Evening star., 1896-12-12
Meeting Of the House District Com
mittee Today.
MEASURES CONSIDERED FOR ACTION
Those to Be Brought Up in the
House Monday.
THE DAY LABOR BILL

The House District committee held its
first meeting of the session today. The
p.embers present were Messrs. Babcock,
Harmer. Curtis, Hulick, Shannon, Milnes,
Richardson and Gen. Meyer of Louisiana,
who succeeds Mr.. Cobb of Alabama on the
committee.
Commissioners TruesdeIl and Ross, At
torney Thomas, Health Officer Woodward
and Tax Collector Davis were present.
Arrears of Taxes.
Attorney Thomas called attention to
House bill No. s499, relating to arrears of
taxes. which, he said, had been carefully
gene over by the tax Office. Mr.. Thomas
said that the bill proposes TO cure existing
defects in the law relating to arrears of
taxes Very many taxpayers now allow
theIr property to get into arrears and then
have a friend buy the property in for one
years tax There are 10000 or 12,NI0 cases
annually, said Mr.. Thomas. This bill will
require the purchaser to pay all arrears OF
taxes, with interest, before getting title
to the property.
1t was determined to postpone action upon
this bill to a subsequent meeting.
Opening of North Capitol Street.
The Commissioners then called attention
10 the bill for the opening of North Capi-
tol street TO the Soldiers Home, and SUBJ
mitted to the committee a substitute bill
for the pending measure. The substitute
directs the Commissioners to proceed with
the opening of North Capitol street. and
10 pay for the condemned property as
aWiided by the court. $51 ,6S6 one-half to
De paid from the District revenues Com
missioner Truesden explained the desir-
ability of the proposed legislation, and Mr.
J. j. aemphill and Mr.. A. b. Brown in
Dehaii OF the property owners, advocated
the bin. 1t was decided by the committee
TO call up the bill in the House next Mon
day.
The committee then proceeded to exam
Inc the bills on the calendar with the view
OF selecting those to be called up next
Monday.
The Wholesale Farmers Market
MIR. Shannon desired to call I'D the bill
for the wholesale farmers market but
Commissioner Truesdell said the Commits
sioner3 would like to be heard upon the
several market bills before they are con-
sidered in the House. 1t was determined to
defer further action upon this bill for the
D; esent-
It was decided to call up next Monday
the bill authorizing a bridge across the
Eastern branch in line of Massachusetts
avenue extended.
The bill relating to the estate Of the
late Peter Won Essen was ordered to be
recalled from the House calendar to the
committee.
Municipal Work by Day Labor.
The Senate bill authorizing the employ
ment of day labor in the construction OF
municipal work in the District was men,
toned. and 1t was proposed to recall it TO
the committee. Mr. Truesdell said the
Commissioners favored the day labor plan.
The contract system had been found to
work badly and occasioned losses to the
District. He believed the work could be
done cheaper and better by day labor. He
said that under the present system con-
tracts awarded to the lowest bidder are
frequently taken py persons unable to per-
form them, and the loss either falls upon
the people who furnish the material, the
hborer or the District. The contractor
seldom loses.
Mt. Babcock said the object in recalling
the bill was to consider the clause which
permitted the Commissioners to perform
''such other works" by day labor in addi-
ton to municipal building. He said this
clause opened the door for many possible
abuses.
Mr. TruesdeIl said there were many other
classes of work that could be more ade-
Quately done by day labor tEan by con-
tract. The Commissioners could employ
labor ard buy material to as good advan-
tage as contractor. and would save the
pro1t that the contractor would reserve
for himself. The work would be done het-
ter under the Commissioners, because there
would be no wish to slight the work by the
employees OF the building department.
There are some classes of work, he said,
which should never be done by contract.
Witness the result in the case of the aque-
duct tunnel
Mr.. Babcock said experience in other
municipalities had shown that N the ma
iority of cases a skilled contractor, having
IN his possession the proper tools, could do
work at least So per cent cheaper than the
municipality.
Suggestion as to Lighting.
That is not the case in this municipal
ity.' said Mr.. Truesdell. Take the case of
lighting the city. There is no reason why
the municipality should not light the city
ITSELF
You could certainly do it better and
cheaper than 1t is now done" suggested
Mr.. Hulick. and Mr.. Truesdell assented.
IL was decided to recommit the bill to the
committee for amendment
Chairman Babcock announced that an
other meeting of the committee would be
held next Wednesday at 10 o'clock and
With this the committee adjourned
CABINET GOSSIP.