The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-04
FOR LOCAL LEGISLATION
The Senate District Committee Pre-
sents Many Bills.
Proposal TO Tax Corporations Upon
Their Gross Rcccfpts-No business
TO he TRANSACTED Until License
shall Have Been Secured - Extern
sion OF The Metropolitan Railway.

District matters were given considerable
attention by the Senate yesterday num-
Der OF bills providing for various improve
ments and changes were introduced. Near
ly all of these measures came from the
District Committee and were introduced
by its chairman, Mr.. Mcmillan of Michi-
gan. Among this number were the fol-
lowing: bill 10 increase the revenues OF
the District, the measure being proposed
as an amendment to existing statutes APP
proved March 3. 1877. II provides that all
corporations. except railroads and those
corporations having no capital stock, be-
fore transacting any business in the Dis
trici shall obtain a license from the Dis
trict Commissioners. When so authorized
each corporation is to pay annually to the
collector of taxes per cent of the gross
receipts Of the business done in the Dis
trict. and each corporation. by its president
or secretary. is 10 be required TO make a
sworn statement on July 10 of each year
to the Assessor of the District of the gross
receipts of the company for the fiscal year
ending July 30, next preceding. In lieu
OF taxes on the capital stock lives. and
they are TO be required to pay per cent of
the gross receipts OF the company Pro-
vision is made for punishment by fine and
Imprisonment of the officers of any cor
poration that shall do business in the Dis
trict without first obtaining a license or
that shall make a false return of the gross
receipts from the business done
bill authorizing and requiring the
Metropolitan Railroad Company to extend
lis lines on old Sixteenth Street from the
present terminus at the intersection of
Eighteenth Street and Columbia Road, east
along Columbia Road to present Sixteenth
Street and thence along this street 10 Park
Street No tracks are TO be laid within the
curb lines of Sixteenth Street. and no cars
are to be switched in the street. Before the
extension is made Columbia Road must be
increased in width to 100 feet and present
Sixteenth Street TO 80 feet, the work 10 be
authorized and done by the District Com
missioners. One year is the time allowed
for the extension to be made and fer the
line TO be put in operation. OF the amount
found to be due by jury selected for the
purpose as damages on land condemned for
use in the extensions OF Sixteenth Street
and Columbia Road, not less than one-h half
is to be assessed by the condemnation jury
against land lying on each side OF these
lines 10 a distance of 250 feet from the
building line OF the street The remainder
is TO be assessed against the Metropolitan
Railroad Company, and is TO be collected
as q special assessment.
bill TO amend an act Ito better define
and regulate the right of aliens to hold and
own real estate in the Territories" which
was approved March 2, 1897. The amend
ment extends the provisions Of this act so
IS to make them apply 10 the District of
Columbia.
bill directing the District Commits
sioners to grade, regulate. and curb the
street on the western border of the Zoo
logical Park. from Woodley Road TO
Cathedral Avenue. and the latter from
Connecticut Avenue to Woodley Road. An
Appropriation Of s45, 900 is asked for Of
which sum one-half is 10 be levied on
property abutiing on the roads to be i'm
proved and the other one-half to be taken
from the revenues of the District of Co.
lumbia and Of the United States.
bill authorizing the Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution 10 appoint five eN-
aminers who are 10 prepare and publish a
schedule Of studies preparatory to the de-
grees of Master of Arts Master OF Science,
Doctor OF Philosophy, and Doctor of
Science. and TO hold examinations in
Washington for the conferment of these
degrees and for the honorary degree Of
Doctor OF Laws. Any person who has
pursued the studies required al any OF the
larger colleges in order to secure the de-
gree for which he is an applicant, will be
permitted to take the examination, anc
should be make the required percentage
will receive the degree. special pro-
vision is made, however. that no more
than FIVE honorary degrees of Doctor OF
Laws shall be conferred in any one calen-
dar year. The examiners are to hold
Office during the pleasure Of the Regents,
and are to receive salary Of $4,000 year
each. except the chairman Of the board,
who viii receive s.. 1000. A bill to provide
for Improvements in the tax department
Of the District OF Columbia, and TO increase
the facilities for the collection of taxes.
The measure appropriates 81 600 TO put into
operation the card index system in the
Office of the Tax Collector. A similar bill
was introduced in the House yesterday by
Representative Babcock.
Senator cullom introduced a bill to pro-
vide for the extension OF Bacon Street so
as TO intersect Columbia Avenue or Six
teenth Street extended. Bacon Street is
also to be increased in width to go feet
I'M THE POPULAR CHAMBER