Evening star., 1896-12-23
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS
Officials Explain the Estimates of the Com
missioners.
A Bill to Further the Experiments In
Aerial Navigation Other
Local Measures.


held session today, at which hearings
were given to several officials of the Dis
trict government, including Chief Paris of
the fire department. The officials were al
lowed to make statements explanatory Of
the Commissioners estimates in the bill
relating to their especial departments.
The subcommittee suspended with today's
meeting further hearings on the bill until
after the holidays General Grout will go
nome tomorrow to spend Christmas, and
Mr. Dockery has already gone home.
Aerial Navigation.
Mr.. Baker IN. H), by request, has intro
duced bill in the House to pay the sum
of $4,000 out of any money in the Treas
ury for the following purposes and to the
following persons, namely: To Prof. s. r.
Langley of the Smithsonian Institution the
sum of $4,000, to enable him to continue
his experiments in aerial navigation and to
construct one or more of his aeroplanes,
and to James Seldom Cowden of Vienna,
Fairfax county, Va, the sum of $2O.OOO
for the purpose of enabling him to con-
tinue his experiments in aerial navigation
and construc ting enc mere of his air
navigating machines; and the further sum
of $4,000. or so much thereof as may be
deemed necessary, is appropriated, to be
expended. under the direction Of the Sec
retary of War, by the chief signal officer
In conducting experiments relating to
aerial navigation Any airship or mechan-
ism for navigating the air constructe
through the aid of any money thus ap-
propriated. shall be the property of the
government of the United States for all
purposes necessary for the public defense.
The Dill was referred to the committee
en- military affairs.
FavOrs the Morse Bill.
A. L. swartwout of 400 Spruce street
McN hot 0f he
Senate committee on the District of Column
bia. in favor of the passage of House bill
1888 for the Improvement of the liquor law
of the District Of Columbia. Mr.. Swart-
wout says the passage of the above bill by
the senate will be great benefit to the
city by the promotion Of good citizenship
which he believes would result from the
removal Of some temptations in the form
of saloons from the young men of this city.
Metropolitan Railroad Extension.
Senator Mcmillan. chairman Of the SEN
ate committee on the District of Columbia,
is daily receiving large number Of COM
munications asking that the Metropolitan
Railway Company be permitted to extend
its tracks up Columbia road, on Washing
ton Heights. to 18th street. A number of
these communications were received this
morning.
Gen. Flagler, chief of ordnance United
States army. writes regarding the bill,
which has passed the House authorizing
this extension saying:
Il wish very much you could see your
way in having this bill passed by the Sem
ate There is large and rapidly increas-
ing population on Washington Heights of
a class of people that use the street rail-
way. The walk Of from two to six squares
to the corner of Boundary and Connecti-
cut avenue, though down hill, is a serious
hardship in bad weather, and the walk up
ia har dahi In,
weathers, especially in hot weather.
AS L wrote you last year, we are a
large population on Washington Heights,
We pay rather heavy taxes. and so far have
nothing In return except street lights. No
fire protection no police. no street light
ing, little or no improvements except those
We pay for. and many Of Us have been
compelled to provide our own water and
water mains and sewerage. private COM
pany now offers to give us what we need
more than anything else, and II seems fair
to urge you to let them give 1t. The Metro
politan company gives us rapid transpor-
tation to all parts of the city that most
of US need. A connection with any other
street railway company would be of COM
paratively little or no service to us. . If it
would be of any service and help l would
gladly come before your committee orsdo
anything else in the matter / can"
j. b. Winner, who lives on Washington
Heights, also writes:
Il do not believe a single objection has
teen interposed against this proposition for
an extension of the lines of the Metropoli-
tan Railway Company. and / feel con-
WINGED that no objection to it can be sus
tanned"
Robert J. Fisher, general counsel Of the
Eastern Railroad Association, a property
owner and resident of Columbia Heights,
says the extension of the Metropolitan
road is badly needed
Law ence Sands says he has to have his
children driven to school daily because
Z her.. ia homo
and as the owner of several hundred thou
sand feet of land on Washington Heights,
he wished to see the tracks of the Metro
politan road extended.
G. W. Littlehales, 2132 lie Roy place; a.
C. Stevens, 18th street and Columbia road,
and l.. NJ. Saunders, corner Wyoming and
Connecticut avenues, also ask the eXten-
sion of the road