Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-17
LOCAL BILLS PASSED
First District Day Of the Present
Congress.
PROTECTION OF SMALL GAME FISH
Regulation of Cemeteries and Ger
tain Refuse.
THE Won ESSEN BEQUEsT

TIE I1cusc VI representatives OI tne pres
ent Congress. and members of the COM
mittee were in attendance to explain the
legislation brought forward. In the alb
sence of Chairman Babcock. who is still
detained at his home in Wisconsin. Mr..
Curtis of Iowa called up the bills.
Regulation oc Cemeteries.
The first measure presented was s. 46T
which passed the Senate at the extra ses-
sion, for the regulation of cemeteries and
the disposal of dead bodies in the Dis
trict. This bill was recommended by the
health officers of the District.
1t prohibits the laying out of new ceme-
teries. except under certain conditions. by
which it is sought to protect the rights
CT property holders in the neighbcrhood
of such land as it may be hereafter pro-
posed to use for cemetery purposes, and to
protect the interests Of the general pub
lie from a sanitary standpoint.
Section requires all cemeteries to be
fenced so as to prevent trespass, either
for the purpose of grave robbing or other
wise. The report says that the need of a
law in the interest Of lot holders regulat-
ing this matter mas been amply demon
strated Of late years by the practical aban-
jonment Of at least one cemetery, and the
consequent wanton desecration OF the
graves. That clause in this section requir-
ing underdrainage in certain cases will no.
n materially interfere with any properly reg
ulated graveyard. 1t will, however, ena-
BILE the Commissioners to prevent undue
pollution Of the ground water, and, through
that medium, of wells in the vicinity"
Another section is designed to prevent,
except under proper conditions, the crema-
tion or destruction of human remains.
mated without restriction, thereby possibly
removing the very evidence of crime which
is necessary III order to secure convic tion.
The provision in reference to embalming is
fay. ty,,fto No fY-io tif.y, of
poisonous fluids into dead bodies before the
cause of death has been certified to by a
disintercsted party may seriously interfere
With the subsequent investigation from a
medico-leSal standpoint, if such investiga-
tion becomes necessary"
Other sections of the bill contain addi-
tioral sanitary regulations for the disposal
Of dead bodies.
Mr.. Terry of Arkansas of the judiciary
committee called attention to the penalty
clause, and suggested striking out the min
inum penalty for violation of the act, so
that it shall provide for a maximum PEN
atty of 500, or imprisonment not exceeding
ninety days.
This amendment was adopted, and the
bill was passed without further debate.
Disposins of Refuse.
Mr.. Curtis then called up the bill Is. 1853
to regulate the disposal of certain refuse.
This bill was also recommen ended by the
health department of the District. 1t IS
designed to regulate outnouses and prevent
tie pollution of the soil and the contami-
T alton of wells and water sources. by i'm
posing building and sanitary rules ana
endowing the health officers with power to
erforce them.
Mr.. Curtis explained that the bill was
iEdorsed by the medical profession and
the local officials and had passed the Sen
ate last summer.
The bill was passed without debate.
TI,o Dafor xou EcSeu
Mr.. Curtis then called up bill Is. 1888
authorizing tine District Commissioners o
accept the baquest of the late Peter Won
Essen and to distribute it to the legal
heirs of the deceased. The sum involved is
about $4,000.
The bequest provided that the money
should go to the free white schools of
Georgetown. When the time came to set
tie the estate it transpired that there were
no free white schools of Georgetown The
Commissioners now have the money, but
cannot dispose of 1t.
Mr.. Henderson of Iowa said the grand
children of the deceased are in unfor-
tunate circumstances and the money of
the grandfather should be given to them.
The bill was then passed.
Protecting the Fish.
Mr. Curtis called up the bill Oh. 6161) for
the protection of fish in the District of
Columbia.
This bill has the approval of the Com
sioners of the District of Columbia, was
practically arranged by the United States
fish commissioner and is consolidation of
the existing laws, with a few proposed
notifications to meet new conditions. The
principal object of the proposed legisla-
ton is to preserve the small game fish
which are planted in the waters of the
District of Columbia, to enable the United
States fish commissioner to obtain full
supply of fry for transportation to other
waters, and to give all kinds of fish
small area where they may be undiS-
turbed.
The bill provides that no person shall
weir, float net, gill net, haul seine, dip net
or any other contrivance, stationary or
floating, in the waters of the Potomac
river and its tributaries within the Dis
trict of Columbia, provided that nothing in
the act shall be construed to prevent the
use of barrel nets or pots for the catching
or killing of eels, or prevent the United
States commissioner of fish and fisheries
from taking in any manner desired fish of
any kind for scientific purposes or for pur-
poses of propagation and that none of the
provisions of this act shall apply to per-
sons employed in catching young catfish.
smelt, club, bun mnnows and crayiiSh
for use as bait in fishing with hook and
line; provided, further that any person
engaged In taking such catfish, smelt,
chub bull minnows and crayfish shall first.
said commissioner of fish and fisheries to
take such bait for hook-and-line fishing
No person shall catch or kill in the wa
ters of the Potomac river or it's tributaries
within the District of Columbia any black
bass otherwise known as green bass and
chub), crappie otherwise known as calico
bass and strawberry Dass) or striped bass
otherwise known as rockfish) between the
18th day of April and the 1st day of June
of each year. nor have in possession nor
expose for sale any Of said species be-
tween those dates. nor catch or kill any of
said species of fish at any other time dur
ing the year except by angling, which
shall not include the taking of fish by
what are known out lines or trot lines
1t shall be unlawful for any person to
have in possession or expose for sale in the
District of Columbia after the 10th day OF
June. in any year. any fresh fish Of the
shad or herring species. 1t shall be un-
lawful for any person to expose for sale in
the District of Columbia at any time during
the year any striped bass or rockfsh or
black bass having length of less than
nine inches. 1t shall be unlawful for any
person to catch or kill. in the waters OF
the Potomac river or its tributaries within
the District Of Columbia, any fish by means
of explosives. drugs or posons
No person shall allow any tar, oil, am
moniacal liquor, or other waste product Of