Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-17
No Provision for Reclaiming the
Anacostia Flats.
THE DEFECT MAY Be REMEDIED
District Affairs in Both Branches
Of Congress.
PROGRESS OF LEGISLATION


out any provision Icing made for the COM
nencement of that much-needed work, the
reclamation of the Eastern branch fats
v bich at present form a most unwholesome
nuisance on the southern and eastern sides
of the city. The Chief Of engineers, in his
annual report, for some unknown reason
emitted to make an estimate for this i'm
provement, although Maj. Davis, who was
at that time the engineer in charge of the
Potomac river and harbor work, had rec
commended thar an appropriation of about
100000 be made to commence the project.
House Failed to Act.
The attention of the House committee on
rivers and harbors has been called to the
necessity for starting the work as soon as
possible. and the board of trade commit
tee on water front escorted the House
committee, together with Senator George,
chairman of the Senate committee on the
improvement of the Potomac river, on
trip around the flats of both the Potomac
and the Anacostia. in order to demonstrate
by actual observation the real condition of
the eastern water front of the city.
The House committee, however. did not
include this item in the bill, although the
sum of 100000 was appropriated to con-
tinue the Potomac river project. 1t was
learned today that Senator McMillan's at
tention has been called to the state of
mittee on commerce, which. in the Senate.
has exclusive jurisdiction over the river and
harbor bill, 1t is expected that something
may yet be done for the Anacostia flats i'm
provement.
Necessity for the Improvement.
The sum required for the commencement
Of the work Is exceedingly modest, and all
that is desired really is the establishment
of survey to determine the exact state of
things along the Eastern branch. and to
outline a project for the reclamation of the
flats and the deepening Of the channel to
the navy yard. At present the channel is
exceedingly narrow, shallow and tortuous.
The tug Triton IS about the only craft that
navigates the channel regularly, and her
commander has great difficulty at times in
effecting pas sage from the navy yard to
the main river.
At low tide the river bed appears above
the surface of the water in many places
and the shores of the stream emit the
most noXiouS OdorS that. combined with the
eff1uvia of the James Creek canal. render
che atmosphere in this vicinity exceedingly
unwholesome. s.a.4
Senator Mcmillan has promised to bring
the matter up before the commerce COM
mittee and he may be able to secure
small appropriation for the commencement
of the work.
Considering the Subway Question.
The subcommittee of the House District
committee having charge of the subway
question held an executive session today
to map out plan. but they adjourned
without coming to any conclusion.
Railroad Extension Hearing Fixed.
The subcommittee on street railroads will
give a hearing on Monday at IL o'clock on
the subject of the proposed extension of
the lexington and Soldiers Home road. d.
To Euuaiize Printing Office Pay.
Representative Hurley has introduced
bill providing that the public printer be
authorized and empowered to equalize the
pay per hour for compositors, bookbnders
and pressmen employed in the government
printing Office and it's several branches,
making the same uniform.
A Commissioner of Copyrights.
Mr.. Treloar introduced a bill providing
for commissioner of copyrights and for a
revision of the copyright 1t provides that,
all records and other things relating to
copyrights and required by law to be pre-
served in the Library of Congress, which
have heretofore been under the control of
the librarian of Congress. shall. from the
date of this act. be under the control of an
officer to be known and designated as COM
missioner of copyrights to be appointed by
the President az d confirmed by the Sem
ate, who shall, within the Library of Con-
gress and under the supervision of the
joint committee on the library perform all
the duties relating to copyrights which
have heretofore by law been imposed upon
the librarian of Congress.
A salary of $4,000 a year is provided for
the commissioner.
Written Instructions to Jurics.
MIR. Woodman introduced a bill providing
that in any trial by jury in any of the
courts of the United States in either civil
or criminal cases. the judge presiding at
such trial shall confine his instructions to
the jury to the law applying to the case,
and that such instructions shall first be re-
duced to writing.
Seeking to Preserve Colonial DOcu-
ments.
Mr. Draper introduced a bill in the House
appropriating $4,000 to be expended by and
under the direction of the Secretary of
State in preparing End publishing the his
torical manuscripts now in the Department
of State and the records of the Continental
Congress, together with all the official docu
ments relating TO the revolutionary period
row in the custody of the Secretary of
State and which have not heretofore been
published; and the further sum of $4,000
is hereby appropriated to be expended by
and under the direction of the Secretary of
War, for the preparation and publicati ton
of all military records, such as muster and
the personnel or the operations of the
armies OF the revolutionary war, and such
papers as may be loaned contributed by
states, societies and individuals.
That the Secretary of State and the Sec
rotary of War are hereby directed to make
srch rules and regulations they may
deem necessary to carry out the provisions
of this act and to secure uniformity in the
preparation and publication Of said papers.
Commissioners Report on Garbage.
Senator Frye, as president pro tenn. Of
the Senate, today laid before that body
the report of the District Commissioners
in reference to garbage, in response to
resolution adopted February IS. The sub
stance Of this report has already been pub
lished in The Star.
Favor New Telephone Company.
The President pro ten. today laid before
the Senate a petition signed by many citi-
zens Of Washington asking for the incor-
pora ton Of the Columbia Telephone Com
pany.
EXCITING RUNAWAY.
A Horse PlunEes Through n Fence
and the Driyer EoIJOxya