The times., 1898-06-28
-BIsTR|CT BILLS PASSED
The House Devoted the Day 10
Local Legislation.
GRF4T FALLS WATER POWER
The ELL to Acquire This Property
Meets Strong Objection and Goes
Over to Next Session-Debate Over
the Rhode Island Extension Bill
to Abolish Smoke Nuisance Passed.


swing in the House yesterday and the
bills reported from the District Committee
were disposed of in rapid succession until
the measure for requirement of the Great
Falls water power was reached.
Strong opposition was manifested. In
fact II was made apparent as soon as the
bin was taken up that it could not pass
at this session at least.
The first bill called up by Chairman
Babcock was that for the extension of
Eleventh Street northwest. 1t passed
with the amendments previously adopted
limiting the appropriation to $1,000 and
retaining in Congress the power to revise
and reject all condemnation proceedings,
The bill for the prevention of smoke in
the District OF Columbia was taken up
1t provides that on and after six months
from the passage of the act the ennis
sion of dense white. black or gray
smoke from any smokestack or chimney,
used in connection with any stationary
engine steam boiler or furnace of any
description within the District shall be
deemed a nuisance, and the Commission
ers are required to suppress it.
Mr.. Dalzell wanted some information as
10 the bill.
Mr.. Curtis replied that there had been
a great deal of complaint in the city of
injury done by black smoke from soft
coal The committee had ascertained
that nearly ali the cities of the Union
have such ordinances on the same lines
as the pending bill. The bill was passed.
The resolution authorizing the Commits
sioners to set apart spaces on B Street
northwest, between Seventh and Thir-
teenth streets, for the sale of country
produce raised by the sellers was taken
up.
The resolution was recommended by
the District Commissioners who stated
in their communication that the receipts
from the charges provided for would
cover all expenses for watchmen, etc.
/ The resolution was passed.
The bill for the relief of Finetta Nalle
was taken and passed up. 1t releases the
! Government interest in certain lots in
! the District.
/ The Senate bill for the relief of Michael
! McNuIty was passed Mr.. Jenkins ex-
planned that McNulty had purchased GER
tain real estate in the District before
acquiring citizenship in the United States.
! The bill relieved the property OF the
/ cloud imposed by the law prohibiting
4 aliens from owning real estate in the
District
The Senate bill TO extend Rhode Island
/ Avenue from Florida Avenue 10 LeDroit
Avenue was next taken up. 1t appropri-
/ ates 5000 TO pay the award and provides
, that all of the expense should be paid out
! of the revenues OF the District.
to-. ,vRnf- too
Whole.
Mr. Babcock explained that the only OBJ
! struction to Rhode Island Avenue was
near LeDroit Park. II would require the
/ condemnation of S1,440 feet Of ground tC
/ open the avenue entirely through TO sub
divided lands. The appropriation had
/ been reduced from SIS. 900 TO $500
A letter from the commissioners recon-
/ mending the legislation was read. They
! stated that the opening could be effected
/ only by condemnation and estimated the
cost Of the proposed Improvement at $751;
80.
Mr. Dockery said he was not at all sur
prised at the appearance of this bill h
Z gave notice that he would stand alone, i
necessary, in defending the integrity o
the District revenues. He added that tn
/ owner of the land to be condemned callet
on him Dockery) the other day ant
asked his support for the bill. He wa
opposed to further depicting the Distric
treasury at this time. He said Congress
had already appropriated total of $3.50,
coo for the northwest section of the city
that including the estimated cost of tn
| opening OF Eleventh Street the tota
would far exceed 81, 600, 600.
Mr.. Babcock replied that some of thes
expenditures-in fact most of them-cam
from the Appropriations Committee an
not from the District Committee.
] NFr raTalie1 that the -
sioners estimated the cost of openin
Rhode Island Avenue at sS1, ,440 yet tn
committee proposed an appropriation o
only $50, 600, well knowing that the latte
would not cover the cost. He insiSte
that the time had come to call a halt o
these appropriations, else the Distric
surplus would vanish. Mr.. Dockery sug
gested that the whole subject go owe
[ until the next session of Congress, thS
I to be taken up for careful consideration
Mr.. Cannon called attention to the fac
that a Senate amendment in the deficienc
bill appTopriates $3.50, eco to pay for Ian
condemned to widen streets to reach tn
proposed new bridge over Rock Creek a
Connecticut Avenue. He asked Mr.. Bah
cock if he would insist upon the Hous
accepting that amendment.
Mr. Babcock answered that he woulC
as the money ought 10 be appropriate
and expended.
the expenditures authorized from tn
District revenues the Rhode Island Ave
nue. bin had better go over until mex
session. Otherwise, he said, the Distric
will Fl nd its surplus gone, and will b
forced TO borrow money. Mr. Babcocl
replied that the Connecticut and Massa
chusetts Avenue bridges were authorize
by the Appropriations Committee. If, h
continued. Messrs. Dockery and Canno
We're bent on opposing the pending bill
they could raise the point of no quorum
that he (Babcock) would be powerles
and in the face of such opposition, h
would withdraw the bill. He was viii
ling to leave the question TO the judgmen
: of the House. If the majority though
the bill ought to go over he would ac
quiesce.
Messrs. Dockery and Cannon continue
TO protest against further calls upon tn
District surplus, saying it would be eS
hausted at the rate proposed. Mr.. Bal
cock, by way of response, asserted tina
| the tax collections of the District coul
, be largely increased. He said "theT
4 were millions and millions dollars wort
+ OF personal property that escaped taxa
e tion entirely"
He said the District had not neede
: the money and neither had it been co
lected by taxation; that the coIlectio
: supplied all the revenue Congress woul
, expend
This assertion seemed to surprise NJ
! Dockery, who suggested that ther
must have been great dereliction on til
part of the District officials> Mr.. Bal
cock called on Mr.. Cowherd, who ha
, been a member of the subcommittee tha
inquired into the subject of taxation, fo
! pf