Evening star., 1895-01-24
BOND ISSUE BILL
offered as an Amendment to the Ap-
preparation Bill.
WHAT SENATOR PROCTOR SAYS
Its Only Chance for Passage This
Session.
FULL TEXT is CIV E n
FULL TEXT is CIV E \

Senator Proctor yesterday afternoon
offered an amendment to the District ap-
preparation bill, Incorporating on the latter
bill the street and sewer extension bond
bill that was favorably reported at the last
session from the Senate District commit
tee. The amendment was referred to the
District committee, and Senator Proctor
has been busy ever since last evening in
polling the committee. with the result that
this afternoon he was enabled to report the
amendment back to the Senate favorably
from the District committee, with the ap-
proving Endorsement of Senators Harris,
Faulkner, Martin, Hunton, Mcmillan.
Proctor. Gallinger and Wolcott. all but
three of the committee The amendment
was then referred to the committee on ap-
propriations. which is at present consider
ing the District appropriation bill.
Its Only Chance This Session.
1t Is a general concession that this Is
the only chance for the bond bill to secure
a passage through this Congress. Neither
house has yet acted upon the separate
bills for en- issue of bonds for this purpose.
and the time is so short that concurrent
action upon a separate measure Is an i'm
possibility. Senator Proctor said this after
noon to Star reporter that while there
bond bill passed in this way. it is the only
chance at this time. The amendment as
offered by him is practically the entire
proposition to issue bonds of the District
to the extent of $3.50, 900 at 3 per cent
Fer annum, payable fifty years after date.
The money so raised is to be used in the
work of continuing the system of trunk
sewers. completing system Of sewage
disposal, In accordance with the plans of
the board of sanitary engineers, submit
ted in 1890, and ths extension of the high
way system of the District outside of the
city lire. The cost of the extension of the
trunk sewers is limited to Sl,OoO,OOO, of
the sewage disposal system to So, 500 900. and
OF the street and highway system TO s., 1JO.-
OOO. 1t is in relation to the last-named
sum that the amendment Dtains its only
change from the bill of the Senate now
en- the calendar. This occurs in section 2
of the bill, which in the amendment Is
made to read follows:
Must he Designated by Congress-.
THE said commissioners are authorized
in carrying out the provisions of the act
entitled an act to lay out system of high
ways in that part of the District of Column
bia lying outside of cities approved March
2. 1893, to expend, without further author
ity from Congress, not to exceed the sum
of S1,lJO,OOO; and the said Commissioners
are also hereby authorized to expend the
additional sum of S2,UJU,O0O, or as much
thereof as may oe required, In improving
such of the streets or avenues and in grad
ing such resery ations, heretofore or hereaf-
ter laid out and opened under the said act of
March =, 1893, or of such of the existing
streets, roads or avenues in the District,
ircluding the necessary bridges and cul-
verts, as may be hereafter designated by
Congress"
This changes the bill in this respect,
ramely, that in the expenditure of the
2WO,OO0 of the second item, the streets
ard avenues in the District to be improved
ha fret icrv,p tod
by Congress fE the same manner that the
annual repairs ard improvements to the
streets are authorized. In other words.
the Commissioners will be required in
providing for contracts under this appro-
priatiCn. to submit annually lists of these
streets to be improved through the COM
general plaa that may now be in con-
temptation without further authorization
than that contained in the bill.
The amendment retains. as did the Sem
obhgation Of the government to assume
one-half of this Indebtedness, according
to the act of June IL, 1878. In this respect
the amendment differs from the position al
ready taken by the House committee.
which abrOgates this obligation and puts
the entire expense, so far as street exten-
sion Is concerned, upon the District.
Should the amendment pass the Senate
appropriations committee and the Senate
1t Will then go into conference, where it
will be debated. Just what the chances
FOR Its ultimate enaction into law at this
session may be Is today merely conjec-
ture
The Text of the Amendment.
The following is the text of the amend
ment referred to:
Provided, That the Commissioners Of the
District of Columbia be, and they are
hereby, authorized to proceed, as soon as
may be practicable, with the work of con-
tinuing the system of trunk sewers in the
District of Columbia, and also to proceed
with the work of completing a system of
sewage disposal and protection against
floods, in accordance with the plans recon-
mended by the board of sanitary engineers
in their report to Congress upon the sewer
age of the District of Columbia in 1890
Executive document numbered 445, Fifty
first Congress, first session.: Provided fur
ther, That the cost of the extension of the
system of trunk sewers herein provided
for shall not exceed one million dollars.
and that the cost of continuing and COM
pleting the system of sewage disposal and
protection against floods herein provided
for shall not exceed the sum of $},25J, 600
The said Commissioners are hereby au-
thorized, in carrying out the provisions
of the act entitled An act to lay out
system of highways in that part of the
District of Columbia lying outside of
cities" approved March =, 1898, to expend
without further authority from Congress-
not to exceed the sum of $l,15O,UU: and
said Commissioners are also hereby au-
thoriZed to eXpend the additional sum of
S2,ojU,0O0 in improving such of the streets
or avenues and in grading such reserva-
tions heretofore or hereafter laid out and
opened under said act of March =. 1888, or
such of the existing streets, roads or
avenues in the District OF Columbia, in
GLIDING necessary bridges and culverts, as
may be hereafter designated by Congress
In order to provide the money necessary
to defray the cost and expense of executing
the works authorized by this act the treas
urer of the United States, ex-officio
sinking fund commissioner of the District
of Columbia, be, and he is hereby, author
ized and it shall be his duty, to cause bonds
of the District of Columbia to be prepared
in denominations of $4,000 and 81 900 to
the amount of S7JuO,OoO, bearing date July
1, 1894 payable fifty years after date. bear
ing interest at the rate of 3 per centum per
annunn, payable semi-annually on the first
days of January and July of each year. to
be signed by him as eX-officio commissioner
of the sinking fund and be countersfSned
by the auditor of said District, and bear
the seal of said District, which bonds shall
he exempted from taxation by federal,