The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-06

Just before adjournment yesterday the
| Senate got on to the calendar aud passed
| three District bills.
The most important was that providing
| for the appointment of n Sealer and assist
ant sealer of weights and measures in the
District OF Columbia. This measure pro-
Vides THAT no person shall use for buyirir
| or selling, or for weighing freight or cX-
press matters, any Weights. measures,
scales or other instruments, unless the same
| shall have been examined and approved by
! Tue Sea!er or assistant sealer of weights
ana measures. The fact and the date or
such examination and approval and the
| period for which such examination and
| approval shall hold good shall be certified
| To with the seal OF the seacr of weights
and measures. Such certificates shall he
/ attached in a conspicuous place To the
! weights, measures, scales or other inStru-
| nlents SO examined ana approved: and such
! certificate shall be valid only for such time
as the Commissioners of the District of
! Columbia shall provide i'll the schedule of
! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Provided, That
nothing herein contained shall prevent at
| any time The examination ana condemna-
tion OF any weights, measures. scales or
other instruments that may be found defcC-
| tive
Failure TO comply with the provisions
/ or this section shall render the person so
! failing or using liable To Il line Of not more
| than so and costs OF prosecution for each
! oGfcnse, TO be recovered in the police court OF
the District Of Coiunlbin; and the said court
! may Hi NJ al IhIutGT St'Hltttt llll tlle OF
| fender be imprisoned in the District Jail
! for any period not exceeding six months
until the payment of such fine aud COSTS
AGAINST FALSE WEIGHTS.
| This bill makes provision for Selling
| weights and measures condemned. and
| prevents the reuse Of false weights. The
| scaler OF weights ana measures states that
| huckSterS heretofore on the streets were
! accustomed TO watch for his appearance
| aud to hide their false weights ana nC asurcs
-hnn no % IN sisrltt 90. he
gain when he disappeared. The bill
now goes to the House.
The bill for the relief Of the Potomac
| Steamboat Company was also taken up
ana passed. The measure provides for
the payment of $1,000, paid the Baker
Salvage Company for services rendered
| to the steamer Excelsior, belonging TO
the Potomac Steamboat Company. wien
! she was sunk 10y the United States steam
| tug Fortune in Hampton Roads. December
| 4, 1892. This amount was paid the Baker
Salvage Company, under order of the cir
emit court Of the United States for the
! Eastern district of Virginia.
At the time of this collision the Fortune
! struck the Excelsior on the StaFhOar1 bow,
maEinga hole in her hullat least by 10fcet
ana IL being apparent that the i'll iured vessel
wolld sink She was promptly hea ded for the
shore. ana went ashore on the south side OF
Hampton Bar. at or about its middle point,
where she soon after went to the bottom
with a hole extending from her hurricane
deck far down under water.
FAULT OF THE GOVERNMENT.
A naval board was convened December 3,
1882. by order OF Rear-Admiral Cooper, to
investigate the circumstances attending
the collision and TO ascertain the injuries
land dbleamountofdamag eS. Itappear-
ing from the report made by the naval board
thatsthe collision was caused by the negli-
lgenCe of the officers in command OF the For
tune, upon the recommendation Of the SecrC-
taTv Of the Navy. Mr.. Chandler, an item WAS
included in the act making appropriations
or the sundry civil expenses OF the Govern
ment for the fiscal year hiding June 80,
1884. apprOpriating S19,957.15 TO enable
him opa ytha Potoma g : teamboat Company
the amount found to be due A this time
the item in favor OF the Baker Salvage Com
pany was not considered. This the bill seeks
10 remedy.
The bill for the relief Of Kate Winter
was also passed. IT, quieiS Mrs. Winters
title 10 land i'm block 739. Congress in S9l
gave 10 the Baltimore and PGtoinac Railroad
Company power TO acquire square 73G by
condemnation. This right the company has
| not chosen TO exercise, nor. so far as the
| committee is informed. does il intend TO DC
so. This is why the bill was introduced.