
fare, can hardly be called an important one |
at this time. because there is no immediate /
prospect OF its being acted on. 1t is engi- |
neered very largely by the promoters of Con-
calendar. That for the proposed Memorial |
Bridge across the Potomac to Arlington
Cemetery remains in committee.
BILLS on THE SENATE CALENDAR.
Among the other bills on the Senate calen-
dar are the following: To establish harbor
regulations for the District; to establish Ma
tional University; to establish an observatory