The evening times., 1897-02-06
THE DISTRICT BILL PASSED
Lengthy Consideration Of 1t in
the House.
MR.. HANER'S REFLECTIONS
He SayageIy aud Designedly At
tackled Charita BILE Institutions and
Sought to Get More Engines for
the Fire Depa rtment.

Richardson renewed the am eDdment which
five engines, instead of one new engine
for the use of the fire department. Mr..
Richardson had sent to the clerks desk
and reaG table showing that nearly every
city in the country with popula tion equal
| to Washington, is better furnished with
fire engines.
He said that many cities Of the country,
with a population of 200 900, had as
many as twenty-five engines, while this
city, with 2S0 900, had only ten engines.
New Orleans, with 245,O00 population,
has twenty-five engines; Detroit, with
225,000, has twenty engines.
Mr. Richardson made an earnest plea for
the passage OF his amendment, which would
give this city fifteen engines. He referred
to the Lansburgh Rink fire, snd said that
If the city had had a sufficient number
OF engines it might not have resulted so
disastrously.
Mr. Grout spoke in opposition to the
amendment. He said there were twelve
instead ten fire engines. The fire depart
ment, he said, was better off that some
other departments OF the government
MI INiNHdl hSOh Ok ain lAo
amendment and spoke of the imperative
need of additional engines He thought
the House should adopt the recommenda-
tion of the Commiss toner's and Chief
Paris.
Mr.. Richardson dwelt at great length on
the fact that the little city, of Detroit
had so many more engines than this great
city.
Mr.. Grout said that the fire engines in
use in Detroit were for the most part old
and not serviceabIe. They do not compare
in efficiency with the engines in the Dis
trict service.
Mr. Cannon suggested that the amend
ment be voted down.
Mr.. Corliss, the representative of the
Detroit district. resented what he said was
a slander on the fair name of his city. He
denied Mt Richardson's right to call
Detroit that little city" and also denied
Mr. Grout' S statement that the fire engines
in Detroit were old and broken down. He
said the fire department in his city is one
OF the best in the land.
Mr. Richardson's amendment was voted
down
During the reading of the charities sched-
ule Mr.. Grout asked that the paragraph
with amendments be passed by until the
entire bill had been read. An amendment
was offered by Mr.. Morse. which was read,
limiting a provision OF the bill.
The girls reform school appropriation was
regarded by Mfr. Haner as excessive. While
the capacity OF Il school was reported
to be twent y-seven, the number OF inmates
was much below that figure. The re-
rormatory costs too much
Judge Grout eontCnded that, while the
expense is large, the way to reduce the per
capita is to enlarge its capacity. In respect
to a charge by Mr.. Haner as TO the number
OF the inmates, Mr.. Grout said the principal
OF the institution had been before the com
mittee but q few days ago, and stated tie
number to bc twenty-seyen
Mr.. Hainer insisted there were but TWEEN
ty-one
Mr. Grout again quoted tie superntend-
ent, and in response To tie statement that
none but colored girls were admitted, added |
that there is no law to prohibit the recep-
ton OF white girls.
Mr. Hainer moved to strike out the ap-
preparation of $500 for the pay Of the
treasurer.
The chairman put the otion, but Gen.
Henderson interposed before the vote was
taken, and opposed the appropriation. He
had he said introduced the hill TO estab-
lish the school. 1t is school, as well
as reformatory, and its establishment was
demanded by the civilization Of the Dis
trict.
Mfr. Hainer insisted that there were no
school facilities, and asked if his friend
Henderson had any information upon which
to hare the assertion.
Il speak from personal knowledge, was
the quick response Il know whereof
speak.
Gen. Henderson said the girls were be- |
ing taught to sew and to read and write. |
The, had been taken. he added, from the |
purlieus of sin and were being beneritedby |
the expenditure.
Mr. Dockery explained that the motion
of Mr.. Hainer was to strike out an ap-
for new office, but he was |
corrected by Mr.. GTout. and admitted |
after explanation that he was mistaken.
Mr.. GroUt called attention TO the fact |
that a committee is now investigating the |
whole subject.
Mr.. Hainer INDUCED in roast of the |
charitable organizations OF the District. |
People form organizations, he said, under |
high-sounding names, and make great 6ls- !
play of their charity. pre- arranged visit |
finds everything all right. Referring TO |
the treasurer, he said, she sits in her par |
Ior and signs checks, first charging her |
self with the gross amount of the appropria- |
ton, and the bill proposes to pay her $500 |
for discharging that dDty-about as much !
work, he added, asthe average OF those who |
are employed in that service.
He advocated the abolishment of all OF |
the local boards, and the placing of the |
charities under one central supervision. |
Having said this, he confessed he had &C |
complished all lie expected, and withdrew |
his amendment.
Mr.. Pitney, Of New Jersey, explained |
why the joint select committee on chari- |!
ties had not performed the duties assigned |
to it. 1t was occasioned, he said, by the |
occurrence of a vacancy, and the committee |
could not organize. 1t had been moved |
that the committee be requested to make |
report at the opening OF the Fifty-fifth |
Congress, and he was opposed to it.
The amendment was rejected, and the |
clause remains as it was printed in the !
bill, requiring the report to be made as
soon as practicable after the opening OF |
the next Congress.
Mr.. Doekery Offered an amendment, as |
section of the appropriation for electric |
lighting, that hereafter no company snail |
charge more than as per cent for arc light |
ing of the sum charged January IL, 1897, |
for public or private use for lights or power. |
The amendment was accepted.
Mr.. Morse called up his amendment to re- |
ha vi n rpl