Evening star., 1897-03-06
CONGRESS AND THE DISTRICT
Some Questions That Were Not Settled by
Legislation.
The Condition of the Charitable In.
stitutions and the Electric
Light Matters.

1
OF the District of Columbia that the next
| session Of Congress will settle favcrably a
| number of important matters which the
| past Congress failed to act upon. The
| greatest interest in District legislation dur
| ing the last Congress centered about the
| appropriations for free library. for the
completion OF the aqueduct tunnel and
| Howard University reservoir. for charities.
| for the extension of Connecticut avenue
and to pay awards to property owners
along the line of 10th street and Rhode
| Island avenue extended.
| In the last hours of the Congress the ap-
preparation for the free library was de-
| feated. not cn account of any opposition
to the general purposes of the library. but
because of difference of opinion i'm regard
| to details. The same may be said OF the
apprcpria ton 10 complete the Washington
aqueGIct tunnel and Howard University
reservoir. The necessity for completing
| this work is well recognized in the House,
| well in the Senate. but it was not
regarded quite settled by some men,
| bers of the conference committee that the
| appropriation TO complete this work was
sufficient TO place the aqueduct and reser-
| voir liz a first-cass condition.
The Charities Appropriations.
Much interest centers about the chari-
| ties appropriations, and they are left in
| exactly the same condition they Were at
| the closing of the first session of the Fifty
| fourth Congress. The commission having
| the investigation of this matter in charge
will shortly get to work in earnest ard
carry on its Investigations. so that when
Congress again meets it may recommend
a scheme for doing the charitable work IN
| the District in accordance with the de-
clared purpose of Congress not TO appro-
pirate money for charitable Institutions un-
der religious control. The extension of
Connecticut avenue was dccilcd upon and
such legislation was necessary to COM
plete that work is now on the statute
books.
| The diversion at the he,d of Connecticut
avenue permitting the extension to be made
Without the destruction of valuable I'M
pScvements remains, but the straight line,
| in conformity with Connecticut avenue as
| la id out through Chevy Chase. approaches
the city much closer than it did under the
old diverted plan, and the whole matter Is
regarded satisfactory as ii is finally de-
termined.
The appropriations for the extension of
18th street and Rhode Island avenue were
lest. and will be considered again in the
next Congress, as also Will be the appro-
priation for a bridge across Rock creek
on the line of Connecticut avenue. all of
which was lost in the bill finally agreed
upon.
The Electric Light Question.
The electric light question will call for
no further legislation now until Congress
ttiheS sOuie dCtlo1i " ptONlue tilS LAIN
ed-of municipal subway.
AS the District of Columbia appropriate
bill was finally adopted it permits both of
the electric light companies to make the
greatest use possible of both their conduits
and overhead wires without permitting the
further extension of their systems. 1t per-
mits both companies to make house connec-
tions along the line of overhead wires as
well as conduits, and legalizes the overhead
| wires that in the past few years have been
the subject of much dispute.
If Congress was really in earnest in all
the talk that was INDUCED in regarding
the subway plan, one of the things to be
looked after in the coming session will be
to complete subway plan, which viii most
| likely be done by either gradual extensions
by the District government of system to
| be owned by the government or by the
chartering of a great subway company,
which will be given authority to put down
| as sool as possible subways for all kinds of
| electric wires. which can be rented to other
companies having use for them.
There would be more general approval
of the plan of having the District construct
and maintain a system of subways, but for
the fact that it will require an expenditure
of S4,o0o,0O0 or sJ.oo0.0o0. which could not
be done with any degree of promptneSS
without the issuing of District bonds, and
there would be a very decided opposition to
such proposition
SOnt0slOus DlSeubcS nOSRltSA
The contagious diseases hospital problem
! was solved by an appropriate ton of 100000
with which to construct two buildings in
connection with existing hospitals. 1t is
practically settled that Freedmens Hos
pital will have one Of these additional build
ings, though the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia are authorized to de-
termine what hospitals will be granted
them.
Freedniens Hospital is generally regard
| ed, however, as the only institution in the
| District that could properly receive the
| appropriation in order to give accommoda-
| ticns for colored persons suffering from
contagious diseases. 1t has an abundance
| of ground and is looked upon well To-
| Gated for such a purpose
When the Commissioners come to decide
| upon the other hospital that is to receive
| the $4,000 for new building they will be
| obliged to take into consideration the pro-
vision of the District of Columbia appro-
| priation bill which declares the intention
| of Congress not to appropriate money for
any institution under religious control
| 1t is quite likely that the Commissioners
| will be called upon to award this S15,VOO
to an institution not under religious or