The morning times., 1895-12-12

There win bc no filibustering against
| the bond bin IL the District Commissioners
can help it.
They are preparing themselves for the
| fight in a manner to have made Gar
| Reed turn green with envy in the Fifty
ijrst Copgreess- Perhaps they have learned
to count u quorum II they find 1t necessary
Yesterday the District Commissioners had
The District Committee meet. 1t was the
first Congress. Perhaps they have learned
gress and it was by special request.
The Commissioners paid quiet visit
TO the District Committee rooms late Mon
day afternoon. They hunted up Senators
Harris, Faulkner and McAiillan and had
hurried consultation with them. As re-
suit mounted page carried out the notices
delivered for the special meeting.
There were six members present at the
meeting. The District Commissioners were
there aud with them Attorney for the Dis
trict Thomas The ssssiun lasted short
time and the comm mittee directed Sen
ator Faulkner to report favorably ON the
amendment.
The amendment offered by the Commits
sioners was a legal one, but 1T means
great deal So important did the Coin
missioners think it that they urged that
Congress act un it at once.
WHAT Is REQUIRED.
It gives all persons the right to reach
the court of appeals at once on all CON
demnation proceedings and to go to the
Supreme Court of the United States on
questions involving the constitutionality of
the act Otherwise any person, after ct'n-
demnation proceedings, might delay ex-
tension for years by taking the constitu-
tionality of the act through all the courts
of the District.
The Commissioners, through their attor
ney. asked that immediate action be taken
for several reasons. When the act of
1898 for extending the highways of the
city over the District was enacted the Su-
preune Court of the District of Columbia
had both original and appellate juristlic-
tion.
While the highway act was pending this
organization of the courts in the District
was changed by the act creating court
OF appeals. This act abolished the appel
late jurisdiction of the General Term and
transferred it TO the new court of appeals.
But when the act creating the court OF
appeals was passed 1t was provided that ii
should not take effect until the third day
OF April, S93.
The result is that there is grave doubt
as TO whether the appeal which is a llowed
10y the high way act from the rulings Of the
special term OF the supreme court OF the
District. III the proceedings relating to
the condemnation of land and the assess
ment OF adjoining property, lies to the
roGrt OF appeals or to the general term
of the supreme court of the District.
There is also provision In the highway
act which authorizes the Judge sitting in
special term in these condemnation pro-
ceedings to certify TO the general term
ans questions of law that ma arise. And.
this certificate is to be to the court in
general term or to the court Of appeals
exists.
In addition to this. the highway act falls
to provide for an appeal to the Supreme
Court or the United States. In The amend
meat presented the appeal from the special
term OF the District supreme court. in con
demnation proceedings shall lie to the
court of appeals. The amendment also
provides for an appeal 10 the Supreme
Court.
OTHER LOCAL BILLS.
Among the bills of local interest intro
duced into thiss Congress is one by Mr..
Cummings defining the qualifications of
chief inspector and deputy inspectors OF
plumbing in the District.
1t is required that the chief inspector shall
be a practical plumber who has been prac-
ticaliy engaged in the plumbing business for
ten years or more. and shall furnish GER
tiGic3te OF competency and file a bond for
perfo rnian ce of duty in the SIM OF
$1,000.
Mr.. Curtis, Of New York has introduced in
the House Joint resolution providing for
the erectiono of statue at the Treasury De
partment 10 Francis E Spinner.
Mr.. Wheeler, OF Alabama. has introduced
in the House a Joint resolution providing
that the vacancy in the hoard OF regents of
the Smithsonian Institution, of the class
other than members of CGngress, shall he
filed 10y the appointment of William L.
Wilson. of the State of West Virginia, i'll
place of Henry Coppee, deceased.
Senator Mcmillan has introduced a bill 10
regulate fares and transfers upon street
car lines In the District 1t provides that
she lawful rate of fare shah not exceed .
cents and that companies shall arrange
such q transfer system as VIII carry pas
senger for the nne fare. Congress has
power t. say under what methods the trans
fers shall be made.
II Is the same bill introduced in the last
Congress. 1t further contains provision
that all street car companies shall sell six
tiglypfs a uu4rtpr.