Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-11
Many Measures of Local Interest
Pass the House.
NO LIQUOR TO Be SOLD In Pool ROOMS
Amendment to the Water Main
Assessment Bill.
9TH r BILLS ACTED ON

| AL eHe house today Tor the consideration
OF bills relating to local affairs, with a
| lslr attendance of members of the House
| az the beginning of the session.
Rational University Bill Passed.
| The first measure called up was the hill
| to incorporate the National University In
| tfis the incorporates Of the university are
| med as Messrs. Arthur Macarthur Rich
ard H. Alvey. Charles c. Cole, William B.
| Webb, Eugene CarusI II. o. Claughton,
| Thomas Wilson. Matthew G. Emery, John
Goode, Charles Lyman, John T. Winter,
| Howard II. Ban ker and William c. White
| more.
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee explained
| II at the object Of the bill is to grant a
| special charter Of Congress to this univer-
| SLY 1t now has, and has had for many
Years, e charter obtained under the general
| law, under which il maintains a university
with full corps of teachers. The university
| asks Tor general charter because it is
| proposed TO provide by law that colleges
| rot Incorporated by special act of Congress
shall not be allowed to conduct their busi-
| hess in the District of Columbia unless such
colleges shall be registered by the Commis-
sloners of the District, and granted by them
written permit to commence or continue
ttsir ess in sad District. They ask for no
lew powers or powers not granted by their
present charter. The only purpose IS 10
AVOID the necessity of this university 10
apply to the District Commissioners to be
registered before doing business.
The bill was passed without further de-
bate.
! Washington and Maryland Railroad.
Chairman Babcock then called up the bill
providing that the time within which The
| Maryland and Washington Railway Com
| pany is required to complete and put In
| Operation its railway in the District of Co.
| lrmbia, under the provisions of an act of
Congress approved August /, 1892 as
amended by an act approved March >, 1895,
| be extended for the term OF one year from
| the I'd day of March, 1856; and that all the
franchises, rights and powers conferred by
those acts, either of them. upon the
| railway company may be enjoyed and eX-
ercised as fully and completely as if the
railway lad been completed and put in
| oI Grafton prior to March ., 1896.
Mr. RuSk OF Maryland, in explanation,
| said that the company is in good faith rap
idly constructing its road, but certain de-
lays have arisen in connection with the
/ condemnation proceedings in the District
winch may prevent The company from CONF
pleiinS its work of construction by the time
1886
Che bill was thereupon passed.
Pool and Billiard Table License Bill.
Chairman Babcock next called up the bill
20 licerse pool and billiard tables in the
District. 1t has been amended by the COM
inittee over the draft furnished by the
Commissioners, and Is IN full as follows:
That from and after the passage of this
act it shall be unlawful for any person or
persons TO keep any billiard table. bagatelle
table. Switchboard, jenny lind table pool
table, CT aIy table upon which legitina g
games are played, in any saloon, room, or
place of business within the District of CO.
lumbia for public Use or for profit or gain,
without license therefor first had and
obtained from the assessor of the District
of Columbia.
such license shall pay to the collector Of
taxes of said District a license fee of
twelve dollars per annum for each table.
said license may he granted or refused in
the discretion of the assessor of said Dis
trict, and all licenses granted shall date
from the first day Of the month I'm which
fhe liability began and expire on the 3Ist
day OF october in each wear: Provided,
That in all cases of refusal of said assessor
to grant said license, upon written pro-
test of majority or more of the property
owners or residents of the block in which
Ii Is proposed to grant such license, an
appeal may be taken TO the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, whose decis-
ion shall be final
Sec. ). That every person who shall OWL
keep, or use any billiard table, bagatelle
table. pool table, any table or board of
the kind mentioned in the first section of
this act for public use profit without
such license first had and obtained shall
on conviction in the Police Court be fined
$40 or imprisoned not exceeding three
months for eacn offense, or both, in tho
discretion of the court.
Sec. 4. That it shall not be lawful for
the proprietors of billiard tables, pool
tables bagatelle tables, jenny lind tables
or other tables of the kind mentioned in
the first section of this act, shuffleboards
and bowling alleys. kept for public hire
and gain in the District of Columbia TO
allow any person under the age of twenty
one years to play at any game of billiards
pool, shuffieboard, or any game that NAV
he played on such tables or boards or
Play at bowls on said alleys or permit
such person TO come into or remain in their
pool rooms, saloons, bowling ALLEYS
where spirituous, Vinous, or malt liquors
are sold; and all such places shall be closed
during the entire twenty-four hours of
each and every Sunday, and also during
the hours that bar rooms are required 10
he closed.
Any person violating the provisions Of
this section shall. on conviction, be pun
by fine of hot less than five nor mora
than forty dollars, and shall in addition
forfeit his or her license, in the discretion
of the Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia.
Sec. j. That all laws or parts of laws In
consistent with this act be. and the same
are hereby, repealed.
Additions by the Committee.
Mr.. Curtis of Iowa explained that the
present law on this subject only imposes a.
penalty for the keeping of billiard tables,
pool tables, etc, for public use, profit, or
gain. Under the decision of the courts the
present law is essentially a revenue law, a
tender of the tax is constructive paw
iEeht, and persons paying the tax or tender
ing the same are permitted to carry on tho
business without q license. The authorities
are thus denied the power to prevent the
conduct of such business by improper per-
sons or at unsuitable places. This bill is
designed to impose penalty on persons
doing said business without license, and
to provide ecessary authority to exclude
unworthy applicants by refusing to license
them.
The committee had added to the Commits
sioners bill the provision for an appeal
from the assessor to the Commissioners:
and also by an amendment providing that
1t shall not be unlawful for the said pro-
prietors Of said tables, etc, to permit per
sens under twenty-one years of age TO play
at said games or visit such places where
spirituons, vinous. malt liquors are not
Sold
Against Selling Liquor.
Mr.. Ray of New York advocated an
amendment prohibiting absolutely the SELL
ing of liquors in pool or billiard rooms