Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-08
First Formal Meeting of the House
Committee.
sUBGuMMTEB ARE ANNOUNCED
he Bill to Extend the Time 70,
-r9ss- 1snt.
- - - ~-1r
OTHER LOCAL MEASURES

81 IL
lowing members In attendance: Mr.. Bah
| COCK Mr. Harmer, Mr.. Shannon. Mr.. Hu-
Hhs, Mr. Odell, Mr.. Hulick Mr.. Milnes
Mr Richardson. Mr.. j. E. Cobb of Alabama.
MI Meredith, Mr.. Abbott Mr.. s. w. Cobb
CT missouri and Mr. Rusk of Maryiand.
chairman Babcock began the proceed
! ines by appointing the following subcom-
mittees: 49, .-s
On tudicfary-Messrs. Hulick, shannon.
hichardson. Abbott. j. E. Cobb.
On ways and means-Messrs. Curtiss.
odeil Mines. J. E. Cobb. s. w. Cobb.
On education. labor and charities-Messrs
Wellington, Hulick, Shannon, Abbott. s.
W. Cobb.
On street railways. streets and avenues
Mesers. BabcecS,. Harmer. curtfss. Rich
ardscn. Rusk.
On steam railways-Messrs Harmer. Hu-
ing. Wellington. Babcock, Meredith.
I'm On lncorporations-Mess Odell, Huling.
Mfines, Meredith. Rusk.
To Extend the Time for Assessment.
The first business before the committee
was the resolution submitted by the Conn
missioners to extend the time for making
an assessment Of real estate in the Dis
trict. This resolution provides that the
ume nxed Tor the return Of assessment by
section . Of the act Of August IA lS94 he
extended to the first Monday in Nav. 1s1e
as 70 the real estate in the present limits
OF the city of Washington ami that the
ot uihe aor returning the assessments outside
ot tne city limits be extended to the first
Monday in September, 1896; the time fixed
Tor the meeting Of the board of eoualiza
Sion 70 De POSTPONED until the first day of
september, 1886, and the work to be conn
pleted before the first Monday in Novem-
ber. ,A N>o'ein-
The bill also provides that the District
appropratioa bill of June 80. 1877, be
amGn0C0 f.a he.
ieUed under the assessment of that nor
tion of the District: OF Columbia outside
.ne present limits Of the city of Washing
ton herein provided for due and PAYABLE
on the LIST day of May. 1897 Instead nS
one-half on the LIST day Of November. Is96.
ana one-half on the lst day of Nav 1907
as oy existing law: Provided that these
nscsi year ending June 80, 1897.
III, Inas resoautien was ordered to be favor
aoiy reported. a-ss.s' '-s..i-.--3l, = =. !.
The Highway Amendment Act.
The District Commissioners, accompanied
by Attorney worthington, appeared before
the committees 70 expia1n the necesssty sor
the pending amendments to the highway
act. Mr.. Worthington said that owing 10
changes in the system of jurisprudence of
the District by the creation of the Court
u Appeais. tnere Is serious question as to
wnicn Is the appellate court under the
nignway act. The first award of the Jury
under the act is expected to be made 70.
DAY. and 1t is necessary that this point
should be made clear.
MI. Hulick asked what rights are ac
way act.
Mr.. Worthington replied that no act I'm
operation In the United States gives more
definite rights to property owners than
TINS oneS and he explained the details of
the law in this respect
Inc Dill proposing the amendment to the
not 4,
ably reported 1t is the same measure that
recently passed the Senate, and it's oroyi-
sions are familiar to readers of The Star.
The Commissioners' Statement.
Commissioner Ross stated to the COM
mittee that 1t was OF the utmost i'm
portance that the time for assessments
should be extended as proposed by the
pending resolution. -e
Commissioner Truesdell then stated to
the committee he desired to urge upon
their early attention the bill to provide
Tor sewer extension. This measure author
lies the issue by the District of bonds to
the extent OF $1,500000 10 provide for a
system or sewage disposal and trunk sew
ers. he said he did not care to go into
the merits of the bill at this time. but
to point out the urgency for its early pas
sage. 1t Is substantially the same bill as
the one reported by the House COMMITTEES
In the last Congress. He explained at
length the necessity for the Introduction
OF an adequate sewerage system in this
city to protect the health of the inhabi-
tants
In reply to a question by Mr.. Hulick. Mr..
Truesdell stated that 81, 600 900 of the bonds
are intended for the completion of the
sewerage system within the city, and that
the government is interested I'm the whole
plan. Replying to Mr.. Odelrs question Mr.
Truesdell said the government should bear
proportionate part of the cost of SUBJ
urban sewer extension because such ex-
tension was part of a trunk system in
which the United States was as much in
terested as the District.
Mr.. Hulick, a rev member of the conf
mittee, although not q new member of
the House; raised the question of the
United States paying one-half of the ex-
penses of the District government and
District improvements. Mr.. Truesdell said
that Mr.. Hulicks question opened up a
very wide field of discussion that it might
not be wise to undertake at the moment
The matter had been often discussed, but
for himself he was convinced that the same
reasons which applied at the time that
Congress established the present system
in the District are in force today and to
a greater extent, Mr.. Truesdell, for Mr..
Hulick's benefit, gave a brief sketch OF
the history of the present system.
Monday to be District Day.
After the committee had reported upon
the two pending measures the Commits
sicners departed and Mr.. Babcock directed
the reports to be made by Mr.. Hulick and
Mr.. Richardson and placed upon the cal
andar Of the House by Monday next. That
day will be District day in the House, and
the measures will be brought up for con-
sideration. Mr.. Babcock stated to the
committee that the new rules of the House
when adopted will give the District two
days in each month on the floor, as an ar
bitrary right for the presentation of Dis
trict business.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Babcock the
committee decided to make a change in the
old system OF giving lengthy hearings upoa
pending bills. 1t was found in the past to
be very hard to get a quorum of the COM
mittee to attend these hearings, frequently
tedious. Hereafter, save I'm exceptional
cases of great Importance, hearings will be
held before subcommittee, and the action
Of the subcommittee reported to the full
committee. This system is expected to ie-
suit in the saving of great deal of time
and in facilitating action upon bills before
the committee.
The House District committee will meet
on Wednesdays during the session.
Liability of Employees.
The liability of employers in the District
Of Columbia is the subject Of bill intro