Evening star., 1898-05-23
The House Gives Time to Local
Legislation.
MANY MEASURES TAKEN UP
The Extension Of Building ReguIa-
tions Act Passed.
wharf PROPERTY CONTROL

When Chairman Babcock obtained the
floor this afternoon under the rules setting
apart this day for the consideration of
business reported from the District COM
mittee. he called up House bill 10106.
This bill provides that the Commissioners
of the District OF Columbia be authorized
to establish building lines on streets or
parts of streets less than ninety feet wide
in the District of Columbia, upon the pre-
sentation to them of plat of the street or
a portion of the street upon which such ac
ton is desired. showing the lots and the
names of the record owners thereof. and
accompanied by petition of the owners of
one-half of the real estate shown on the
plat requesting that building lines be es-
tabiished. when the Commissioners shall
certify that public health, comfort or con-
venience requires that such building lines
be esta blished.
The bill provides regulations for the as
certainment of damages to real estate by
the changes in the building lines.
The bill was passed without debate.
Unused Railway Tracks.
Mr.. Babcock then called up Senate bill
914. This bill as amended by the House
committee provides that hereafter when
ever the track or tracks or any part there
of of any street railway company in the
District Of Columbia shall not have been
upon 4 schedule approved by the Com
missoners for a Deriod of three months.
the Commissioners, in their discretion, may
thereupon notify such company to remove
the unused tracks and to piaL2 the street
in good condition; and if such company
shall neglect or refuse to remove the
tracks and place the street in good Condi-
tion within sixty days after such notice,
the directors of the company shall be DEEM
ed guilty OF a misdemeanor and shall be
liable to a fine of $40 for each and every
day during which the tracks are permitted
to remain upon the street streets or
said roadway snail remain out of repair.
which fine shall be recovered in the Police
Court of the District, in the name of the
District, as other fines and penalties are
now recovered in that court.
On and after one year from the passage
of this act it shall be unlawful for any
street railway company, operating Its sys-
tenn or parts of its system over lines owned
and operated by another street railway
company in the city of Washington. to
continue such operation OF to enter into re-
ciprocai trackage relations with any other
company, as provided for under existing
law, unless its motive power for the pro-
pulsiOn of its cars shall be the same as
that of the company whose tracks are used
or to be used. For every violation of this
act the company violating it shall be sub
]ect to fine of $40, TO be collected and
applied il the same manner as is provided
by existing laws in respect of other lines
in the District CT Columbia.
District of Columbia, now operating their
systems or parts of their systems in thS
city of Washington by of the tracks of
one or more of such companies, under a
reciprocal trackage agreement as provided
for under existing law which shall be COM
PEELED by reason of the passage of this act
to discontinue the use of the tracks of an
other company, shall issue free transfers to
their patrons from one system to the other
at such functions of their respective lines
as may be provided for by the Commission
ers.
The bill was passed in the form above.
Control of Wharf Property.
The next measure considered was House
bill 1G294, vesting in the Commissioners the
control of wharf property and public spaces
within the District which are not under
the control of the superintendent of public
buildings and grounds. The bill comprises
twenty-five printed pages and was drawn
by the Commissioners.
Mr.. King of Utah, in explanation of
House bill 1029i, quoted the letter of Com
missioner Ross, which says, in part:
THE laws governing the control of wharf
property in the District of Columbia are
somewhat obscure. SO that it is unc artain
whether the control of such property is
vested in the chief of engineers of the Unit
ed States army or in the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia. AS a matter of
fact, it is claimed by both. and the Com
missioners are and have been for some
erty leased by them from time to time. At
the same time, the validity of their action
Is so uncertain that they have not been
able in all cases to collect the rentals ac-
cIuing under such leases. 1t seems qliite
essential, therefore. that the laws govern
ing the matter should be made positive aid
clear"
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois raised objsc to
ali the revenues from wharf rentals going
Tito the treasury to the credit of the Dis
| trict. He thought some Of the revenues
Should go to the credit of thu United States
treasury. AT Mr.. Cannon's suggestion Mr.
King offercl amendment providing that
the proceeds of rentals from wharf prep
erty shall be divided between the Unit I'd
States and the District. The amendment
was adopted. 1t was also provided that no
lease of property shall run ionge- than ten
years.
Opening the Botanical Gardens.
Mr.. Babcock offered an amendment pro-
viding that the Botanical Gardens shall be
open to the public like other PARKS, and
that the fence around the gardens shall be
removed within six months.
Mr.. McMillin advocated the amendment
and went further. He would like to have
the botanical buildings moved to the Agri-
cultural Department grounds.
Mr.. Suizer of New York opposed the re-
moval of the fence. He said many horses,
cows; and animals, roaming around the
stree is, would get into the grounds and de.
Stroy the Shrubbery.''
Mr.. Babcock asked Mr.. Sulzer how MANY
cows he had seen roaming around the
streets.
Mr.. SulZer had not seen any COWS. but
was afraid they might begin to roam some
time.
The amendment carried on viva voce
vote, but Mr.. SulZer raised the point of no
quorum, and cali of the House was made