Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-03
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS.
The FOrd's Theater Disaster.


1t is the desire of Senator Harris that
the joint commission on the Ford Theater
disaster shall get through it's work as soon
as possible, and he has taken steps 10 bring
about a meeting, of the committee, of-which
he is chairman, at an early date. The
death claims, amounting to little over $780,
900, have been practically adjudicated, and
the rate of 5000 established for all these
cases. The injury claims, of which there
are nearly a hundred, are now in fair
shape to be handled by the joint commits
sion rapidly. 1t is probable that the death
claims would have been paid at the last
st ssion, had the idea of a joint commission
been pressed forward earlier. AS it was
the House was not willing to make the
appropriation without a committee of its
members having scrutinized the cases.
This is SO much matter of FORM how
ever, that it is probable there will be no
objection to paying the death claims at
the rate already established. The Senators
who were on the committee in the beginning
nave pretty nearly finished their work OF
examining the individual claims for inju-
ries. Some of them have quite finished
their quota. 1t is not improbable that the
conclusions reached by these senators Will
be largely influential in determining the
action of the joint commission later. The
main point of dispute is the ratio of pay
ment in these cases. The exact nature or
the injuries is fixed fact, as all the
surgeons. The other elements in the case
include the financial needs of the individ-
uals and as to such matters there may
be some controversies.
To Amend the W. and q. R.R- Charter
REPRESENTATIVE Meredith today introduced
in the House bill to amend the charter
of the Washington and Georgetown Rail-
road Company so as to permit the extern
sion of the road along the following route:
Beginning near 18th street and PennSyl-
vania avenue, south on 18th to G. east on
G. to the river front, and returning on +
street from 18th to 18th and thence to the
avenue Also for line running on I'D
street from F street to X street, with the
right to run public carriages Oh the tracks
drawn by horses or other power except To-
comotives propelled by steam. The privi-
lege of using overhead trolley is, however,
prohibited.
East Washington Belt Line i.R.
Mr.. Cadmus introduced in the House to-
day a bill for the Incorporation of the
East Washington Belt Line Railway Com
pany. The incorporators named are II. l..
Z. johnson, II. l.. West, Calderon Carlisle,
w. p c. Hazen, Frank p. Weller, r. Nj.
Larner and Oscar Luckett. The road Is to
run from NJ street and Florida avenue
me- along NJ to Sd ne, along Sd to Virginia
avenue, southeast, thence along Virginia
avenue to / street southeast, thence to 18th
street east, thence to Tennessee avenue,
thence to 14th street east, to Florida ave-
nue. and thence to the starting point at
NJ and Florida avenue. The overhead
trolley is excluded from Use.
The House Committee.
The House committee on the District of
Columbia will hold it's first meeting on
Wednesday next. Chairman Heard is at
of ha cif1 h,1ti S cd m
return in time for this meeting. There are
a number of things pending for action by
the committee. Mr. Richardson, who Is
second on the committee. said today that
he thought they would get to work speedily
and endeavor to call up as much of the
District business as possible before the
close of the session. He said that he
thought the District business would be in
very good shape and that they would get
their calendar pretty we'll cleared up.