Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-07
THE DISTRICT BILL
Its Consideration Begun by the
Senate.
LOCAL MEASURES I'm TIE HOUSE
Bailey Of Texas Leads in FiIibus-
terlng.
CHECKED BY THE SPEAKER


blessing upon the President and Vice Pres
ident and the two branches Of Congress.
and besought the High and Mighty Ruler
Of the universe that His support and guild
ance be given to all those in authority.
Mr.. Allen (Neb) presented the petition
Of 1900 railway MEN of Pennsylvania in
favor of legislation to prevent the abuse
of the writ OF injunction.
At the conclusion of the routine morning
business the consideration of the District
of Columbia appropriation bill was begun.
The bill as 1T passed the House carried
IS, 6O6,647. BY the Senate committee the
appropriations were increased $1,46y65O,
making the total amount of the bill as re-
ported to the Senate $7.O76,29S.
The Public Library.
When the paragraph referring to the
free public library was reached Mr.. Chill
ten said Congress had provided the Con-
gressional Library at great expense, and
vas to keep 1t open at night for the people
of the District and he did not see why ad-
ditional appropriation for another library
should be made.
Mr.. Allison replied that the appropria-
ton for the free public library was made
in pursuance to law passed June 3, 1896
which provides for a free public library
for the people of the District Of Columbia
and not for the people of the United States.
He said the committee deemed it wise to
provide for such a library. The paragraph
was then passed over.
Sprinkling and Sweeping.
When the appropriation for sprinkling,
sweeping and cleaning the streets was
reached, Mr.. Allison moved an amendment
as follows: Provided, that $4,000 of the
amount SO appropriated may be expended
under the immediate direction of the Com
missioners without contract" which amend
nent was approved. This amendment will
allow the work of street sweeping to be
done by days work, and, it is claimed by
those interested in it's passage, that such
work will permit the payment of $3.50 day
instead of 81 to the workmen, and still re-
suit in saving to the government, besides
having the work done by hand instead of
by machines.
Electric Lights.
The provisions Of the bill as reported by
the committee in reference to electric arc
lighting were charged in several respects.
In addition to providing for lights on
streets row lighted with electric arc lights
in the city an amendment was adopted
placing such lights on ''extensions of such
service along lines of conduits now exist
ing and conduits authorized to be con-
siructed."
The provision ordering that all poles sup
not the property of the District OF Column
bia or the United States within the section
bounded by b street north, list street cast,
the fire limits and Rock creek be taken
down within one year from the date of
the passage of the act, &C., was modified
50 az not to include telephone wires Mr..
Allison stating that tie condition relating
to the telephone wire was such to
make II impracticlble. to appy that pro-
vision to them.
An amendment was adopted, providing
tfat conduits of electric railway companies
shall not be used for electric lighting pur-
poses and no house connection with such
copduits shall be made. The bill was
further amended to prevent the construc-
ton of any conduit not specifically au-
the rized by this act but repairs to existing
cor Quits can be made
Public school Teachers.
Under the head Of public ychools an
amendment was adopted providing for
two, instead of three teachers at 81, 400
each, and for thirty instead of twenty eight
teachers at $1,000, and for sixty-one instead
of sixtytwo at.s1,00O.
The appropriation for four new hose car
riages was reduced to read for one new
hose carriage for the fire department.
The number of rapairmen provided for
the telegraph and telephone service was in
creased from two to three.
Telephone Rate Regulations.
vision for the lowering of telephone rates
in the District of Columbia, but this pro-
vision was struck out by the Senate COM
mittee on appropriations.
Mr.. HanSbrough wanted to know why
that provision was stricken from the bill.
He said 1T had Sbeen put there by the
House of Representatives almost unani-
mouSly.
Mr.. Allison replied that the committee
lad no data on which to judge to what
reasonable rates for a telephone service in
the District of Columbia were. He said, in
accordance with Senate resolution, the
committee on the District of Columbia was
carrying on an investigation into the ques-
t.on OF the proper price for telephones;
that an expert had been appointed and was
examining the books of the telephone COM
pany, with view of finding the proper
price that should be charged for such serv-
ice.
Ee said a report would be finished in
time Tor the conference committee and
would form basis for action on the mat
ter by them.
Mr.. Berry favored adopting the House
provision Tor cheaper telephones. and said
the senate committee was about equally
dlVloed on that question.
ME- Faulkner asked that the matter be
not acted on until the bill got in confer
ence.
On motion of Mr.. Pettigrew, the para
graph relating to telephone rates was
passed over without being acted on. He
salc ne and another senator wanted to
speak on that subject
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
BY an agreement reached last Monday
today was set apart for the consideration