The times., 1898-12-07
DISTRICT IN THE SENATE
Several Important Local Meas
ures introduced.
ELECTRIC WIRE CONDUlTS
Bill Fixing n Penalty for the over
head Nuisancc-Con,missi issioners to
lie Given Unlimited Authority,-
The Erection of n Municipal Hos
pitnI-Other Matters of Interest to
Washington

| Several measures of local interest to
| Washington were introduced in the Sem
ate yesterday, one of the most important
/ of which was bill by Senator Mcmillan,
Chairman of the Senate Committee on
| the District of Columbia 1t provides that
| within one year from its l,assage any per-
son or corporation operating or maintain
! ing overhead electric light wires within
! the fire limits of the District OF Columbia
shall be subject to :lne of $50 for each
day during which such operation or main
tenance continues, which fine may be re-
covered in any court of competent juIis-
diction
The Commissioners of the Distrirt of
Columbia are authorized % grant permits
for the extension of existing electric
! lighting conduits and have connections
made with the same under proper resu-
lations. In every such conduit at least
three ducts shall be reserved for the use
of the United States and the Distric. of
Columbia.
According to the terms of the bill the
Commissioners are given unlimited au-
thority to grant permits for the con-
struction of underground conduits. This
is a radical change from the present Gus
tom, and its benefits will be two-fo'd t
the bill becomes II law. 1t will st mu-
late competition in the matter OF eloc-
trio lighting, and allow eonduts to be
laid in ali parts of the city for the rur-
pose of furnishing dwellings with Il C.
tric lights.
The necessity of more liberality in The
matter of granting permits for electric
light conduit extensions has been d s.
cussed by Congress heretofore, but lsgis-
lation on the subject has never been con-
summated The bill was referred TO tie
Committee on the District. and Senator
Mcmillan said he would support ii in its
present form and if possible Sc ure its
passage.
Municipal Hospital.
A bill providing for the erection OF a
municipal hospital in the District of Co.
lumbia was also introduced by Senator
Mcmillan and referred to the committee.
The bill authorizes the trustees Of
Columbia Hospital TO sell that property
and turn the proceeds into the Treasury
Department and provides the sum of 800
900 with which TO purchase L site for the
new hospital ard S.0.O0e to 5e-1l its cree
uon, the total cost 1f the bui,d' az TO b.
500 900
A recommendation favorable to this
project was made TO the Joint Select
Committee of Congress on the District
charities by Drs. Hurd and Chaplin, in
which 1t was stated tnat the patients now
treated in the Columbia. Freedman's and
poor house hospitals could Sun be treatel
For Experimental Ground.
Still another bill was introduced author
izing the use of tract of land in the
Potomac flats. west OF the Washington
Monument. to be used as experimental
grounds by the Department of Agricul-
ture
1t provides that the use of the ground
for this purpose shall not interfere with
the character of the reclaimed flats as a
public park. The bill was introduced by
Senator Mcmillan and was referred to
the Committee on the District of Column
bia.
,inri,. 1,,,I..