Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-01
THE DISTRICT BILL
Local Appropriation Measure Again
Up in the House.
BRIDGE OVER ROCK CREEK
Quite Debate Over This Particu-
lar Item.
p JECT DEF r A TED
P ROJECT DEFE AT ED

tOay In committee of the whole General
Grout of Vermont being in charge of the
measure.
Mr.. Handy of Delaware made a point of
order against the following item in the
bill:
Toward the construction Of steel
bridge, with stone foundations, across Rock
creek on the line Of Massachusetts, avenue
extended. fifty Thousand dollars; and the
total cost of said bridge complete. in accord
ance with the estimates given in detail in
Appendix A. House document numbered
one hundred and sixty-three. Fffty-ffth
Congress- second session, under a contract
which is hereby authorized therefor, shall
not exceed one hundred and ninety-nine
thousand two hundred and four dollars:
Provided, That no money shall be expend-
ed or contracts entered into hereunder un-
I'll all land necessary for approaches to or
otherwlse for the construction of said
bridge not now owned by the United States
or the District of Columbia shall have been
States"
Mr.. Handy held that the item was new
legislation, changing existing law, and was
81 sceptlbie 10 the point OF order.
Not a Point of Order,
Gen. Grout and Mr.. Pitney defended the
Item and maintained that it was not new
legislation in the sense implied by the rule
applying TO points of order
Gen. Grout said :ais appropriation was
made through the power inhe rent I'm the
committee on appropriations under the or-
sahlc act creatBs the present form Of gov.
ernment in the District of Columbia
Gen. Grout said the appropriations COM
m!ttee appropriates for new school build
ings without waiting for the warrant of
special act of Congress.
Then can you open a now street in the
cls bod NJ
Pitney.
Why, certainly. replied Mr.. Pitney, "it
Is frequently done"
Mr.. Payne Of New York, who was in the
chair, called for ;Ic organic act and after
consulting 1t overrulei the point of order
Mr.. Handy then moved to strike out the
item. In support of his motion he said this
nridee. Will cross kotX creek at point
where there arc no houses. and further
more that within $40 yards of the proposed
crossing there is an existing bridge.
He said the new bridge would enhance
the property on the opposite side of the
creek, but he thought the government
should not at this time spend the money.
Gen. Grout said the nearest public bridge
was half a mile distant. There is a slight
inexpensive structure tenrer, hut 1t was
built by private parties. Gen. Grout read
from the report of Capt. Gaillard, the army
engineer, to show that a large suburban
section IN the vicinity of the new naval
observatory is cut off from direct commu-
nication with the heart of the city.
Mr.. Bennett's Inference.
Mr.. Bennett of New York said his infer
ence frcm the discussion was that Mr..
Handy was probably more interested in
some other section of Washington than the
one where the bridge is proposed to he
located. ....-
Mr.. Handy said he repelled the insinua-
tion that his conduct on the floor of the
House should be Influenced by his interest
in any section.
Mr.. Bennett retorted that in view of this
statement he could not understand why a
man of Mr.. Handys intelligence could op-
pose improve ments Of this character in
Washington.
Mr.. Underwood of Alabama advocated the
appropriation for the bridge, and graphi-
cally described the situation at the point
where the bridge is to cross the creek.
At this point Mr.. Lamb of Virginia
switched the debate off for ten minutes to
discuss the question, as he said, whether
prosperity has come to the United States
or not.
Mr.. Hepburn Opposes.
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa opposed the appro-
priation for the bridge. He claimed there
was no necessity for the bridge, and that
would be the syndicate of property owners
ON the other side OF the creek.
Mr.. Hepburn complained that too much
attention is paid to appropriations for the
northwest section and not enough for other
portions Of the city. This state of affairs,
he said, was the fault not of the committee
on appropriations but Of the Commission
ers Of the District, whose sympathies, he
said. were with the northwest section of
the city.
MIR. Hepburn said the Anacostia and
health Of the eastern section of Washing
ton-should first be reclaimed. When the
Potomac fats, he said, threatened the West
End there was no trouble In getting appro-
priations for their reclamation. The same
people, he said, who accomplished that OBJ
3ect are advocating this bridge ~..
Mr. w. A. Stone Of Pennsylvania said
Mr.. Hepburn had made very good arsu
Branch fats. but had not offered a valid
objection to the bridge appropriation. He
said the bridge was needed and ought to be
provided People had built homes across
way from the city and were entitled to
have It. He knew some people from Penn
syivania who had bnflt homes there
From the sentleman's own state" sug-
gested Mr.. Simpson Of Kansas.
Yes. and some from Kansas, too" re-
Piled Mr.. Stone.
Then let's have the BRIDGE re3oined
Mr.. Simpson.
Mr. Lentz of Ohio opposed the appropria-
ton on the ground that the 100000 could
be appropriated to better advantage in
other sections of the country than In the
District Of Columbia, and that better OBJ
jects could be found in the District.
Mr.. Wangef of Pennsylvania spoke in ia
vor OF the bridge project.
Mr.. Vandiver OF Missouri opposed the
appropriation. He objected. he SAID, to
building a $20O,00O bridge to accommodate
the owner Of $4,000 residence across
Rock creek.
Mr. Pitney of New Jersey then took the
floor to make an earnest appeal for the ap-
preparation. He Is q member of the an
propriations committee. He said the COM
mittee had resisted this appropriation In
the past, but, had decided that ths time had
arrived when the appropriation would be
wise.
Mr.. Mcguire of California opposed the
appropriation, and was followed by Mr..
Simpson Of Kansas, who also objected to
it, He alleged that land speculation was
the one thing which has stood In the way
of the development OF the city ard the
proposed bridge was In the infexesf ar fn
creasing the value OF land IN that section.
: Mr. Robbins Pa-l said the new naval
observatsry and tie projected Methodist