Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-22
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS
An Important Meeting of the Senate Com
mittee This Morning.
The Dollar Gus Bill Defeated - The
Suburban Hallway H;u II Tic
Other Measures.


the session, as is customary. but when the
committee adjourned the clerk was In
structed to give out no information of any
kind. Consequently an air of deep sig
nificance was cast over the proceedings.
Yet 1t can be announced that the dollar
gas bill was defeated. the bill for the in
corporation of the National Gas Company
received y tie vote and the problem of the
District of Columbia suburban road was
unsettled, the vote also being a tie.
The main reason for the injunction of
secrecy that was placed over the clerk vas
that there are now in preparation two re-
ports on the dollar gas bill, one by the
majority adverse to it's passage, and one
by the minority in favor of the legislation.
These reports will be presented at later
day. In connection with them will come a
port on the National Company's BILL in
dicating the tie. which leaves the bill on
the Senate calendar without recommends
ton from the committee.
A Lively Session.
There were ten members of the commit
tee present at the meeting, Senator Smith
being the only absentee. The discussion
was quite animated at times, could be
ascertained by the sounds of loud and
somewhat excited talking that foateG
through the transom of, the committee
room door. The usual crowd Of people in
terested in the bills pending before the
committee, which grows larger as the enc
of the session draws closer, was present in
the corridor, and when the meeting ad
Journed-Shortly after IL oclock-there was
the customary rush for tidingS of the SeS
sion. But all comers were disappointed, fol
the answer was given from each member
that the chairman only could give out the
news. The chairman was adamant itself.
The Columbia Suburban Railway.
The first business taken up was the un-
settled question of a new charter for the
District of Columbia Suburban Company.
The agreement of the Columbia, Ecking-
ton and Metropolitan companies to enter
into reciprocal transfer arrangements with
the suburban road was laid before the
committee, together with the compromise
that the opponents of the House bill were
willing to present. The friends of the
measure, however were unwilling to ac-
cept the route provided for by the com
promise bill-up 18th street east, from II
street north to East Capitol-and finally
a vote was taken on the House bill. which
suits the company, by giving ii an urban
trunk line The committee divided evenly
on the bill, the democrats voting afhrma-
lively and the republicans In the mega
tive.
Then the bill of the Senate granting the
Columbia company the privilege of extend
ing it's line out the Bladensburg road was
taken up. The bill originally granted the
right of extension out G. street northwest
beyond the State Department This pro-
vision was stricken out, and the PROPOSE
ton of Il northeastern suburban extension
of the road was laid before the commit
tee. This extension proposed by the
company in the agreement as to transfers
with the suburban road and 1t guaranteed
to complete the outside line in one year,
and to give continuous ride for one fare.
on this proposition the committee also
divided evenly, this time the republicans
voting aye and the democrats nay.
AS a result of these votes the two bills
were later reported to the Senate without
recommendation.
The Dollar Gas IiiI.
The hill for dollar gas was then taken
UP and discussed at some length in con-
junction with the National Gas Company
bill. The majority in favor of an adverse
report on the former was greatly influenced
by the statistics presented by the SUBJ
committee to the full committee on behalf
of the gas company. The argument was
advanced that the company cannot now
afford to reduce the price of its produce
cne-tnird-in reality the reduction proposed
is but one-tfth-w hile 1t is being oDnSeo
to make large and costly extensions OF ITS
pipe system. The promise was held out
that al some future time the company
would be willing to reduce the price, but
it could not afford to do so now. 1t is un-
derstood that the tie vote on the National
Gas Company bill was caused by Senator
Harris voting for that bill, after voting
against the dollar gas tlll
To B. Reported FavOrnbly.
Senator Mcmillan was instructed to make
reports on the Columbia suburban and
Columbia extension bills, and also favora-
bio reports on the House bills incorporat-
ing the Capital Railway Company, grant
ing the lexington road new suburban
branch and giving the Washington and
Marlboro road the right to enter the DlS-
trict The last named bill was so amended
as to require the company to build a new
steel bridge across the Eastern branch te-
tween the Benning bridge and that used by
the Pennsylvania railroad. The fncOrpo-
rators declare their willingness to comply
with this provision, which the Secretary
of War says is necessary. he points out
that the present Benning bridge is not
strong enough to carry an electric car.
running at full speed. and that the railroad
bridge would not be a proper structure for
a street car line to occupy 1t is felt that
this requirement will practically prevent
the construction of the road.
The Capital Company merely proposes to
build a lire through the territory south OF
the city, across the branch, connecting
with the Anacostia road. The lexington
extension bill was reported favoraby, de-
spite the adverse action OF the District
Commissioners.
Instruction rs to House Bill.
The commtte, also instructed Senator
Mcmillan to report back favorably the
House bill Incorporating the East Wash
ington Belt Line Company, but so amended
as to eliminate the danger Of legislat ton
that would grant the trolley people another
lease of life on New York avenue between
1th street and the boundary The bill. IL
will be recalled, was amended in the House
by the Insertion of new section granting
the lexington road a year more in which
to remove the overhead wires on New York
avenue. The report on this bill was not
made today.
Senator Hunton was directed to make a
favorable report on the House bill amend
ing the act Incorporating the American
University, and MIR. FaClkr er was author
ICED to report favorlbly the House bill for
the relief OF James Linskey, to enable him
to hold property.